Hundreds of foodservice technology professionals assembled in Long Beach, Calif. last month for the 15th Annual FSTEC conference and showcase, which this year features insights from Forrester Research. Top agenda items included social media pros and cons, online and mobile ordering and bleeding edge innovative technologies set to spur growth.

Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester, a leading international research and business services organization, was a new conference research partner for the show, which is produced and managed by Nation’s Restaurant News with Robert N. Grimes of Accuvia. This year, FSTEC was at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Feb. 21-24. Next year, it will co-locate with NRN's Multi-Unit Foodservice Operator Conference in Dallas.

• VIDEO: Restaurant CIOs dish on social media
• Listen to a preview podcast of analyst Nigel Fenwick discussing social media.

FSTEC 2010 Coverage

   • Social media buzz kicks off FSTEC
   • FSTEC and MUFSO to co-locate in 2011
   • FSTEC award winners celebrated
   • FSTEC panel: What's next in restaurant technology
   • FSTEC discusses bleeding-edge technology

Stay at NRN.com for FSTEC news, and visit NRN’s related site Show News at NRN for editor blogs and snapshots.

FSTEC 2010’s theme is “Igniting Growth” and several of the educational sessions look outside the efficiency boosting prowess of core foodservice technologies to address the power of software code, silicon chips and the Internet to bolster sales by way of greater customer aggregation, service options and relationship management.

See a full agenda here at FSTEC’s homepage: www.fstec.com.