Here's a number that should stop any Southeast operator in their tracks: North and South Carolina together generate more than $59 billion in annual restaurant and hospitality sales, employ over 700,000 foodservice and hospitality professionals, and are home to roughly 36,000 restaurant and hospitality establishments. And yet, despite all that momentum, the region has never had a large-scale, comprehensive restaurant industry trade show serving both states.
That gap is about to close. Restaurant Events, LLC — one of the nation's leading producers of restaurant and hospitality trade shows — has announced the launch of the Carolinas Restaurant Show, a new annual event debuting June 16–17, 2027, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A New Marketplace for a Fast-Growing Region
The Carolinas Restaurant Show is built to be a one-stop marketplace for the people who actually run the business: restaurant owners, operators, chefs, managers, marketers, distributors, suppliers, and hospitality professionals hunting for the products, services, technologies, and strategies to grow.
The two-day event will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies showcasing:
- Food and beverage products
- Equipment and smallwares
- Technology solutions
- Tableware and design concepts
- Operational innovations
Alongside the show floor, attendees get a robust educational program — expert-led sessions, workshops, panel discussions, culinary demonstrations, and competitions — built around the issues keeping operators up at night. Programming will dig into artificial intelligence, workforce development, profitability, marketing, guest experience, emerging consumer trends, restaurant technology, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
Why Charlotte?
The host-city choice is strategic. Charlotte was selected for its central location, world-class transportation infrastructure, booming hospitality sector, and reputation as one of the Southeast's premier business and culinary destinations.
Critically for a regional show, it's accessible from the markets that matter — Raleigh, Asheville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston — making it a natural gathering point for professionals across both states.
Backed by a Proven Portfolio
This isn't a first-timer's experiment. Restaurant Events, LLC owns and produces some of the industry's most established trade events, including the California Restaurant Show, the Florida Restaurant Show, the Pizza Tomorrow Summit, and the New York Restaurant Show. Collectively, those events draw tens of thousands of restaurant and foodservice professionals each year.
"For decades, our events have helped restaurant operators discover new ideas, solve business challenges, and build meaningful connections," said Glenn Celentano, Partner and CEO of Restaurant Events, LLC. "The Carolinas have emerged as one of the country's most vibrant and fastest-growing hospitality markets. With strong population growth, a thriving culinary culture, and thousands of restaurant businesses throughout the region, we believe the time is right for a dedicated event that brings together the entire hospitality community."
The company's current calendar underscores its national reach: the California Restaurant Show (Anaheim Convention Center, August 23–25, 2026), the Florida Restaurant Show and Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orange County Convention Center, October 25–27, 2026), and the New York Restaurant Show (Javits Center, March 7–9, 2027).
"As we've seen with our successful events in New York, California, and Florida, restaurant professionals are looking for practical solutions, actionable education, and opportunities to connect with peers and suppliers," Celentano added. "The Carolinas Restaurant Show will deliver all of that while creating a new annual gathering place for one of the nation's most exciting hospitality markets."
Why It Matters
For operators across the Carolinas, this is a home-turf advantage that didn't exist before. Until now, sourcing new equipment, comparing tech platforms, or catching high-level education often meant traveling out of region — a real cost in time and money for independent operators and multi-unit groups alike. A dedicated show in Charlotte compresses that into two accessible days.
Here's how to put it to work:
- Operators and buyers: Block the June 16–17, 2027 dates now. A single trip lets you evaluate suppliers, equipment, and technology side by side — and pressure-test vendors in person before you commit budget.
- Suppliers and distributors: A brand-new show in an underserved $59B market means first-mover visibility with buyers who haven't been saturated by regional competitors. Exhibitor and sponsorship inventory is worth locking early.
- Chefs and managers: The education track — AI, workforce, profitability, guest experience — targets the exact operational pain points squeezing margins right now. Treat it as professional development, not just a trade floor.
The broader signal is just as important: national producers are betting on the Southeast, validating what many in the region already feel — the Carolinas are one of the country's most dynamic hospitality growth stories.
Save the Date
Exhibitor, sponsorship, and attendee information is available now at carolinasrestaurantshow.com. If you operate, supply, or cook anywhere in the region, this is one to get on the calendar early.
Planning your 2026–2027 event strategy? See our coverage of Chef Marcus Samuelsson headlining the 2026 Summer Fancy Food Show and insights from the Los Angeles Hospitality Leadership Forum 2026.
Will you be heading to Charlotte in 2027? Are you an operator who's been waiting for a Carolinas show, or a supplier eyeing a booth? Drop a comment and let us know how you'd use it.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
