Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

What did that tech rollout really cost? Operators to reveal all at RFIS in New Orleans

Early bird rates for the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit end Friday, Oct. 30.

Attendees learn from restaurant operators during a session, "Grinding Your Franchise into Omnichannel Overdrive," at RFIS 2026. Photos: Connect

October 26, 2026 by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

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What did that tech rollout actually cost, and what did it return? Operators and vendors will answer that on stage at the 11th annual Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, March 8-10 at The Roosevelt in New Orleans.

If your 2027 growth plan includes more franchisees, more units or more tech, I want you there. Early bird pricing ends Friday, Oct. 30. Here are my top 5 reasons to make the trip.

1. Operators share real numbers

Last year's RFIS dinner party was a sunset cruise.

In Prove Your Case!, vendors and operators pair up for four rapid-fire, 15-minute case studies on recent tech and operations rollouts, covering what changed, what it cost and what it returned. Also on the agenda:

AI That Pays Off. A hype-free look at where AI and automation are delivering ROI in franchise kitchens, and what to skip.
Need Capital? James O'Reilly, CEO of Latitude Food Group, breaks down what lenders and investors want to see before they say yes.
Breakfast Wrap. Every attendee rotates through four 15-minute small-group discussions on the challenges operators face today. Breakfast burrito included.

2. Speakers who run the business every day

David Bloom, chief development and growth officer at Capriotti's, on the numbers every growing brand should watch
Andrea Dessert, senior vice president of supply chain at Dave's Hot Chicken, and Angelina Maranon, vice president of supply chain at JINYA Holdings, on staying stocked when everything goes wrong
Amy Hom, chief operating officer of Snooze, on hiring and keeping employees who stick
Karla Patino, vice president of marketing and sales at Pollo Campero US, on turning guests into regulars
Lance Trenary, president and CEO of Golden Corral, and Kevin O'Connor, executive vice president of Chester's Chicken, in our unscripted closing session

We still have a few speaker slots for operators. If you'd like to join a panel, send email to ccansler@connect.media.

3. California Pizza Kitchen's co-founder opens the summit

Rick Rosenfield, co-founder of California Pizza Kitchen, takes the stage at 4:10 p.m. Monday, March 8. We're announcing keynotes one at a time, so more are coming. If you wait for the next one to register, though, you'll miss the early bird rate.

4. Volunteering, a dinner party and a closing happy hour

Attendees pack goodie bags for the Ronald McDonald House at RFIS 2026.

We start Monday with a Community Give-Back Hour, volunteering with a local New Orleans organization. It's a low-key way to meet people while doing some good. Then it's on to the opening reception for Louisiana-inspired bites, cocktails and live music. Tuesday brings an offsite dinner party, and we close Wednesday with a happy hour.

The operator rate covers the welcome reception, the dinner party, breakfast and lunch.

5. The suppliers franchise systems run on

The Tech and Suppliers Pavilion opens at 3 p.m. Monday and stays open all summit, with POS, staffing tech, supply chain and marketing platforms in one room.

See you in New Orleans

Restaurant and foodservice operators pay $495 through Friday, Oct. 30, compared with the regular rate of $1,095. Register here,and see the full agenda.

OperationsCalifornia Pizza Kitchen

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Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit

March 8-10, 2027 | New Orleans

Gear up for franchise growth! Join top restaurant executives for 2.5 days of networking, inspiring stories, and proven strategies. Discover how industry leaders are driving innovation and achieving unprecedented success.

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About Cherryh Cansler

Cherryh Cansler is Publisher of FastCasual.com and Vice President of Connect Food. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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