Inside the NRA Show 2026: Chicago, Royal Cup Coffee, and the Energy Behind Hospitality with Ashley Peeples
5/25/202636 min
Episode 198 – NRA Show Chicago Recap
The National Restaurant Association Show always brings the food industry together at the highest level, and this year in Chicago was no exception.
From nonstop movement on the show floor, to conversations with operators, chefs, manufacturers, and hospitality leaders from across the country, Episode 198 captures the energy, relationships, and momentum that continue to shape the future of foodservice.
A huge thank you to Royal Cup Coffee & Tea for partnering with Walk-In Talk Media throughout the week and helping fuel the production from start to finish. What began as Pooch searching for "the package" across Chicago ultimately led right back to the Royal Cup booth and the cold brew powering the entire experience.
Follow Royal Cup Coffee & Tea on Instagram: @royalcupcoffee ☕️
Special thanks as well to Connor Stewart and the National Restaurant Association Show team for the continued support, hospitality, and opportunity to help tell the story of one of the industry's most important events.
This episode is about more than recap footage. It's about community, innovation, partnership, and the people continuing to move hospitality forward.
🎙️ Produced by Walk-In Talk Media
#NRAShow #RoyalCupCoffee #WalkInTalkMedia #Chicago #Hospitality #FoodIndustry
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
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Carl Fiadini· Host0:22
Chicago. This city's a toddlin' town in the best way possible. There's just this energy here, the food, the people, the architecture, the sounds of the trains rolling through the streets. It's got that old-school Frank Sinatra kind of soul, but mixed with this modern edge that keeps everything moving. And honestly, every neighborhood feels like its own story, connected by great food and hardworking people. Enter in the National Restaurant Association 2026. This is where all of the action happens. This is where everything that happens in the food world takes place. This is something that you must experience if you work in this industry. And inside this show, you have Royal Cup Coffee, and Royal Cup Coffee's the real deal. We're here with them. This is what we're doing. I like my coffee black. I don't put any sugar. I don't put any cream. And you know what? I don't sugarcoat this either. Follow along. This is the NRA 2026. We're here with Ashley Peoples from Royal Cup. Let's get into it. Ashley, my man, like, we are 2026