National Restaurant Association Annual Tradeshow...

Whoa... What happened for four days?!?!? If you're like me, then you just returned from the National Restaurant Association annual SHOW, or International Foodservice Marketplace. According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA) website the Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show® is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals in the Western Hemisphere. And when they say, the NRA Show 2010 will showcase more new products and services than any other industry event they mean it! Over 12,000 exhibits were on hand this year, with over 51,000 attendees walking the floor. Chefs, servers, culinary students, restaurant consultants, Charlie Rose, hostesses, booth babes, Walker Thompson, social marketers, Point of Sale systems, knife companies, Coca Cola, bakeries galore, a company called TurboPan and a walking computer all took in the many sites and smells of the show. It was non stop hand-outs for some of the world's finest foods, and just about everything else a restaurant could possibly need! Even the NRA's CEO has something to say (hint: watch the video)...




For my company, ProfitStreams, we performed demo after demo of our revenue generating marketing platform. And it was good to see restaurants nodding their heads with great interest wanting to know more about how to sell more food! I also can't say enough about connecting with old friends in the industry, great to see you all!

It was constant food... I can't believe I was able to control myself!

Yeah, and then I miss out on this seafood smorgasbord!

OK, so while I was out there I went to our booth and everyone asked, "Hey, where is your suit...?" I said, "Shit..." And then went to buy one. (Think: I'm not much of a suit guy...). This is me in the cab taking a picture of my new suit. Totally G-freaking-Q!!!

Remember I mentioned the computer earlier? Well, Digital Dining POS had some killer handheld devices on display at the show: order while you serve...

Yes, and then there is the tourist zone...

And me on an break run... A classic shot! Witness the non-tanness

And then there was this coffee machine I kept getting coffee from... I've got to give props to these guys! Check out the credit card swipe on the right...

Yes, even my colleague Tony Rocco, from ProfitStreams, missed out on the NRA shuffle... 

Again, if you're not in the industry who cares... The NRA SHOW is a killer place to be...

Thank you to http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/2760926085_11e6a2650f.jpg for the killer Chicago skyline pic!

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