Frequently Asked Questions

What hotels have been reserved? What are the rates?  Which is the headquarters hotel?
Please refer to the Hotel page for hotel information.  The RFMA 2010 Conference hotel is The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

Can I make my hotel reservations now?
Housing for the meeting will open soon.  Please note that you MUST register to attend the meeting before reserving a hotel room.  After registering for the conference you will be provided with a link to the Gaylord Reservations website, and provided with the necessary code for booking your hotel room.

When will registration open?  What are the registration rates? 
Registration is open!  Registration rates can be found on the Registration Information page.

What does my registration fee include?
Restaurant Registration fees include access to all learning activities Sunday through Tuesday, admission to the Expo Hall, and the evening receptions on Sunday and Tuesday evenings.  Meals included are: lunch in the expo hall Monday and Tuesday, food and beverage at the Sunday and Tuesday evening events, Monday and Tuesday morning continental breakfasts and morning and afternoon beverages Monday and Tuesday.

Other conference registration types have limited access and do not include all of the benefits above.  A complete description of all registration types can be found at Registration Information.

I am not a member of RFMA but my co-worker is and cannot attend.  Can I use their membership to register at the member rate?
Membership in RFMA is individual and non-transferable to others.  However, Restaurant Facility Management professionals from companies with a primary membership can join RFMA as an Additional Member for $75 and then register for the meeting as a member – a savings of $75 – including the cost of membership.  Vendors who are not current members can join RFMA as a company and can add additional members to the company membership for a nominal fee.  Non-members from vendor companies which have a primary membership can add an additional membership to the primary company membership for $100 to $150 each, depending on their category level. Each individual needs to have a membership to qualify for the member rate.

Can I use a credit card to register?

Yes we accept American Express, Visa and Master Card

Who can attend the Annual Conference and Exposition?
The Annual Conference & Exposition is open to Facility professionals who are full time employees of Restaurant Companies. Conference registration is open to all industry professionals at the applicable rate.  Entrance to the exhibit hall is only open to those industry partners (i.e., suppliers) who exhibit and or sponsor the conference. This ensures a high buyer/seller ratio. RFMA reserves the right to refuse ineligible registrations. Please do not hesitate to contact Kim Sackett (ksackett@strategicconventions.com) with any questions or concerns regarding this policy.

What is the dress code?
We want you to be comfortable so you can enjoy your meeting experience!  Therefore, business casual dress is strongly encouraged.  We suggest bringing a light sweater or jacket with you during the day as meeting rooms are air conditioned.  Jeans are acceptable for the closing night party, but no shorts or flip-flops please.

What night is the open evening for entertaining clients and exploring the area?
There are no scheduled events on Sunday evening after 7:30pm and after 6:30pm on Monday.  Have fun in the city!

Will all conference programming be held at the Gaylord Texan? 
All programming will be held at the Gaylord Texan.  Locations for events not being held at the Centre will be noted in the schedule of activities. 

Will I receive a confirmation of my registration?
A confirmation of your registration will be sent to you via email immediately upon registering on-line.  Please note this is an HTML-based email, so if your settings do not allow receipt of this type of email, please contact us at ksackett@strategicconventions.com.  For registrations made with payment by check, please allow two weeks for processing; confirmation of registration will be sent via email immediately upon processing.  If you do not receive confirmation after 30 days, please do not hesitate to contact us at 703-519-4268.

Will I be refunded if I have to cancel my registration?
We’ll be sorry that you won’t be able to join us for this exceptional learning and networking experience!  However, we understand that things happen so if you simply can’t attend, please notify us in writing by January 14, 2010. Refunds will be processed less a $75 administrative fee. No refunds will be made after January 14, 2010 or for no-shows. Cancellations may be submitted via email to ksackett@strategicconventions.com, via fax to 703-519-1701, or via mail to Kim Sackett, RFMA, 707 Kahn Place, Alexandria, VA  22314.

Substitutions may be made at any time.  If you are unable to attend but someone else from your organization can come in your place, please notify us in writing via email at ksackett@strategicconventions.com. The substituted person must have the same membership status as the original registrant.

Will I receive a printed badge in the mail?                                           No.  We will send you an email that will show you a picture of your badge and allow for correction.  As a pre-registered attendee, if you bring your confirmation email, we can scan the email barcode for quick processing.

When will I receive the Conference Program guide?                          The Conference Program and Exhibit guide will be available for pick-up with all of your registration materials in the Gaylord Convention Center.  Please refer to the conference schedule at a glance for times and location of registration.

Will I receive a confirmation of my housing reservation?
A confirmation of your reservation will be sent to you via email within 72 hours after you make your reservation.  The confirmation will come from the Gaylord Hotel.  Only one confirmation will be sent, so please be sure to watch for it. 

Will I be refunded if I have to cancel my room reservation?
We’ll be sorry that you won’t be joining us.  Your room reservation will be refunded in full if notice is received in writing by February 1, 2010.  Commencing February 1, 2010, we regret that your housing deposit is non-refundable.  Failure to check-in on the scheduled date of arrival will result in the loss of your housing deposit and the cancellation of your room for the remainder of the stay. 

If you need to cancel your hotel reservation, or make changes to the arrival or departure date, you may do so by calling the Gaylord Texan at (817) 778-1000 or toll free at 1-866- 782-7897.  You may also make changes through the Gaylord website www.gaylordtexan.com then using the rates/reservation link. You will need the hotel confirmation code provided on the hotel confirmation (emailed by the Gaylord when the hotel reservation was initially made.) 

Please note, sending your room cancellation request directly to RFMA does not guarantee processing of the request.  Please send your request directly to The Gaylord Texan.

Will transportation be provided during the conference?
Ground transportation between the airport and hotels is NOT provided on a complimentary basis.  Please refer to the Hotel page for paid transportation options.

Are there any fun social events where I will get to know others?  On Sunday night, we kick off the conference with an opening reception in the Atrium of the Gaylord Texan.  It’s always a great way to see who’s there, meet new people and make plans for the evening.  Be SURE to plan your travel to arrive in time for the party – 5pm – 6:30!

Then, at the end of the conference, you’ll have a chance to kick back and enjoy some good ol’ Texas Hospitality when we close out the week with a rockin’ Western party at the Glass Cactus nightclub.  Enjoy the band, try out some line-dancing, or learn a card trick or two… there will be plenty of food, activities, and networking opportunities that you won't want to miss!  Be sure to pack your jeans and cowboy boots, and join the fun.  Meet at sundown and leave when the first duel breaks out… for you city slickers, that's 7:00-10:00 pm!

Can I buy individual additional event tickets for the Sunday opening reception, or the Tuesday closing reception? What is the cost?
Individual tickets for these events are available on-site only; they are not available for purchase in advance.  Tickets may be purchased for $50 for Sunday Night; and $100 for Tuesday Night.  Please note that if these guests are already registered under the spouse/guest program, these events are included in their registration and do not need to be purchased.  All full delegate registrations and booth staff plus registrations include these events.

Can I get a listing of the educational sessions being offered?          Yes. A complete listing of all sessions, including session descriptions and speaker bios is available in the Education Section of the conference website.

Are there handouts available at each session?                                                                                                    NO.  We are a paperless conference for 2010.  There will be no handouts distributed on-site.  Speakers will provide handout materials for their educational sessions in advance for you to print prior to or after returning home from the conference.  These Handouts will be made available online in the Education Section of the conference website.

How can I become a speaker at the Annual Meeting?
At this time, the program at the 2010 Annual Conference is finalized.  Proposals were due by May 31, 2009 – we’re sorry you missed this deadline.  However, you can submit a presentation for RFMA 2011 soon, but those will not be reviewed until after the completion of our 2010 conference. Thanks for your interest in delivering quality learning to our members! If you have specific questions about getting involved as a speaker with RFMA, please contact our Education Manager, Debi Kensell at debi@rfmaonline.com.

I am bringing my family with me; will there be activities for them to enjoy?
Family and friends will LOVE the Gaylord Texan – so invite them to join you!  Especially your Valentine, as the Gaylord has special Valentine Activities!  A special registration price of $250 is available which includes:  Evening events on Sunday and Tuesday, Continental Breakfasts and conference general sessions!  Please note that guests are those individuals who are not in the industry. Please see “What to do in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Grapevine Area” for additional activities in the area.

Are Children allowed on the Exhibit Floor?

NO.  No one under the age of 18 (including infants and toddlers) is allowed on the floor at any time – including during set-up and tear down.  There are no exceptions to this policy.  ID may be requested if the age of the individual is in question.

Is child care available?
Child Care Service is available through the Gaylord Hotel.

I am a member of the press – do you have press registration?
For press requests, please contact Tracy Tomson, RFMA Executive Director at (972) 805-0905.

My question is not here!  Who should I contact?
We’re sorry that we could not anticipate your needs.  Please email us at ksackett@strategicconventions.com so we can assist you!