Allen Thomas, President & CEO, North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA)

With a background that spans entrepreneurship, public service, and industry leadership, Allen Thomas brings a statewide lens to North Carolina’s hospitality economy. In an interview with Invest:, he outlines how the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) is navigating workforce dynamics, leveraging technology, and elevating the state’s culinary reputation to drive sustainable growth from the coast to the mountains. “North Carolina’s hospitality is rooted in family traditions, community, and cultural diversity. We’ll keep integrating new tools, including AI where it makes sense, while protecting the human connection that defines memorable hospitality,” Thomas said.

What changes over the past year are most influencing your leadership priorities for North Carolina’s hospitality sector?

Hospitality in North Carolina is expanding on multiple fronts. We have more than 22,000 restaurant and hotel businesses statewide, and our diverse geography, from the Charlotte financial hub to the technology-driven Research Triangle and the Triad, creates several major economic engines. Add the tourism draw of the Outer Banks and the tallest mountains on the East Coast, and you get a uniquely balanced economy.

Post-COVID, North Carolina rebounded with real resilience. Strong tech and finance bases, multiple universities across the state, and intentional public-sector engagement have insulated us from some challenges seen elsewhere. Our job now is to keep that momentum focused on quality of life by creating great places to live, eat, vacation, and work because talent follows livability.

You have stepped into the role following a well-known predecessor. How are you approaching continuity as well as change at NCRLA?

NCRLA exists to support those who support our small businesses. That requires broad, bipartisan engagement. This has been a transition year in the state, and there’s also change in Washington, D.C. We take a proactive stance by maintaining strong relationships with the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), keep our seat at the table in the White House and Congress, and help shape policy rather than wait for it.

One indicator of our industry’s commitment is that North Carolina is a top state for political engagement and investment by our businesses. We bring different viewpoints together, explain real-world impacts on the workforce and small businesses, and work toward practical solutions. That’s how we protect stability while moving the industry forward.

Workforce remains a defining challenge across hospitality. What is the current picture, and how are you addressing it?

Like other states, not everyone returned to hospitality after COVID-19. Operators adapted by leaning into technology, particularly in quick service, to maintain quality with leaner staffing. Consumer preferences shifted, too. Takeout has doubled in North Carolina, which requires new operational models. On the pipeline side, we’re fortunate to have what I consider the best community college system in the country.

NCRLA manages programs like ProStart that engage high schools, community colleges, and universities with training, grants, and hands-on experience to grow talent from within. We’re also intentional about second-career pathways; many people relocating or retiring here want to start a new chapter in hospitality, and we help them skill up. Another key asset is our large military and military-dependent population. Through SkillBridge, transitioning service members can train for civilian roles in our industry, and employers value their discipline, reliability, and leadership.

How is technology changing both the way North Carolina restaurants and hotels operate and how people experience them?

Technology is now part of the core staffing and guest-experience model. Drive-through ordering, back-of-house optimization, and digital tools allow operators to keep standards high even when labor is tight. You can even have remote order-taking across time zones. Technology should enhance, not replace, what makes this sector special. North Carolina’s hospitality is rooted in family traditions, community, and cultural diversity. We’ll keep integrating new tools, including AI where it makes sense, while protecting the human connection that defines memorable hospitality.

Where do you see the most compelling opportunities for growth and investment across the state?

One powerful example is the Southeast collaboration with the Michelin Guide’s “American South” initiative. North Carolina made a three-year investment to support Michelin’s review and promotion of restaurants across the region, and it’s already paying dividends. Forty-seven North Carolina restaurants and bars were recognized in the latest announcement, with 19 in the Triangle alone, including multiple Bib Gourmand honors and specialty awards.

That visibility fuels food tourism, or what I like to call “eat, play, and stay.” The point is breadth from a beloved barbecue counter to fine dining; visitors can experience an authentic, high-quality culinary journey that reflects our communities. Beyond dining, investment opportunities span coastal and mountain destinations, boutique lodging, and experiences that highlight our natural assets, arts scenes, and film locations. After the impacts from Hurricane Helene in the western part of the state, accelerating tourism recovery is also an investment priority.

How big is hospitality’s footprint in North Carolina, and how do you keep it sustainable?

Hospitality is a cornerstone sector, contributing close to $36 billion to North Carolina’s economy, with a proportional share here in the Triangle. Sustainability comes from a few pillars. First, talent: apprenticeships, ProStart, and ongoing partnerships with schools keep the pipeline healthy. Second, strategic promotion: initiatives like the Michelin partnership concentrate attention and drive repeat visitation. Third, integration: hospitality isn’t an add-on to economic development; it’s part of the pitch when a major aerospace or tech company considers expansion. Our role in statewide travel and tourism efforts is to show that North Carolina offers a dynamic ecosystem that supports employers and quality of life. If we get those pillars right, growth becomes durable.

How would you characterize the Triangle’s role within the broader statewide story?

The Triangle is a national technology growth center with a deep bench of universities and a multicultural population. It’s also a hospitality leader, as seen in the Michelin recognitions and in programs like our annual Chef Showdown, which we host in Raleigh-Durham. That competition elevates chefs and mixologists statewide; several past winners later earned Michelin accolades, including an Exceptional Cocktails award. From neighborhood concepts to destination dining, the Triangle offers density and diversity of experiences that attract both residents and visitors. It’s a place where you can open a concept, hire great people, and tap into a loyal audience that appreciates quality.

What partnerships matter most as you look ahead to 2026 and beyond?

We work across sectors. On policy, we coordinate with national organizations and maintain relationships with leaders at the state and federal levels. Regarding education, we collaborate with universities like Duke, NC State, and UNC-Chapel Hill to study the next wave of innovation and apply it statewide, whether that’s AI-enabled service models or new culinary and operational approaches. At the community level, we partner with local tourism groups and economic development organizations to connect hospitality growth with broader goals like revitalization and workforce mobility. The throughline is collaboration: no single actor can deliver the scale of impact this industry demands.

What is your outlook for North Carolina’s hospitality sector, and what should decision-makers watch in the near term?

The outlook is strong. Migration into North Carolina remains robust, and people are drawn to the quality of life our sector helps create. Operators who align with changing consumer behavior, including elevated takeout, experiential dining, and digitally enabled service, will continue to capture demand. Regionally, the coast and mountains offer distinct expansion runways, and the Triangle will continue to gain national attention as a culinary destination.

We’ll stay focused on our workforce, from youth programs to second-career and military-connected talent, and we’ll keep promoting the state’s diversity as a competitive advantage. In short, we’re just getting started. Our goal is simple: make North Carolina the easiest place to build a hospitality career, open a restaurant or hotel, and deliver unforgettable experiences, again and again.