Overview

Restaurant Leadership Conference 2025 (RLC 2025) convenes senior restaurant executives April 13–16 in Phoenix at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. It delivers four days of strategy, technology, and deal-making.

Expect a C-suite–level program focused on leadership, growth, and margin protection. The agenda meets shifting demand and cost pressures head-on.

Decision-making context matters going into 2025. Consumer confidence has been volatile through 2024, according to The Conference Board.

Operators are still navigating labor and food-away-from-home inflation trends tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. RLC 2025 is built to turn those macro signals into operator playbooks, peer benchmarks, and vetted vendor solutions.

If you’re responsible for P&L, brand growth, or enterprise tech, use this guide. Confirm value, budget, logistics, and next steps in one place.

Who should attend and expected outcomes by role and segment

RLC 2025 is built for VP/C-suite leaders across QSR, fast casual, FSR, multi-unit independents, and franchise systems. The core audience is pursuing growth with discipline.

CFOs, COOs, CMOs, and Chiefs of People, Technology, and Supply Chain will find mapped sessions. Franchise development leaders will also see tracks tied to 2025 decisions.

Expect content on portfolio strategy, menu pricing, unit economics, AI deployment, loyalty ROI, labor optimization, and franchise expansion.

Within 90–180 days post-event, executive teams typically act on insights. Common moves include piloting a new POS or KDS and renegotiating contracts.

Teams also stand up AI-driven labor forecasts or re-segment loyalty audiences to lift frequency. Multi-unit operators often report faster vendor shortlists, better benchmarks, and stronger cross-functional alignment.

Attend as an executive team if you want to accelerate cross-discipline initiatives. You can leave with a unified 90-day plan.

Persona-to-outcome mapping

Match your mandate to the right track and vendor conversations. This helps you achieve fast, practical wins.

CFOs will focus on pricing elasticity, category mix, and cash-on-cash returns on remodels and tech. COOs and supply chain heads can shortlist demand forecasting, back-of-house automation, and waste reduction solutions.

CMOs and loyalty leaders can validate CRM/CDP roadmaps and offer architecture. They can also refine the creative-performance balance for 2025.

Technology leaders can vet integration roadmaps, data governance, and AI guardrails. Franchise ops can align field playbooks, LTO discipline, and unit-level profitability.

Tie your agenda to concrete outcomes. Identify three sessions that inform a decision already on your Q1–Q2 calendar.

Pick five exhibitors across POS, loyalty, AI/automation, delivery, and supply chain to pressure-test requirements. Book two peer roundtables to benchmark KPIs.

Arrive with a short decision memo template. Capture inputs and convert them into an action plan your team can execute.

Attendee demographics and networking value

RLC traditionally draws enterprise-minded leaders with buying authority. That creates high-signal conversations.

Prior editions have skewed toward VP/C-suite decision-makers from multi-unit brands across QSR, fast casual, FSR, and franchise systems. You’ll see a strong mix of technology, operations, finance, and marketing leaders.

That mix powers the event’s “executive nests,” curated roundtables, and a marketplace built for senior conversations. It’s not a general EXPO browsing experience.

If you’ve struggled at mega-shows to find peers with similar complexity, RLC can help. Think 50–5,000 units, mixed franchising, and active M&A.

Curated audiences and hosted formats make it easier to compare playbooks. They also help you test assumptions quickly.

Block time for structured networking. Leave space for serendipitous conversations.

Many attendees report that the highest-ROI moments came from informal exchanges. Those chats often unlock a bottleneck back home.

Dates, location, and travel logistics

RLC 2025 runs April 13–16 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona. The resort-style venue supports executive meetings, outdoor networking, and large general sessions.

Phoenix’s spring weather and compact footprint make navigation easy. It’s simple to move between keynotes, breakouts, and the marketplace.

Travel is straightforward via Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Ride-share and taxi access are available, and on-property parking supports rentals.

Book your hotel early. Event blocks historically sell out before the cutoff.

If you need accessibility services or quiet-room accommodations, plan ahead. Coordinate with the hotel and event team during registration to lock arrangements pre-arrival.

Airports, ground transportation, and parking

The nearest major airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). It is roughly 25–35 minutes from JW Marriott Desert Ridge, depending on traffic.

Ride-share, taxis, and executive car services are plentiful at PHX. Rental cars are available via the consolidated rental facility.

Public transit options are limited for the resort corridor. Most attendees rely on ride-share or rentals.

On-site at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, expect valet and self-parking. Daily rates are posted by the property.

Hosting vendor or investor meetings? Factor in car service timing. Late afternoon rides can run long during peak arrivals.

Set your airport departure with a cushion after the closing session. Preserve final networking windows and avoid rushed goodbyes.

Hotel block, overflow options, and accessibility accommodations

The primary hotel is the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. Overflow hotels are usually offered nearby once the main block fills.

Event-negotiated rates and the official booking link live in the registration portal. Access continues until the cutoff date or sellout.

If the block is closed, check overflow listings. Consider refundable rates to maintain flexibility while plans finalize.

For accessibility, contact the hotel in advance. Arrange ADA-compliant rooms, mobility device storage, or refrigerator access for medication.

If you need a quiet room, nursing/pumping space, or other accommodations, note this during registration. Email attendee services so on-site staff can assist.

International attendee guidance

International executives should start the visa process early. For most travelers, a B-1 business visa or the Visa Waiver Program applies.

Review documentation requirements with the U.S. Department of State’s visa guidance. Many events issue visa invitation letters after you’ve registered and paid.

Request your letter immediately to support your application. Processing times vary by country.

Interview appointments can book out weeks in advance. Prepare proof of employment, purpose of travel, and ties to your home country.

Keep your hotel and flight details ready. If you expect delays, notify the event team.

Some organizers offer substitution credits or virtual access if available. Ask early if you need options.

Registration pricing, discounts, and what's included

Expect tiered RLC 2025 pricing: early-bird, standard, and on-site. Pricing aligns with executive-access programming, receptions, and the marketplace.

Group rates and limited emerging-leader passes are commonly offered. Final tickets and prices are typically posted on the event registration page.

Early-bird discounts often close several weeks before the hotel block cutoff. Track both windows.

Your pass usually includes full-conference access, most meals, evening receptions, and marketplace entry. Select workshops are typically included.

Some premium passes add hosted buyer benefits or VIP seating during keynotes. If you need to justify budget, quantify meal offsets and travel days on payroll.

Also estimate the expected value of 3–5 targeted vendor meetings. Those can compress a months-long RFP cycle into one week.

A typical inclusions checklist:

Confirm your inclusions on the registration portal. Register early to lock pricing and hotel inventory.

Refunds, transfers, and key deadlines

RLC refund and substitution policies balance planning certainty with executive travel realities. Name changes are commonly allowed up to a posted cutoff.

Refunds or credits are often available on a sliding scale prior to the event. If your travel policy requires flexible terms, bookmark the refund window.

Plan decisions before the strictest deadlines. That reduces stress and preserves options.

Watch four key dates: early-bird pricing end, hotel block cutoff, last day for substitutions, and final refund eligibility. Calendar them alongside internal budget approvals and travel procurement steps.

If plans change close to the event, contact attendee services quickly. Some organizers convert cancellations to credits or allow colleague substitutions.

Key deadlines to track:

Review the official RLC refund policy on the registration site. Set internal reminders so finance and travel teams can act without rush.

2025 agenda and tracks with learning objectives

RLC 2025 centers on executive decision-making under uncertainty. Tracks include leadership and culture, finance and unit economics, operations and supply chain, technology and AI, and brand/marketing and loyalty.

Formats include keynotes, case-led breakouts, executive roundtables, and marketplace stage demos. The goal is to turn frameworks into operator playbooks.

Learning objectives are pragmatic. Finance tracks help CFOs model pricing and traffic tradeoffs, capex ROI, and cash flow.

Operations sessions refine labor deployment, kitchen throughput, and supply resilience. This matters amid continued commodity volatility.

Technology tracks move past buzz to integration roadmaps and governance. They highlight measurable AI use cases.

Marketing deep-dives connect loyalty design, offer science, and creative effectiveness. The focus is unit-level P&L impact.

Come prepared with your top two decisions per track. That focus helps you extract precise takeaways and action owners.

Schedule at a glance

Plan for badge pickup and informal networking on Day 1. Expect main-stage keynotes and track breakouts on Days 2–3.

A final morning of sessions plus checkout typically lands on Day 4. Marketplace hours concentrate across the middle two days to drive meeting density.

A practical flow many executives follow:

Confirm exact times on the official RLC schedule. Block meeting windows between your can’t-miss sessions.

Speakers and how sessions map to pain points

Expect a mix of marquee keynotes and operator-led case studies. Sessions speak directly to 2025 challenges.

Topics include balancing menu pricing with value perception and scaling AI responsibly. You’ll also see content on kitchen flow redesign and traffic rebuilds through smarter loyalty economics.

Beyond celebrity names, prioritize practitioners who have shipped change. Look for brand presidents, COOs, CFOs, and CTOs who show working dashboards, KPIs, and habits.

Map each session to a pain point and deliverable. If you’re wrestling with labor volatility, target scheduling AI and cross-training content.

Then meet vendors in workforce tech and BOH automation. If loyalty ROI is uneven, attend talks on offer optimization, CDP integration, and creative measurement.

Book time with CRM, POS, and analytics partners. Leave each slot with a decision note: problem, options, evidence, and next step.

Sponsors, exhibitors, and meeting booking

RLC’s marketplace is curated for senior conversations. Expect category leaders and high-growth disruptors across POS, payments, loyalty/CRM, AI/automation, delivery, and last mile.

You will also see supply chain/forecasting, labor tech, KDS/BOH, site selection, and guest experience. Hall hours usually concentrate on Days 2–3.

Book meetings in advance. Start by ranking 2025 initiatives and mapping them to 5–7 must-see categories.

Request 20–30 minute slots to validate fit, integration paths, and commercial terms. If you manage an RFP, bring requirements, your current stack diagram, and a decision timeline.

Leverage on-site matching tools and the event app. Many exhibitors hold limited executive calendars, so pre-align agendas.

Vendor landscape preview and 2025 initiatives

Operators are prioritizing systems that pay back quickly and scale. Expect next-gen POS with open APIs and AI-assisted forecasting and labor scheduling.

Computer vision for speed and accuracy is gaining ground. Loyalty/CDP unification and supply chain visibility tools are also rising.

Expect more “copilot” features embedded in core platforms. Tighter data governance will protect brand risk.

A quick procurement checklist to bring:

Shortlist vendors aligned to your constraints. Book demos early and leave with a pilot calendar tied to P&L goals.

2025 industry outlook and benchmarks for operators

Plan 2025 with facts, not noise. Food-away-from-home prices and wages remain elevated versus pre-pandemic baselines.

Track your unit economics against BLS price and wage series. Monitor sentiment via The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index.

The National Restaurant Association publishes operator outlooks and traffic benchmarks. Align your plans to those signals and to local market realities.

Watch key benchmarks. Track labor cost as a percent of sales and mix-driven margin shifts from premiumization versus value platforms.

Assess delivery commission impacts and LTO effectiveness. Use RLC sessions to validate your 2025 assumptions.

If your model relies on menu price increases, sanity-check elasticity. If you’re banking on AI productivity, probe implementation hurdles and change management.

RLC 2025 compared to NRA Show, FSTEC, and MUFSO

Each conference serves a different purpose. RLC 2025 is executive-focused and curated, emphasizing strategy and peer exchange.

It also drives targeted vendor meetings in a resort setting. The NRA Show is the industry’s broadest expo.

NRA is excellent for discovering products and trends across every category. It is less concentrated on C-suite peer dialogue.

FSTEC dives deep into restaurant technology. It suits CIO/CTO teams and operators executing tech roadmaps.

MUFSO emphasizes leadership and brand-building with a strong operator voice.

Choose based on outcomes:

Many brands attend RLC plus one complementary event. If budget allows, pair RLC for strategy with FSTEC for tech execution, or with NRA Show for broad sourcing.

Safety, code of conduct, DEI, and sustainability

Executive events thrive on trust and respect. RLC typically enforces a professional code of conduct that ensures harassment-free participation and respectful discourse.

Consequences for violations are clear, with reporting channels to event management and venue security. If you manage a team’s attendance, ensure everyone knows how to report issues fast and discreetly.

Expect DEI commitments across speaker selection and attendee experience. Sustainability efforts often include reduced single-use plastics and smart F&B planning to limit waste.

Digital materials are used where feasible. If you have accessibility or dietary needs, flag them during registration so the team can plan inclusive experiences from day one.

Networking playbook to maximize ROI

Approach RLC like a board meeting with vendors and peers. Pre-event, set three goals tied to decisions you must make.

Examples include finalizing a POS shortlist, validating loyalty offer strategy, or recruiting two peer advisors. Book meetings and roundtables that line up with those goals.

On-site, protect white space each afternoon for serendipity. High-ROI moments often happen in hallways and in the marketplace.

Use the “executive nests,” curated small-group sessions, to pressure-test assumptions. The format is confidential and direct.

Keep a running action log with owner, due date, and follow-up artifact. Examples include a pilot scope or a forecast template.

Before you leave Phoenix, schedule two post-event calls. Hold one internal readout to convert notes into decisions, and one vendor or peer call to keep momentum.

ROI case snapshots

These brief case snapshots show typical post-RLC moves and payback windows. Use them as directional benchmarks to set expectations with your team.

Treat these as directional examples. Your results depend on fit, execution, and change management.

The pattern is consistent. Align decisions to P&L levers, pilot quickly, measure, and scale.

CE credits, post-event resources, and on-demand access

Some leadership conferences provide certificates of attendance or self-report documentation. Formal CE accreditations vary by track.

If your organization requires CE or PD hours, ask which sessions qualify. Confirm whether a certificate or agenda with session hours is available.

Where no formal CE exists, bring a simple self-report template. Log learning objectives, hours, and outcomes.

Post-event resources typically include slide decks or executive summaries. On-demand recordings may be provided for general sessions and select breakouts.

Access is often tied to your registration level. Confirm what’s included before you register.

Schedule a 60-minute internal debrief within a week of returning. Translate notes into projects.

Call for speakers and media accreditation

If you plan to speak, prioritize operator-led, results-backed stories. Share clear KPIs and transferable lessons.

Strong proposals specify the problem, constraints, actions, data, and outcomes. Aim for a brand-side executive as the primary voice.

Limit any vendor participation to implementation details. Submission windows often close several months before the event.

Have your abstract, speaker bios, and learning objectives ready. Be explicit about audience level, executive vs. practitioner.

For media accreditation, expect to provide outlet details, recent bylines, and coverage plans. Interview requests with keynote and operator speakers flow through the event PR team.

Agreed rules of engagement and embargo timings usually apply. Submit your credential request early and outline your angles.

Focus on leadership, tech, or finance. Coordinate on-site interview blocks before headliners’ schedules fill.

Next steps: