For the second consecutive year the National Restaurant Association Show has fallen victim to COVID-19.
Show organizers announced the cancellation of the 2021 Show on Feb. 26, citing State of Illinois restrictions that limit event sizes to no more than 50 people as the main reason. While COVID-19 metrics have shown improvement in Chicago in recent weeks, representatives from McCormick Place indicated their ability to re-open for large events is currently prohibited by state regulation and they do not anticipate changes prior to June.
The annual trade show was scheduled to take place May 22-25, 2021. The next NRA Show is scheduled for May 21-22, 2022, in Chicago.
Event organizers for the National Restaurant Association Show have developed a collection of resources — including live Q&As, panel discussions, and webinars — that are available to the foodservice community free of charge. A variety of recorded content focused on the state of the industry and future projections, consumer trends, operational innovations and more is available online, and new assets will be made available throughout the year. To help attendees connect with suppliers, organizers have developed a digital marketplace named The Show To Go.
