In the restaurant business, it's not enough to simply renew your menu or give your dining room a makeover to keep your customers' loyalty or win them new ones. You need to be able to keep up with the times, understand what your customers want tomorrow, and find solutions to make your day-to-day business more efficient.
Trade shows are real catalysts for ideas, innovations and encounters. It's where you can sample trends before they reach your plates, discover tools that can boost your profitability, and network with the movers and shakers in the industry. So, which catering trade shows in 2026 should you definitely mark in your diary?
Do you run an independent restaurant, brasserie or food court? Trade shows are the ideal playground for discovering emerging concepts, testing products or equipment that will save you precious minutes in service, and meeting partners. It's also an opportunity to find out how consumer trends are evolving, with upscale snacking, plant-based alternatives and digitalized service, and to leave with concrete ideas for boosting your business.
Let's take an example: a restaurateur hesitating to launch a premium snacking offer can, by taking part in a single trade show, compare several suppliers, test possible margins and talk to other operators who have already taken the plunge. The same goes for digitalization: what could be better than handling a new connected cash register or order terminal directly, rather than reading a sales brochure? These experiences speed up decision-making and open up good prospects for growth.
School canteens, hospital catering, company self-catering: the collective catering sector is undergoing major changes. At our dedicated trade shows, you'll find solutions tailored to often complex issues:
These events are not limited to stands: round tables and conferences bring together institutions, associations, managers and suppliers to discuss the major issues of the day. It's the perfect opportunity to compare your practices, get feedback and leave with solutions that can be applied immediately in your kitchens. It's a real time-saver compared to the kind of monitoring you'd have to do on your own!
Between the rise of vegetarian dishes, the growing demand for short distribution channels and the digitization of customer paths, it's hard to keep up with all the trends. The trade shows offer you a clear and comprehensive view of what's really going to matter tomorrow. Over the course of a day, you can observe, test and exchange ideas with trendsetters to see how you can implement these ideas in your own establishment.
As we all know, in the restaurant business, many partnerships are forged over a coffee or an impromptu chat. And what better way to expand your network than at a trade show? Finding a more competitive supplier, meeting a future partner or chatting with colleagues who share your daily challenges - these are all great opportunities that await you when you take part in this type of event.
Connected tills, centralized inventory management, online ordering tools, kitchen process automation - today, more than ever, technology is present in every aspect of the foodservice industry. At the trade shows, you can observe these solutions in action, put your questions to the editors and leave with concrete ideas for improving efficiency and management comfort.
Here are 13 must-see events for your 2026 diary:
Sirha is a key event for bakers, patissiers and snacking specialists. With culinary demonstrations, product innovations and state-of-the-art equipment, it's the place to sniff out grab & go trends and unearth new sources of revenue.
👉 Visit Innovorder stand C68
The SNCEEL conference is aimed primarily at school and university managers, and focuses on the challenges of educational catering: meal quality, organization, food education and budget management.
👉 Innovorder will be present
A specialist in the beach, catering and hotel sectors, CHR Siprho is a must-attend event if you're based in a tourist area. You'll find solutions tailored to seasonal peaks, summer menus and international clientele.
Thinking of joining a network or transforming your concept into a franchise? Franchise Expo Paris is the world's largest franchising event. It's the place to find out what business models work, and to meet dynamic brands looking for franchisees.
With snacking and fast casual on the rise, the Sandwich & Snack Show is a must. Here you'll discover innovative concepts, ready-to-use products and solutions to make your fast-food offering more attractive and profitable.
The event where technology and CSR meet. If you're looking to modernize your processes, improve the customer experience or make your establishment more sustainable, the Food Hotel Tech show is the place to be. You'll find the latest apps for online ordering, tools to reduce your carbon footprint, and start-ups that are reinventing team management and customer relations.
👉 Innovorder will be present
The Restau'Co trade show is the benchmark event for players in the contract catering sector. The themes addressed revolve around sustainability, short circuits and the fight against waste. You'll be able to meet local producers, discover management solutions adapted to large volumes, and attend conferences dealing with upcoming regulatory issues.
👉 Innovorder will be present
The EquipHotel Paris international trade show is a must for hospitality professionals. With hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world, it covers every need: equipment, design, foodservice, digital solutions and architectural concepts. If you want to get a bird's eye view of the industry's future, this is undoubtedly the most comprehensive and inspiring event of the year.
Rest'Ho Days, the summit for restaurant and hotel industry leaders. Two days at the Royal Barrière in Deauville to exchange ideas with peers, discover innovative partners and discuss the sector's major challenges: digital & marketing, data and customer relations, generative AI, customer experience, payment, logistics and CSR.
👉 Innovorder will be present
SELI is the national meeting place for the indoor leisure industry. It features equipment suppliers, technological innovations and conferences on the management and development of leisure facilities. For catering professionals based in leisure or tourist complexes, it's an opportunity to discover new concepts and partnerships to attract and retain family customers.
The international trade show for organic and sustainable products, Natexpo showcases solutions for more environmentally-friendly catering. Short supply chains, organic ingredients, responsible innovations: an essential event for all those involved in the food transition.
The Salon International de l'Alimentation(SIAL) is a global showcase for food innovations. Here, foodservice professionals can discover the world's major trends and identify new products to enhance their menus and surprise their customers.
Long gone are the days when trade shows were seen as mere commercial showcases. Many retailers already see them as genuine business gas pedals. This is where the trends that will thrill your customers tomorrow are born, where time-saving tools are invented, and where encounters capable of transforming your daily life are made. So, which catering trade show will we have the pleasure of meeting you at in 2026?
