It’s official: the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show is in the books.
The energy was high, and the exhibit floor was bigger than ever, particularly in the technology section, which felt like it doubled in size. If your goal was to find innovation, you definitely achieved it. And if you were looking to get your steps in, you achieved that goal, too. I didn’t check the weather before flying out from Miami, so I got an unexpected reminder that Chicago in May is still chilly, but that brisk walk into McCormick Place helped wake me up each morning for a full day of discovery.
No surprise, AI-related solutions were everywhere. Some of the claims were legitimate and exciting, while others felt a bit like marketing fluff dressed up in buzzwords. The most compelling applications I saw combined AI with visual systems, cameras tracking food quality, monitoring guest flow, or measuring the speed of service systematically and with precision. Integrated solutions like these clearly illustrate where AI is starting to move from hypothetical to practical applications. When used right, AI can unlock a real competitive edge for operators looking to measure and optimize performance beyond just sales and labor costs.
Before the show, I predicted the exhibit would be full of robotic arms and autonomous runners and I did see plenty of those. In fact, one arm was unsuccessfully trying to fold napkins every time I walked by. But what I liked more was the creative use of conveyors and small automated cranes performing specific, repetitive tasks.
One standout was an automated fry station using a crane to load and dump baskets of fries with minimal operator input. Another setup involved an automated drink station for drive-thru applications, seamlessly blending consistency with speed. These focused, modular automations might not get as much press as humanoid robots, but they’re far more viable for real-world operations in the near term.
Cooking equipment continues to evolve, especially in the oven category. I saw ovens that combine microwave, convection, impingement, radiant heat, steam, and more, all in a single unit. The ability to use multiple cooking technologies on demand is revolutionizing prep and cooking times, especially in tight back-of-house layouts, but that cutting-edge technology is pricy.
Meanwhile, other equipment upgrades focused on maximizing efficiency and reducing footprint. Undercounter rice cookers designed for high-volume operations were clever, freeing up counter space while doubling capacity. And smart timers that can track multiple batches of the same item in one place could solve a lot of holding-time headaches for busy kitchens. There were also niche items that caught my attention: robotic tumblers for wok-style dishes, programmable pasta sauce dispensers, and even a rapid steamer for heating soup or scrambling eggs on the fly. These might not be right for every concept, but in the right environment, they could unlock labor savings or speed.
I saw conveyor ovens with radiant heat optimized for cooking proteins such as steaks, burgers, and fillets at 1200 degrees F. Not only were these ovens fast, but their consistency was also reminiscent of modern pizza ovens. Multiple booths had a semi-automated pepperoni pizza assembly station, complete with blade-cut slices on demand. It’s a promising start, given how labor-intensive pepperoni pizza is, but the cutting mechanism still needs refinement before it can handle real-world volumes without getting dull fast.
In the labor tech space, the trend leaned heavily toward forecasting and improving the social dynamics of scheduling. These are worthy goals, no doubt, systematic scheduling helps operators and employees alike, but for me, the bigger conversation is still being missed.
True labor optimization starts with understanding how much labor is necessary and where it is necessary. You can determine this by using activity-based inputs. Only then can back office software shift from being a scheduling tool to a full-fledged labor management system. Without that operational baseline, forecasting is just guesswork with better math.
Now comes the fun, and the real work. It’s time to test these innovative ideas and technologies in the field, see what actually works in real kitchens, and figure out how to integrate them in a way that makes operations more efficient, consistent, and profitable.
As always, the NRA Show was a mix of hype, hope, and the occasional hidden gem. My feet may be sore, but my head is buzzing with ideas and ready to face new challenges.
