Attendees optimistic as 2015 NRA Show winds downAttendees optimistic as 2015 NRA Show winds down

Attendees were optimistic and exhibitors were in large numbers Tuesday as the annual four-day National Restaurant Association Show wound down in Chicago.

“Anecdotally, everyone I talked to feels real good about the economy,” said Mary Pat Heftman, the NRA Show manager and executive vice president for convention and strategic alliances. “You can see it in the crowds and the masses of people as you looked down the aisles and they are full. And they have been full for three days.”

Heftman, who has been with the NRA Show management for 25 years, said traffic tends to taper off on the third and fourth days, but noted that it didn’t happen this year.

“If the operators can stay longer,” she said, “it means the business is healthy. They can afford it and feel comfortable about being away. They feel they can reinvest in their professional development.”

Mary Pat Heftman, the NRA’s executive vice president of convention and strategic alliances. Photo: Ron Ruggless

The NRA Show exhibit space exceeded last year’s level, increasing about 5 percent to 2,100 individual exhibitors, including more technology and innovation vendors, according to Heftman.

“You can also see the health of the industry in the exhibits,” Heftman said. “There are a lot of new exhibitors, and a lot of folks who have been with us for a while have upgraded their space and built new exhibit properties.”

Attendees exhibited energy as well.

“The turnout this year was fantastic,” said Tray Doster, senior manager of franchise development for Athens, Ga.-based Zaxby’s Franchising Inc., which has been attending the show as a franchisor for five years.

The four-day show “is a long one,” Doster said. “But what is great about the last day of the show like this is we get to meet a lot of locals.” The 690-unit Zaxby’s does not yet have any restaurants in the Chicago area.

The company plans to open 80 restaurants this year after opening 70 in 2014. “Our operators are excited about the economy,” Doster said. “About 86 percent of our growth last year was with existing franchisees.”

Tray Doster, Athens, Ga.-based Zaxby’s Franchising Inc.’s senior manager of franchise development. Photo: Ron Ruggless

Chris Eby, a senior manger for franchise development for Firehouse Subs, said the show was beneficial the Jacksonville, Fla.-based fast-casual brand.

“Not only have we met some possible franchisees here locally,” Eby said, “but we also spoke to a number of folks internationally as we begin our franchising in Mexico and Canada.”

Eby said he met several visitors from abroad. “The silver lining was meeting a number of people from Mexico,” he said.

Steve Lieber, BurgerFi’s global brand ambassador and director of franchise sales. Photo: Ron Ruggless

Steve Lieber, global brand ambassador and director of franchise sales for West Palm Beach, Fla.-based BurgerFi, said the economy and show had “great energy” this year.

“Finally, gas prices are helping keep food costs down a little bit,” Lieber said, “and customers have a few extra dollars in their pocket.” He said he personally saved about $15 every time he fueled his own automobile this year, and he believed others were saving similar amounts.

The NRA Show saw a number of new exhibitors this year.

Tech providers were a big presence on the show floor, showcasing everything from mobile ordering and payment systems, to point-of-sale tools and secure card technology. New pieces of equipment, such as robot fryers and 3D computer food printers, were also tucked in among the growing number of vendors.

New products also populated the food offerings, with new items including hemp vodka to trout jerky.

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