FS/TEC 2026 Conference Kicks Off Wednesday in Texas

The FS/TEC conference for restaurant technology leaders starts Wednesday at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. More than 600 operators and 650 vendors will attend the three-day event, which includes educational sessions, a tech marketplace, and networking events.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conference, which is owned by Informa, the parent company of Nation's Restaurant News. The schedule includes intimate breakout sessions, main-stage presentations, and special anniversary activities.

Innovation Forums and AI Focus

The event opens with eight smaller breakout sessions called Innovation Forums. Two sessions focus on practical uses of artificial intelligence for restaurants.

Revmo AI will host a session titled "Your First AI Skill," where CTO Bobby Beckmann will build a working AI app in real time. In a separate forum, Harri will lead a candid conversation on using AI to automate employee scheduling, one of the hardest parts of restaurant operations.

Thursday's Headliners and Marketplace

Thursday features a packed schedule. The morning includes Innovation Forums on topics like agentic AI, hosted by Oracle and Momos, and back-of-house technology, with sessions from Kitchen Armor, Crunchtime, BOHA, and equipment maker U-Experten.

On the main stage, food influencer Keith Lee will be interviewed by Informa's Leigh Anne Zinsmeister. Lee, who has millions of TikTok followers, will discuss how social media changes restaurant discovery.

The conference marketplace showcases new technology. A new Intelligence Stage will host quick, TED Talk-style presentations. The popular Puppy Playdate, sponsored by Operation Kindness, returns, offering attendees time with adoptable puppies.

Wing will conduct live drone delivery demonstrations outside the convention center throughout the event, including at 2:30 p.m. and 4:55 p.m. on Thursday. At 5:20 p.m., attendees will gather for a 30th-anniversary group photo.

Friday's Closing Sessions

Friday's main-stage sessions feature prominent industry speakers. Author Stephen Witt will discuss the AI revolution's impact on restaurants, drawing from his biography of Nvidia.

Executives from Wonder, Tony Hoggett and Michael Farid, will explain the company's tech-driven food hall and delivery model. Finally, technology leaders from 7 Brew Coffee and Smoothie King, Danyel Bischof-Forsyth and Jyoti Lynch, will talk about AI and automation driving growth in beverages.

After the final session, attendees head home to process a week of insights. The source report reminds them not to forget a puppy if they adopted one.