Hosted by Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB)
An enormous contributor to Wake County's success and appeal as a visitor destination over the years is its culinary scene. In 2024, the county collected $46.4 million in food and beverage taxes, an all-time high, and an indicator that more visitors are putting significant amounts of dollars into the hands of restaurateurs and into the local economy, while also allowing our destination to invest more into tourism-related developments and marketing to attract even more visitors. Visitor spending at Wake County's restaurants is an integral part of the tourism cycle.
Thanks to the brilliant minds of our talented chefs and restaurant owners, the food scene continues to make headlines—chefs are nominated for coveted James Beard Awards annually, major national publications continue to write stories about our dining experiences and, most recently, the MICHELIN Guide announced it would be coming to the South to explore our restaurants and produce the MICHELIN Guide: American South.
At this Annual Meeting, we will host a panel of some of Wake County's brightest minds in the restaurant business, moderated by Raleigh Magazine publisher Gina Stephens. Attendees will hear directly from thought leaders about what makes our food scene so special and attractive and perhaps be inspired to find synergies in promoting their own businesses to visitors alongside their culinary hospitality peers.