The 2025 Hostplus Awards for Excellence, organised by The Restaurant & Catering Association (R&CA), have received a record number of entries, which the association said showcases the hospitality industry’s ongoing resilience.
Nominations closed at the end of March, and the R&CA reported that for the first time, diners were encouraged to tag their favourite venues online, generating more than 20,000 organic interactions and lifting the profile of hundreds of local hospitality businesses. It credits this response to both growing industry momentum and the success of this year’s consumer tagging campaign.
“The public response has been overwhelming, and it’s a clear sign that hospitality businesses remain central to how Australians connect,” said John Hart OAM, National President of R&CA. “We’re proud to celebrate the thousands of operators who have put their name forward, and the communities that got behind them.”
This year’s awards program received nominations across more than 45 categories, representing every state and territory in the country. Regional participation was particularly strong, with increased interest in the New Venue, Event Catering, and Service Excellence categories.
Judging is underway, with state and territory awards nights scheduled to begin rolling out in the coming weeks. Finalists are announced six weeks before each state’s gala dinner.
