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Agenda

September 8-10, 2026 · Atlanta, GA

Hyatt Regency Atlanta

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  • September 08, 2026


  • September 09, 2026


  • September 10, 2026


  • Where
    Grand Hall Foyer

  • Join us and be welcomed to Atlanta and its rich restaurant history with one of the restaurant brands that started it all. Chick-fil-A President Susannah Frost—just the sixth person in the company’s history to hold the role—will share her journey and take attendees behind the scenes of one of the industry’s most iconic brands as it honors 80 years in business. Chick-fil-A in 2026 rolled out its first year-long celebration, a “Newstalgia”-inspired campaign that’s served up beloved classics and fresh new twists, fun guest experiences, and moments of surprise and delight throughout the year.
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Centennial Hall (L1)

  • Start the conference with an evening of thoughtful connection. The Welcome Networking Reception brings together senior leaders, innovators, and partners for conversation, collaboration, and community in a relaxed, social setting.
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall Foyer

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • We’re wasting no time and getting right into the AI arena. In this case, let’s start with the balance restaurants are trying to strike—can you implement the game-changing tech without losing the people part of your business?
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • The old adage, “happy employees make happy guests,” is taking on fresh meaning as technology and store designs evolve to meet a changing generation. Advancements are being made in the service of helping team members deliver exceptional service. How are the best restaurants doing so? We’ll break down how top operators are unlocking a new level of hospitality, starting with their employees.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • As we all know, launching a restaurant isn’t just about great food—it’s about resilience, resourcefulness, and learning to thrive in the unknown. And that might be making the largest understatement possible.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • We’re bringing back one of last year’s top-rated panels, setting the stage with a group of leading franchise experts. They’ll unpack the biggest franchise topics and shine the crystal ball for what might be ahead in the QSR category’s largest growth vehicle.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • A deep dive into how chefs, culinary directors, and operators merge trend data, sensory research, seasonality, and storytelling to build craveable, repeatable menus. Where do you spot trends first—and how do you know they fit your brand identity? From long-term trends vs. fads to the phases of the R&D process and the eternal marketing-vs-operations balance, this session breaks down what modern menu innovation really takes.
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Forget broad culture talk. This panel goes straight to the “how.” Learn practical programs for understanding your core guest, creating emotional touchpoints, and accelerating guest-driven decisions across menus, marketing, and operations. From brands with big data to those building insight from scratch, we’ll dig into the tools, habits, and cross-functional collaboration that turn guest understanding into loyalty-building action.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Restaurants have more data than ever and tools to gather information. But are you on the path to true hyper-personalization? Let’s break down what it takes to get there and the tech solutions and marketing practices making it happen.
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • To support growth, you need a roster of leaders. Here’s how you can you ensure your restaurant is investing in the right roles, the right people, and putting practices in place to help them grow, evolve, and take your brand to new heights.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Raising capital can be the most daunting part of getting started or looking to expand. As we do each year, we’ll bring together experts who make it happen and tap their insights for what it takes, what you need to know, and what you might be missing.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR magazine's popular CEO to CEO series hits the stage with a candid conversation between two industry leaders. No moderator. No filter. All insights.
    QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • To start the day, we brought together franchise leaders on the corporate side. Now, it’s time to hear from the zees in the trenches. This group of high-performing franchisees will share their biggest challenges, opportunities, and how they’re finding ways to thrive during chaotic times.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • The right tech shouldn’t replace hospitality, but amplify it. This panel breaks down how operators are using AI, automation, scheduling tools, and guest data to deliver faster, warmer, more personalized service. From pay-at-the-table and kitchen optimization tools to speed-and-accuracy measurement and smart staffing, we’ll explore the systems that actually move the needle. We’ll also tackle the loyalty dilemma—native POS vs third-party—and how emerging brands can vet partners without costly missteps.
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Modeled after QSR Magazine’s CEO to CEO series, this fireside chat-style session will bring together senior leaders from NextGen Casual brands for a candid conversation, giving attendees a direct look into life leading from the top and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • How are digital touchpoints shaping hospitality? What is “phygital?” What’s the true state of omnichannel? However you break it down, restaurants have more avenues and channels to engage with guests than ever—but reaching them and taking them along for the ride is never an easy process.
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • With inflation persisting, how restaurants deliver hospitality is often the key to whether a customer feels they got a good “value,” or not. And that starts with how you train, coach, and develop team members to deliver the type of service that stands out.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • A great business must be endearing to be enduring. To create loyal customers who become raving fans, you need an emotional connection. Leaders often lead with logic, but customers and employees make decisions with emotions. In this keynote, Kevin Paul Scott will unpack the four core emotions of your customers, and how to balance emotions and logic in sales and marketing. He will share why emotional connections lead to greater ROI and how to achieve this in an authentic way.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Does a restaurant need to be on “Main and Main” anymore? How can you compete with the big guys for A locations? We’ll take a dive into the real estate world and examine trends, pathways to development, and, most importantly, how to find a site that fits your blueprint for growth.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Learn why guests are gravitating back to warm, chaotic, personality-driven environments like diners and other legacy brands, and how restaurants can lean into emotional memory without becoming gimmicky.
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Learn why guests are gravitating back to warm, chaotic, personality-driven environments like diners and other legacy brands, and how restaurants can lean into emotional memory without becoming gimmicky.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • In the restaurant world, everything moves fast. But great operations still depend on well-trained, motivated frontline teams. In this session, Scott Greenberg introduces 30-Second Leadership, a simple coaching approach designed for the realities of the restaurant floor. Learn how to turn everyday interactions with crew members into quick but meaningful coaching moments that improve performance, strengthen culture, and support retention. You’ll leave with a practical tool you can bring back to your organization to help operators build stronger teams and deliver better guest experiences.
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall Foyer

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Like last year, we'll give attendees an early, exclusive look at the fastest, most accurate, and best customer service drive-thrus in America.
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Following this morning’s Drive-Thru Report reveal, we’ll go deeper into the technologies and innovations separating winning brands, and what it means to run the modern QSR drive-thru that delivers consistency, experience, and somewhat beyond expectation.
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Victor Fernandez, chief insights officer at Black Box Intelligence, will unveil the first look at the 2026 BBI Total Rewards Survey—which features submissions from 150-plus restaurant brands- exclusively at this conference. Marrying the survey results from trends in BBI's proprietary Restaurant Performance Network, this session will provide the most-up-to-date and definitive view on the state of the restaurant labor market. We’ll cover: pay and base compensation for hourly and management roles; Bonuses, variable pay, and benefits packages that are winning the talent battle; Turnover, staffing, training/orientation, and employee demographics—and how leaders are connecting these to retention and financial performance. This will be the official launch of the 2026 Total Rewards Survey results, with insights and commentary available here before they’re released anywhere else.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Not every restaurant brand has major marketing budgets. So let’s figure out how to make every dollar count, how to find influencers, grow your awareness, connect with the brand, and turn you growing restaurant operation into one impossible to miss.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Guests want more for less. Operators can’t afford to give it away. This conversation gets real about how to create value that feels generous without racing to the bottom.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Today’s full-service dining rooms have to feel good, photograph well, and move guests seamlessly through an experience worth sharing outside your four walls. This session explores how lighting, music, pacing, and spatial flow work together to shape craveability, amplify brand personality, and turn every corner of your restaurant into a connection-driven, camera-ready moment that keeps guests coming back (and posting about it).
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Long-term retention starts with who you bring in and how you set them up to thrive. This session explores how top operators hire for alignment, onboard with intention, and create clear paths for growth so team members feel supported long before they hit the floor. We’ll connect the dots between employee experience and guest experience, unpack why satisfaction can’t exceed what your team feels internally, and share practical ways to build hospitality from the inside out.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • The future is automated—but not everything should be. QSR leaders share real-world wins, missteps, and what actually pays off when integrating robotics, smart kitchens, and AI-driven workflows. Expect practical takeaways, not tech hype.
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • In this conversation, retention takes center stage. Turnover often isn’t a cost issue—it’s a culture one. Beyond perks, benefits, and pay, creating a restaurant brand that lives up to its promise as an employer of choice boils down to a host of initiatives that start from the top down.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Even as digital channels explode, customers are coming back in-store. What they find can make all the difference (just ask Starbucks). We’ll gather design, agency, and operator experts to explain how to build and model interiors that bring guests in and keep them coming back.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR magazine's popular CEO to CEO series once again hits the stage with a candid conversation between two industry leaders. No moderator. No filter. All insights.
    QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Beverages are becoming one of QSR’s strongest levers for traffic, margin, and brand differentiation—and where major growth industrywide is taking shape, from big chains jumping in to upstarts signing huge deals. This panel will bring together senior leaders to discuss how signature drinks, flavor innovation, pricing strategy, and experiential beverage programs can reinforce brand identity, elevate perceived value, and unlock incremental revenue across dayparts.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Instead of the traditional “server + busser + bartender” model, many restaurants are shifting to service teams built around strengths, pacing, and collaboration. This panel breaks down how role clarity, communication patterns, and table support roles can reduce burnout and improve hospitality quality across the dining room.
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Whether opening unit No. 2 or 200, the real test of a brand is whether its identity holds as it grows. This session digs into how emerging and scaling concepts protect their core DNA while expanding into new markets, new formats, and new guest expectations. We’ll unpack the “portability” question (where does your concept truly fit?), and how to localize without losing yourself. From menu tweaks to design flexes to franchise vs. corporate growth paths, operators will share where they invest time, money, and energy to scale with intention.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Just as we have for the past three years, our WiRL platform hits the stage to gather women executives from around the industry for a conversation on how to elevate, educate, and empower. They’ll share stories, advice on how to supercharge your career, and provide inspiration to a new generation of leaders.
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Where
    TBD

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Choose 1 of 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Discount fatigue is real, and the old playbook of “buy one, get one” no longer builds lasting loyalty. This panel explores how QSR leaders are shifting from transactional rewards to emotional connection, using data, personalization, menu engineering, and brand storytelling to deliver value that guests feel.
    QSR | Track 1: Tech Check & Innovation Central
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • This engaging conversation will ask restaurant leaders to share some of the best tips they’ve received over their careers, and … the opposite. Audience interaction is encouraged as we get to the heart of career development learning how to lead.
    QSR | Track 2: The Labor and Culture Report
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • The service lines continue to blur. Yet prices aren’t coming down. Are you getting credit for better sourcing, more expensive labor, and some of the other fast casual hallmarks, from customers? Here’s a look at how to stay a level above in consumers’ eyes, and where the future is taking a category that defined growth in the sector for years.
    QSR | Track 3: Emerging Brands and Entrepreneurship
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • QSR | Track 4: Take the Lead
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • It might be tenders. Boneless wings (are those different things?). Bone-in. Sandwiches. And on the chicken conversation turns. Beside beverages, this is where growth continues to explode in QSR, and there’s no letup in sight.
    QSR | Track 5: Franchising and the Road to Growth/Trending on the Menu
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Back for its third year, this high-energy session brings together the industry’s most forward-thinking beverage minds for a fun, interactive dive into what’s next behind the bar. From Gen Z–driven NA innovation and premium trade-offs to large-format sharables, crafted coffees, protein cold foam, dirty sodas, pairings, and even emerging THC beverages, this panel unpacks the trends reshaping beverage programs nationwide. Expect real talk on state regulations, operational realities, legal considerations, and cost implications—plus practical ideas you can take home and pour into your menu tomorrow.
    FSR NextGen | Track 6
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • This session digs into how restaurant leaders turn mission statements into daily practice, from choosing the right partners to designing surprise-and-delight moments that feel authentic, not performative. Panelists will break down how purpose informs decision-making, shapes culture, and builds emotional equity with guests and teams alike. You’ll walk away with tactical frameworks for activating your “why,” and measuring its real impact.
    FSR NextGen | Track 7
    FSR NextGen Sessions
    Where
    TBD

  • Where
    TBD

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • FSR NextGen Sessions
    Keynote
    QSR Evolution Sessions
    Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall

  • Where
    Grand Hall Foyer


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Brought to you by the editorial teams behind Quick Service Restaurant and Full Service Restaurant, the QSR Evolution Conference is the only event dedicated exclusively to the evolving needs of both quick-service and full-service restaurant operators.

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Topics
When
Sunday to Wednesday
December 23 to 26, 2022
Where
467 Davidson ave
Los Angeles CA 95716
Get directions