In this special TechBytes Event Spotlight, host Rob Grimes sits down with Emily Nordee-Rogers, Head of Content for Informa Connect’s restaurant and foodservice conferences, for an inside preview of FSTEC 2026, taking place September 23–25 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas.
As one of the restaurant industry’s premier technology gatherings, FSTEC brings together restaurant executives, franchisees, technology leaders, innovators, and suppliers for three days of education, networking, product discovery, and conversations about where restaurant technology is headed next. And this year, one topic continues to dominate the conversation: artificial intelligence.
But Emily explains that the AI discussion has evolved. Operators are moving beyond simply asking what AI can do and beginning to demand measurable results. How does AI deliver ROI? How can voice technology extend beyond the drive-thru? How can restaurants harness their growing volumes of data? And perhaps most importantly, how can brands embrace automation while preserving the human connection at the heart of hospitality?
Those questions will take center stage throughout FSTEC, alongside discussions about data, customer experience, economic pressures, technology investment, and the changing needs of restaurant operators. Emily previews sessions examining the balance between technology and hospitality, including the popular C-Suite in the Hot Seat, as well as a closing keynote from Stephen Witt, author of The Thinking Machine, exploring the evolution and future of artificial intelligence.
The conversation also explores FSTEC’s Marketplace, where more than 200 supplier brands will connect with operators searching for solutions to real-world business challenges. This year also introduces the Intelligence Stage, featuring short, TED Talk-style presentations designed to deliver quick, actionable insights directly from technology providers, restaurant operators, and industry experts.
Emily and Rob discuss why FSTEC has evolved beyond an event solely for IT executives. Today, technology decisions touch nearly every part of a restaurant organization, bringing together CIOs, CTOs, CMOs, CFOs, operations executives, and other leaders who must collectively evaluate how technology impacts the guest experience and the bottom line.
From AI and data to economics, connected kitchens, digital experiences, and the enduring importance of human hospitality, this episode provides a preview of the ideas and conversations restaurant leaders should be thinking about as they plan for 2027—and why FSTEC remains a critical meeting place for the people shaping the future of restaurant technology.
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