Top 5 Takeaways from NRA Show 2025 for Driving Event & Catering Revenue in the Year Ahead

The Tripleseat team just returned from an exhilarating week at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show 2025 in Chicago! The energy on the show floor was palpable, buzzing with innovation, insightful discussions, and the shared passion that drives our incredible industry forward.

Tripleseat’s booth was a circus of fun and activity! (Check out our booth tour!) We connected with current customers and introduced new folks to the power of the Tripleseat event management platform. We also took the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the broader conversations shaping the future of hospitality. We walked the miles of exhibits, attended key sessions, and gathered invaluable insights that we’re eager to share.

For restaurants, hotels, and unique venues looking to supercharge their private event and catering business in the coming year, here are our top five key takeaways from NRA Show 2025:

1. Technology is Not Optional: Streamlining Operations for Event Success

One resounding theme at the NRA Show was the undeniable integration of technology into every facet of restaurant operations. From advanced POS systems to sophisticated inventory management and customer relationship tools, to robotic automation, the message was clear: if you’re not leveraging technology, you’re falling behind.

For event and catering operations, this means embracing solutions that simplify the complex. We saw a strong emphasis on tools that reduce manual tasks, enhance communication, and provide a seamless experience for both staff and clients. This is where Tripleseat shines. Our platform was built precisely to streamline your entire event lifecycle – from initial inquiry and proposal creation to detailed booking management and seamless communication with your team. By automating tedious administrative work, Tripleseat frees up your staff to focus on what truly matters: delivering exceptional guest experiences and securing more bookings.

Actionable Tip: Take stock of your current event management processes. Where are the bottlenecks? Which tasks could be automated? Investing in a comprehensive platform like Tripleseat can dramatically improve efficiency and boost your bottom line.

2. The Rise of Experiential Dining & Unique Event Concepts

Consumers today are hungry for more than just a meal; they crave unique, memorable experiences. This trend was evident across the NRA Show, with exhibitors showcasing innovative food presentations, interactive dining concepts, and discussions around creating immersive atmospheres. This desire for “experience” extends powerfully to private events.

Guests are seeking venues that offer something beyond a traditional ballroom – a unique ambiance, a specialized culinary focus, or interactive elements. Tripleseat empowers you to not only manage these diverse offerings but also to market them effectively. Our platform allows you to create highly customizable proposals and detailed event menus, easily showcasing your venue’s unique flair and any special experiential packages you offer. Highlight that themed dinner, that interactive cooking class, or that exclusive tasting menu – Tripleseat helps you communicate it beautifully.

Actionable Tip: Brainstorm unique event concepts that leverage your venue’s strengths. Can you host a “farm-to-table” dinner with a local chef? A mixology masterclass? A murder mystery dinner? Get creative, and then use your event management system to clearly outline these appealing options.

3. Harnessing Data for Smarter Event Sales & Marketing

Data, data, data! The importance of leveraging insights to make informed business decisions was a recurring topic. From understanding customer preferences to optimizing marketing spend, robust data analytics are becoming indispensable.

At Tripleseat, we’ve always believed in the power of data. Our reporting and analytics features provide a wealth of information at your fingertips. You can track lead sources, monitor booking trends, analyze revenue by event type, and identify your most profitable offerings. This data is gold for your sales and marketing teams. Knowing what’s working (and what’s not) allows you to refine your strategies, target your marketing efforts more effectively, and ultimately, drive more qualified leads and confirmed bookings.

Actionable Tip: Regularly review your event data. Identify your peak booking seasons, your most popular event types, and where your leads are coming from. Use these insights to fine-tune your sales pitches and marketing campaigns. Check out EventUp to market your venue’s event offerings!

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Take a look at Tripleseat customer The Cage in Pennsylvania—now with three vibrant locations in Audubon, Huntington, and Warrington! They’ve done an exceptional job using technology to streamline their event management with Tripleseat and boost visibility by marketing their spaces on the largest venue marketplace, EventUp.

4. Staffing Challenges and the Power of Efficiency

The hospitality industry continues to navigate significant staffing challenges, a topic that was front and center in many NRA Show discussions. While there’s no single magic bullet, enhancing operational efficiency through technology and streamlined workflows was repeatedly emphasized as a key solution.

This is precisely where Tripleseat offers a critical advantage. By centralizing all event information – client communications, menu details, room setups, payment schedules, and staff assignments – our platform minimizes miscommunication and reduces the administrative burden on your team. When everything is organized and accessible in one place, your staff can work more efficiently, reduce errors, and spend less time on tedious tasks, ultimately making them more productive and less overwhelmed. In a tight labor market, empowering your existing team to do more with less is paramount.

Actionable Tip: Look for tools that simplify internal communication and task management for your event team. The less time spent on administrative back-and-forth, the more time they can dedicate to guest satisfaction and closing sales.

5. Sustainability & Social Responsibility in Events

An increasingly important consideration for both businesses and consumers is sustainability and social responsibility. While the NRA Show featured innovations in eco-friendly packaging and food waste reduction, the broader conversation extended to how businesses can align with client values.

For events, this means being prepared to discuss your venue’s sustainable practices. Whether it’s sourcing local ingredients, minimizing food waste, or partnering with community initiatives, guests are becoming more conscious of the impact of their choices. While Tripleseat doesn’t manage your compost bins, it provides the perfect platform to highlight these efforts. You can easily include notes about your sustainable practices in proposals, attach “green initiative” documents, or even create special “eco-conscious” event packages within the system, attracting a growing segment of environmentally aware clients.

Actionable Tip: Identify one or two impactful sustainable practices your venue can implement (if you haven’t already) and actively promote them in your event proposals and marketing materials.

Highlights from the Tripleseat Booth at NRA 2025

When we weren’t walking the floor and listening to the awesome presentations that the NRA put together this year, we were at our booth having a blast connecting with many incredible hospitality professionals and longtime customers. From swapping stories about standout events to learning more about the challenges restaurants face every day, it was energizing to hear firsthand how the Tripleseat technology elevates the guest experience and grows your business. We walked away inspired and more committed than ever to helping you streamline operations, book more events, and make your lives just a little bit easier.

Here are some of the most common conversations we had with attendees at the Tripleseat booth:

Automation is Key: Tripleseat’s Tools Are a Trusted Way to Streamline Work and Save Time

We spent a lot of time talking with folks about how there’s never enough time in the day to check off everything on their to-do lists. Multiple restaurant event managers and directors stopped by and spoke about how juggling a packed inbox, managing timelines, and ensuring a great guest experience can feel like a constant race against the clock. Luckily, we have solutions that address that exact problem. Automation takes the pressure off! With tools like Tripleseat’s automated lead responses that automatically respond to new inquiries, your team isn’t stuck monitoring emails around the clock: leads are acknowledged instantly with personalized messages, keeping potential guests engaged while giving your staff room to breathe and prioritize high-value tasks.

Creating proposals, BEOs, contracts, and floor plans used to be a manual, repetitive process that ate up hours of the day. With automated document creation, that entire workflow becomes faster and more seamless. Instead of copying and pasting details into templates or double-checking every form, your team can generate everything they need with just a few clicks, saving time, reducing errors, and allowing them to focus on building relationships, closing deals, and delivering standout events.

Technology Should Drive Your Growth—Not Hold It Back

Opening a new location is always an exciting milestone, but with growth comes new operational challenges, especially when it comes to managing events and catering across multiple venues. What once felt seamless in a single space can quickly turn complicated with overlapping schedules, inconsistent execution, and missed opportunities due to a lack of coordination.

That’s why we spoke with several multi-location restaurant groups to better understand the realities of scaling private events and catering. A recurring theme in those conversations? The untapped revenue potential within a restaurant network, where each location is capable of hosting unforgettable events or delivering standout catering experiences. But too often, teams shy away from pursuing events because the operational lift feels too heavy.

That’s where Tripleseat comes in. Built specifically for hospitality groups, our platform simplifies the complexity of managing private dining, catering, and events across multiple locations. With shared calendars, centralized communication, customizable templates for contracts and menus, and automation tools that reduce manual work, Tripleseat gives your team the tools to execute with confidence, no matter how many venues you’re managing. 

And when your event management software seamlessly connects with the rest of your tech stack, you’re not just streamlining processes—you’re strengthening your entire operation. Tripleseat integrates with 30+ leading hospitality tools across email marketing, labor management, payment processing, and more—so you can work smarter, not harder. Tripleseat is here to help your group grow. 

Speeding Up Bookings is Essential for Restaurant Success Today

One of the best parts of the show was connecting with current customers who stopped by our booth to play some games and discuss all things Tripleseat. We had some great conversations about the value that Tripleseat’s add-ons can bring to our customers, including questions and interest in Tripleseat Direct. 

For busy restaurant teams, TripleseatDirect is a game-changer. It reduces the time spent fielding emails and phone calls, streamlines communication, and ensures accurate event details from the start. That means fewer mistakes, faster conversions, and more time to focus on creating memorable guest experiences. With Tripleseat Direct, guests can view real-time availability, select from pre-set event packages and menus, and book their event directly from your website, social media, or email. Whether you’re managing one location or a growing group, Tripleseat Direct helps you capture business 24/7, no extra sales or admin hours required.

The NRA Show 2025 reinforced that the private event and catering sector is dynamic, innovative, and ripe with opportunity. By embracing technology, focusing on unique experiences, leveraging data, empowering your staff, and aligning with client values, your venue is well-positioned for significant growth.

Ready to put these takeaways into action and unlock your venue’s full event revenue potential?

Learn more about how Tripleseat can transform your event and catering business! Schedule a demo today!

Heather Apse

As a content writer for Tripleseat, Heather channels her industry expertise into crafting insightful, actionable resources for hospitality professionals. Her background in hospitality includes hands-on experience as a hostess, busser, and waitress during her college years and she holds a deep appreciation for the nuances of restaurant and venue event operations. When she’s not immersed in research or writing, Heather is adventuring outdoors with her three energetic sons and their lively, larger-than-life dog. Connect with Heather on LinkedIn.