SAN ANTONIO \u2013 More than 8,000 bar and restaurant owners packed the Henry B. Gonz\u00e1lez Convention Center on Sunday for the Texas Restaurant Show to share products and learn from one another about how to grow their businesses.<\/p>\n
The 89th annual Texas Restaurant Show featured 600 exhibitor booths, ranging from equipment makers to food suppliers, all with one goal: help restaurants operate smarter and serve guests better.<\/p>\n
Tony Abruscato, chief marketing officer of the Texas Restaurant Association, said the event came at a meaningful time for the industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just talking with one of our exhibitors and said, \u2018You know, I wasn\u2019t sure (with) the economy being tough and things are tight, but this is all the more reason we need to come together as a group and help each other be better performers,\u2019\u201d Abruscato said.<\/p>\n
Abruscato said attendees are focused on working smarter, not just harder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re finding ways that they can cut time out of their schedule so they can better focus on the experience that their customers are having,\u201d he said. \u201cAlign the value and the experience with the guest so that it continues to grow their business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Vendors said events like the Texas Restaurant Show help them connect with new customers while reminding local operators what\u2019s being made right in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe almost owe it to the community to be here and show up every single year, right? To be able to show them how we can connect with them, help their business any way possible, along with any new businesses out there, right, beyond just San Antonio,\u201d said Seth Huerta, director of sales and marketing for BE&SCO.<\/p>\n
For Huerta, the event also carried a personal significance.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing up, I used to see these (tortilla) machines in all the grocery stores, at restaurants \u2015 never realized that it was here in San Antonio, so to be able to come back … really came full circle for me, realizing that I can be a part of something that\u2019s a lot bigger than myself,\u201d Huerta said.<\/p>\n
Beyond the exhibit floor, attendees had the opportunity to learn how to use artificial intelligence, navigate restaurant mergers and refresh their brand and digital strategy.<\/p>\n
Abruscato had a direct message for small business owners in the area.<\/p>\n
\u201c(If) you own a small restaurant in San Antonio, you need to be at this show, finding out how you can make yourself more successful,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n