The Conversation: Current Drivers in Restaurant Design

Restaurant Development + Design will be hosting tours of select booths that feature restaurant and hospitality products during BDNY 2026. First, the group will meet at Dine & Design, Booth #673 where Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Kilbreath will share a brief presentation on the pulse of the restaurant industry. Then Marketing Director, Kevin Poch, will take you to meet with representatives at various booths for exclusive information. For more information please visit the rd+d site here.

Relish is an immersive hospitality experience that reimagines the conference lounge as an intimate supper club—an inviting destination where exceptional design, thoughtful conversation, and crafted cocktails come together with intention. Rich wood detailing, sumptuous velvet upholstery, and layers of tactile materials create a warm, enveloping atmosphere that evokes the timeless elegance of a bygone era while offering a welcome respite from the pace of the show floor. Whether settling in for a panel discussion, an impromptu networking meeting, or a quiet moment of reflection, guests are encouraged to linger, reconnect, and savor each experience. Designed as a celebration of craftsmanship and human connection, Relish transforms a simple pause into a memorable ritual, reminding visitors that the most enduring moments are those that are shared, discovered, and truly relished.

Fifteen years ago, designing for Millennials was all anybody could talk about. Now, five years post-pandemic, who and what are we designing restaurants for? In this small-group gathering, Restaurant Development + Design magazine's Editor in Chief Rebecca Kilbreath will share some proprietary data revealing what the industry’s readers are thinking, seeing, and prioritizing. This candid dialogue with dive deep into the forces shaping restaurant design today and where they may be taking us next.