Bar Rescue's Jon Taffer to Keynote 2026 Texas Restaurant Show on July 12, Taffer's Tavern Expands into The Lone Star State

Award-Winning Hospitality Expert and Taffer's Tavern Founder Headlines Leading Restaurant Event as Full-Service Pub Franchise Targets Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio for Growth

SAN ANTONIO, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jon Taffer, the award-winning hospitality expert, entrepreneur and star and executive producer of Paramount Network's "Bar Rescue," will headline the 2026 Texas Restaurant Show with a keynote session on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 11:40 a.m. CT at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. Taffer's appearance comes as Taffer's Tavern ("Taffer's") the full-service pub franchise he founded, accelerates its expansion strategy across the Lone Star State, one of the country's fastest-growing restaurant markets.

Taking the stage as part of the Show's education lineup, Taffer will draw on nearly 40 years of hospitality experience to deliver a high-energy session on what it takes to build, fix and scale a restaurant and bar business in today's environment. Known for his trademarked "Reaction Management" strategy – the same approach he uses to turn around failing bars on "Bar Rescue" – Taffer will offer Texas operators a practical, no-nonsense look at leadership and building systems that scale. He will also share how he is applying those same principles to grow Taffer's Tavern nationally.

"Texas operators don't need theory. They need what works," said Taffer. "I built my career fixing bars that were bleeding money because nobody had a system. That's what I'm bringing to this stage – real systems, real reactions, the stuff that separates operators who scale from the ones who stall out. This is exactly the audience Taffer's Tavern was built for."

A Career Built on Turning Bars Around

When he is not filming Season 10 of "Bar Rescue," Taffer chairs Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm, where he advised brands including the NFL Network, Anheuser-Busch, Ritz-Carlton and Fortune 500 names like Hyatt Hotels and Marriott International. He is also the New York Times best-selling author of three books, including his newest, "The Power of Conflict: Speak Your Mind and Get the Results You Want", and the creator of Taffer's Browned Butter Bourbon.

Taffer's Tavern: The Modern-Day Old-World Tavern

Taffer's is the quintessential modern-day tavern: a warm, inviting gathering place where old friends can reconnect, and new memories are made. Designed with the charm of traditional 'Old-World' pubs and built for today's dining experiences, Taffer's redefines comfort food and favorite classic cocktails through innovation, flavor and unmatched hospitality.

The pub franchise features a "fast-craft" cocktail program, marrying advanced mixology techniques with social-forward presentation to create a high-class beverage experience. Signature cocktails are thoughtfully balanced and visually stunning, backed by a curated liquor list that celebrates both national favorites and regional distilleries. Guests can enjoy a floor-to-ceiling bar stocked with local beer selections, perfectly poured drafts and a wine program tailored to market preferences.

Since debuting in Atlanta in 2020, Taffer's has grown through a joint venture with Craveworthy Brands ("Craveworthy,") the multi-restaurant platform company, which unlocked new growth opportunities and franchise support for the Brand. With multiple locations open throughout the metro Atlanta market and in Orlando, Taffer's offers a model built on established operating systems, world-class guest experience and a streamlined, low-overhead design.

Setting The Bar High in Texas

Taffer's is targeting Texas as a key growth market, with its sights set on some of the state's largest and fastest-growing metros, including Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. The Brand is actively seeking experienced multi-unit operators and hospitality-minded entrepreneurs to bring Taffer's to these communities.

Texas offers exactly the kind of dynamic, high-growth environment Taffer's is built for: a booming population, a deep bench of experienced restaurant operators and a culture that already embraces the old-world dining experience at the heart of the Brand. According to IBISWorld, the U.S. bar and tavern industry exceeded $39 billion in 2025 and continues to grow as consumers seek experience-driven concepts that balance social connection with quality food and drink.

"Texas is where operators win," said Gregg Majewski, CEO and Founder of Craveworthy. "Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio – big metros, growing populations, operators who appreciate the bar business. We don't need to be the biggest name in Texas. We need to be the best business in the category, and that's what Taffer's Tavern delivers. Jon on that stage puts this directly in front of the right people. We're betting big on Texas."

Attendees at the Texas Restaurant Show interested in learning more about franchise opportunities with Taffer's are encouraged to connect with the team on-site at the Craveworthy Brands Booth (No. 1151) in Exhibit Hall 3 and 4 or visit tafferstavernfranchising.com.

To learn more about the Texas Restaurant Show, visit www.txrestaurantshow.com. To learn more about Craveworthy Brands, visit https://bit.ly/4eUv3sn.

ABOUT TAFFER'S TAVERN
Jon Taffer, "Bar Rescue" star and award-winning hospitality expert, has launched his own innovative, full-service restaurant franchise concept, Taffer's Tavern. Taffer's Tavern is the quintessential tavern, a place to gather with your old friends and make new ones along the way. The tavern will feature outstanding signature cocktails and delicious elevated bar food. Powered by a streamlined operating model, Taffer's Tavern delivers consistency and efficiency without compromising on flavor, with partners including Shift4, Middleby Corporation and Krowne. In 2025, Jon partnered with multi-brand restaurant platform, Craveworthy Brands, to scale Taffer's Tavern, which debuted in Atlanta in 2020. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4eQDEwo.

ABOUT JON TAFFER
Jon Taffer is America's beverage, dining & hospitality authority with nearly 40 years of experience as an award-winning hospitality expert, entrepreneur, and thought leader. Best known as executive producer and star of Paramount Network's Bar Rescue, a non-scripted reality show that spotlights Taffer as he saves failing bars from looming closure, helping Americans drink better, dine better, and love hospitality again. His latest endeavor is Taffer's Browned Butter Bourbon, a rich, bold bourbon whiskey with notes of vanilla and toffee inspired by his years of cocktail and culinary creations. In 2025, Taffer partnered with multi-brand restaurant platform, Craveworthy Brands, to scale his innovative, full-service restaurant franchise concept, Taffer's Tavern, which debuted in Atlanta in 2020. Taffer's Tavern is designed for modern diners who are seeking elevated tavern foods, signature crafted cocktails, and memorable hospitality experiences. Concurrently, Taffer runs Taffer Dynamics, his business consulting firm. Over the years, he has consulted for a range of well-known brands, including the NFL Network, Anheuser-Bush, Ritz-Carlton, TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Famous Dave's Barbecue and Fortune 500 brands such as Hyatt Hotels and Marriott International. In addition, Taffer is a best-selling author having written three books: "Raise the Bar," "Don't Bulls*t Yourself," and his newest book "The Power of Conflict: Speak Your Mind and Get the Results You Want." For more information, visit www.JonTaffer.com.

ABOUT CRAVEWORTHY BRANDS
Craveworthy Brands is a multi-brand restaurant platform and franchisor with more than 20 concepts and over 300 locations in the U.S and internationally. Rooted in a hospitality-first philosophy and powered by people, product and process, the Company builds and scales emerging concepts and legacy brands through a shared infrastructure designed for intentional growth. Its mission is to create 100,000 success stories by 2035 – measured not just in units, but in lives changed across its system. Learn more about Craveworthy and its brands at https://bit.ly/4eUv3sn.

SOURCE Craveworthy Brands