From the Show Floor to Your Door: NRA 2025 Highlights
Quick Summary ⮕ 24/7 Restaurant Equipment attended the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show to be the eyes on the floor for clients who couldn’t make it. The biggest standout? Unox’s new AI-powered combi oven, which learns your cooking habits and automates precision results—no matter who’s running the kitchen. From smart ovens to fry robots to laser-guided ice bins, our recap brings the best of NRA 2025 straight to you.
Christian Hernandez
NJ's Restaurant Equipment Expert
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👀 NRA 2025 Recap: 24/7 Restaurant Equipment as Your Eyes on the Show Floor
At 24/7 Restaurant Equipment, we don’t just sell products—we bring our clients into the heart of the foodservice industry. One of the biggest ways we do that is by showing up. This year at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago, we walked the floor on behalf of our customers, capturing what’s new, what’s exciting, and what’s worth watching. If you couldn’t make it, don’t worry—we were your eyes on the show floor.
1. Game-Changer: Unox’s AI-Powered Combi Oven
If there was one product that stopped us in our tracks, it was the new Unox AI-powered combi oven. This next-gen oven doesn’t just cook—it learns. Using artificial intelligence, it analyzes your past cooking patterns and adapts to your kitchen’s needs, offering real-time adjustments, cooking suggestions, and consistency that’s impossible to achieve manually. Whether you’re running a single location or managing multiple kitchens, this kind of automation levels the playing field—ensuring every dish comes out just right, every time, no matter who’s on shift.
See it in our vlog below!
2. Automation Is Getting Smarter
From burger robots to pizza stations, automation continues to make waves in foodservice—and this year, we saw a few standouts. One of the most talked-about exhibits came from Atosa, debuting their new Chillstream™ frozen food dispenser and a fully automated French fry robot. These types of innovations are designed to solve real kitchen challenges—from labor shortages to consistency—by taking over repetitive tasks.
We also got a closer look at True Manufacturing’s new Time of Flight (ToF) technology for ice bins. It uses a laser to monitor fill levels with zero moving parts, making it more reliable and less prone to failure over time.
3. Refrigeration That Works Harder (and Smarter)
Hoshizaki launched their Valiance® series—an all-new line that bridges the gap between their existing offerings. It hits the sweet spot with aluminum interiors, energy efficiency, and durability. But what really got our attention was the SteelHeart® upgrade: now backed by a 7-year parts, 7-year labor, 7-year compressor warranty—plus a limited lifetime warranty on stainless steel doors. That’s the kind of support that gives peace of mind to operators making big equipment investments.
4. Flavor Trends: Pickle Power
One unexpected (but kind of genius) trend? Pickle-flavored drinks. Yes, really. We saw Coca-Cola experimenting with a Pickle Lemonade made using Twang Pickle Snack Salt, and Keurig Dr Pepper offering a Fizzy Dill Pickle Lemonade. Whether it becomes a menu staple or just a conversation starter, it proves that bold, unexpected flavor mashups are having a moment.
🎥 See It All in Our Vlog
We documented our full experience in a quick recap video so you can see what we saw. From automation to ice bins to pickle drinks, it’s all in there.
🤝 Why We Go
When we go to shows like NRA, it’s not just for us—it’s for you. We know our clients can’t always take the time to attend every conference, so we go on your behalf, stay curious, and report back on what matters. Whether it’s spotting trends or asking the questions you’d ask, we treat the show floor like your front row seat to the future of foodservice.
Let us know if there’s a product or trend you’d like to learn more about—odds are, we saw it in action.
Email Christian@247RestaurantEquipment.com for more info!
