​With the 2023 Louisiana Legislative Session beginning Monday, April 10, the LRA, the Louisiana Retailers Association and NFIB held a gubernatorial forum at Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge. It was the first event during this campaign season where all seven candidates shared their vision for what Louisiana’s priorities might be during their administration. Taxes were front and center of discussion for the audience of restaurant industry and small business professionals. Key topics included inventory, franchise, sales and income taxes. Several candidates focused on addressing our education system deficits so we can prepare our workforce for the jobs that will be available today, and in the future. 
​
The forum began with Senator Sharon Hewitt (R), who was elected in 2016 to represent the 1st district, which encompasses portions of St. Tammany, Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes. Hewitt expressed her commitment to propelling the state forward by improving schools, reducing wasteful government spending and improving the overall quality of life for residents. In her role as Senator, she’s authored and passed one of the most significant literacy bills in the history of the state. As a career engineering executive with Shell, she has led the state’s efforts to invest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education programs, which are designed to attract high paying jobs to our state and retain graduates beyond college.
 
State Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) touted his experience as a small businessman before he was elected to serve in Congress. He noted he was the only advocate for small business and restaurants opposing the operating restrictions placed on the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Landry shared his vision for a Louisiana that needs to improve education, and restructure its untenable tax code. He also discussed the necessity to address crime, noting three cities in Louisiana are rated in the top ten for crime in the US.
 
Hunter Lundy (Ind.) from Lake Charles has never run for state office. He built a multi-state law practice and sold his business to focus on the Governor’s race. He’s also owned restaurants and other businesses. He says, as an independent, he isn’t beholden to any party. He wants to see us address our infrastructure and education outcomes, while creating more training for future jobs that will encourage business to locate here.
 
Richard Nelson (R), a first term House member from Mandeville District 89, noted that after living outside the state, he and his wife chose to raise their three sons back home. He spoke about our lack of a competitive measure for income tax when we look at our neighboring states. He discussed legislation he passed out of the House last year that would require 3rd graders to read at grade level by the end of the school year or be held back for remediation and further testing. He implored us to use the education system for outcomes that make our graduates desirable to employers.
 
State Treasurer John Schroder (R) threw his hat in the race early this year drawing on his nine year experience in the House of Representatives and his almost six years serving as state treasurer. During the forum, he remarked that service in his current role, which focuses squarely on the state’s fiscal responsibility, makes him the best choice to lead Louisiana as its next governor. Ahead of the 2023 Legislative Session, he’s shared his position on how to best use the state’s revenue, and how to be more proactive against natural disasters. Schroder would specifically like to see the legislature create a disaster fund so that the state has more cash on hand to quickly respond to disasters. Additionally, he noted that we shouldn’t crack open the state’s reserves if fully funded unless it was for one time spending.
 
Stephen Waguespack (R), is the former LABI CEO. He spoke on his success as chief lobbyist for the business community passing tort reform and pushing to consolidate Louisiana’s archaic sales tax collection system. Waguespack shared his memory of leaving Louisiana in the early 1980’s with his family as his father had to seek employment outside the state. He wants to create a vibrant economy that makes people want to be here, while providing the jobs needed to sustain them. For the past 10 years, he’s led LABI and been a leader in improving the tax and fiscal accountability in Louisiana.
 
Lastly, attendees heard from Shawn Wilson (D), a Lafayette resident who has spent the last 25 years in government under democratic and republican governors. For the last seven years, he served as Edwards’ Secretary of Department of Transportation and Development, but stepped down from that position to run for governor. He spoke of the nearly 7,000 miles of roadways rebuilt or added, and funds secured to replace the 1-10 bridge over the Calcasieu River and gained the first tranche of dedicated funds to construct a new bridge over the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. And while he has not held elective office, his vision for the future touched on education, job creation, tax reform and building a budget process that avoids wild dips like we’ve seen in previous terms. He also discussed seeking and deploying the remaining federal grant dollars from multiple programs that arose during Covid. He noted his historical approach to build bridges—both literally and figuratively.  
 
The primary election will take place on October 14, 2023. Should no candidate exceed 50.1% of the vote, the top two candidates in votes will face off in the runoff election on November 18, 2023. 
 

​Top Row (pictured left to right) : Senator Sharon Hewitt (R), Shawn Wilson (D), Hunter Lundy (IND), State Attorney General Jeff Landry (R)
Bottom Row (pictured left to right) : Richard Nelson (R), State Treasurer John Schroder (R) and Stephen Waguespack (R) 

​Metairie, LA-- The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) hosted the Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Louisiana ProStart® Invitational, March 29-30 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. Atmos Energy sponsored the Culinary Competition which showcased the culinary and creative abilities of ProStart students from 19 high schools, while BRG Hospitality sponsored the Management Competition, which featured the conceptual restaurant development and marketing ingenuity of ProStart students from 14 high schools.
 
During the Atmos Energy Culinary Competition, teams demonstrated their teamwork, communication, sanitation, knife skills and culinary techniques throughout the 60 minutes timeframe to prepare a three-course, gourmet meal. This was achieved with no electricity or water, and just two table top butane burners.
 
The winner of the Atmos Energy Culinary Competition:
​
Chalmette High School
Instructor: Elena Hodges
Students: Sharon Johnson, Nga Phan, Jhana Fisher, Marissa Gerrick, Henry Scheeler IV
Chef Mentors: Anastasia Joyner
 
Winning menu: Appetizer- Shrimp Remoulade with Fried Okra; Entrée- Cajun Surf and Turf; and Dessert- Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée.
 
Second Place – Culinary Competition:
Lakeshore High School
Instructor: Nicole Benefiel
Students: Leah Slaton, Jaden Scott, Leah Underwood, Caroline St. Romain
 
Third Place – Culinary Competition:
Live Oak High School
Instructor: Angell Beswetherick
Students: Brittany Bennett, Braylee Boze, Luke Bozeman, Gavin Cadarette, Grant Starns
 
Fourth Place – Culinary Competition:
Sulphur High School
Instructor: Jacob Gillett
Students: Carson Brackeen, Avery Gorum, Kip White, Marie Racaa, River Lemley
 
Fifth Place – Culinary Competition:
Abbeville High School
Instructor: Devin Romero
Students: David Avila, Chloe Klein, Grace Landry, Ethan Matthews
 
Teams participating in the BRG Hospitality Management Competition demonstrated their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a restaurant concept, including the menu, design, budget and marketing strategies, which they presented to a panel of judges as an entrepreneur would pitch to a group of investors.
 
The winner of the BRG Hospitality Management Competition:

Chalmette High School
Instructor: Elena Hodges
Students: Vernon Patrick, Kim Nguyen, Frankie Padilla, Joshua Farrell, Ronnie Truong
Winning restaurant concept: Seaux, a Southern Louisiana and Southeast Asia fusion restaurant
 
Second Place – Management Competition:
West Feliciana High School
Instructor: Delanea Buffalo
Students: Emma Cutrer, Cayden Summers
 
Third Place – Management Competition:
W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center
Instructor: Theresa Edwards
Students: Wacovia Isaac, Serenity Portalis, Marilee Presley
 
Fourth Place – Management Competition:
Hammond High Magnet School
Instructor: Angelina Drago
Students: Dallas Griffitt, Kaylee Stewart
 
Fifth Place – Management Competition:
Plaquemine High School
Instructor: Stephanie White
Students: McKenzie Justillian, Mackenzie Anderson, Natalie Carline, Keaira Hamilton
 
Chalmette High School will represent Louisiana at the National ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C. May 2-4, 2023 where they will compete for more than $1 million in additional scholarship dollars.
 
 
The 2022 LRAEF ProStart Student Invitational Sponsors are: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Atmos Energy, BRG Hospitality, Republic National Distributing Company, Sodexo Live!, QED Hospitality, NATCO, Coca-Cola Bottling Company-United, Auto-Chlor System, PJ’s Coffee, Ecolab, Freeman Decorating, Community Coffee, and the New Orleans Morial Convention Center.
 
The 2022 LRAEF Annual Partners are: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers; the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society; Auto-Chlor System; Acme Oyster House; The Emeril Lagasse Foundation; Ecolab; BRG Hospitality; The Louisiana Restaurant Association; Tabasco; The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation; Atmos Energy; BlueRunner; The ForeKids! Foundation; B&G Food Enterprises; JP Morgan Chase & Co.; Sysco; The Lester E. Kabacoff School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration at the University of New Orleans; NATCO Food Service; Republic National Distributing Company; QED Hospitality; The Octavio Mantilla Family Trust; and Entergy Louisiana. In addition, the LRAEF would also like to thank the nine chapters of the LRA for their support throughout the year.
 
ProStart is a nationwide, two-year culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant industry leaders. By uniting the classroom and the industry, ProStart gives students a platform to discover new interests and talents and opens doors for fulfilling careers. Students are required to complete a 400-hour work internship, thus providing hands-on training. ProStart is important because it provides a pathway to a student’s future success, providing a foundation for a variety of career choices—from management and culinary operations, to supply chain positions and marketing support. The possibilities are endless in an industry with many facets. Many LRA members serve as mentors to ProStart students and also hire them. 

​3rd party delivery apps must have an executed contract to use your logo or likeness
 
Restaurateurs, we’ve been advised by an LRA member that a third-party delivery provider has listed their restaurant on the app without permission. This business has no affiliation or contract with this delivery service. They’ve been contacted by several people using the app seeking a refund because the food was never delivered.  
 
During the 2020 Louisiana Legislative Session, the LRA passed Act 192 which prohibits a third-party delivery service from representing a restaurant on their platform, unless there is an executed contract between the parties. This means they can’t use your logo on their website, or in an internet search. 
 
The law also stripped the “indemnification” provisions from any agreement with a third-party delivery contract effectively making it unenforceable in Louisiana (regardless of the contract language.) Your protection allows for a private right of action against the third-party delivery provider that may be mis-representing they have a contract with you, or are simply trying to re-direct an unsuspecting guest of your restaurant to their platform or app. This private right of action allows you to sue the third-party delivery company to seek civil damages of up to $5,000 plus attorney fees. 

​Metairie, LA—The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) Board of Directors, through its Scholarship Fund, will award $60,000 in scholarships to 22 students. The LRAEF Scholars were honored at “Serving the Future—Celebrating Careers in Hospitality,” March 29, 2023 at Generations Hall in New Orleans.
 
The LRAEF Scholarship Fund was created in 2009 to provide financial support for individuals interested in furthering their education to support a career in the culinary, hospitality, or related industries. Since its inception, the Scholarship Fund has awarded over $600,000 to deserving students.
 
The LRAEF’s most-prestigious award, the Jim Funk Scholarship, is named for the former LRA President & CEO who guided the creation of the LRAEF during his 30 years with the organization. This year’s recipient of the Jim Funk Scholarship is Morgan Boquet. She is a 4th year LRAEF scholar (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), attending the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University, and is a ProStart graduate of Lakeshore High School in Mandeville.
 
The Louisiana Seafood Scholarship was established through a generous gift from the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board and is awarded to a qualified applicant who expresses an interest in cultivating, protecting and promoting Louisiana Seafood. This year’s Louisiana Seafood Scholar is Zoe Foster, who is a 3rd year LRAEF scholarship recipient (2021, 2022, 2023), attending the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University.
 
The LRAEF Scholars are individuals who intend to pursue a career in the restaurant, foodservice, tourism, or hospitality industry. ProStart students, who have or will receive the National ProStart Certificate of Achievement are given top priority. This year’s LRAEF Scholars are:

• Brittany Bennett, graduating from Live Oak High School, will be attending Louisiana Culinary Institute.

 

• Carmella Bosco, a graduate of Lakeshore High School, now attending Nicholls State University.

 

• Rachel Cannata, a graduate of Benjamin Franklin High School, attending Cornell University.

 

• Sheroyauna Cauthron, a graduate of Pointe Coupee Central High School, enrolled at Louisiana Culinary Institute.

 

• Danny Dearing, graduating from Northwood High School, will be attending The Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio.

 

• Savannah Flores, graduated from Archbishop Chapelle High School, now enrolled at University of New Orleans.

 

• Sarah Gassenberger, graduated from of the Academy of Our Lady, now enrolled at University of Holy Cross.

 

• Isabelle Giangrosso, a graduate of Ursuline Academy of New Orleans, enrolled at University of Holy Cross.

 

• Rebecca Gilson, graduate of Fontainebleau High School, now attending Nicholls State University.

 

• Hamilton Haverkamp, a graduate of Springfield High School, now attending Louisiana Culinary Institute.

 

• Anthony Holmes, graduating from Plaquemine High School, will be enrolled at Nicholls State University.

 

• Kaleb Johnson, graduating from New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, will be enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America.

 

• Jeremy McElveen, graduate of Stephenson High School, attending the University of Holy Cross.

 

• Jake Mendelson, graduating from A. M. Barbe High School, will be enrolled at Nicholls State University.

 

• Alayna Moore, graduate of Buckeye High School, attending University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

 

• Emery Prokasy, graduate of Mandeville High School, enrolled at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

 

• Emma Sedgebeer, a graduate of Fontainebleau High School, now attending Nicholls State University.

 

• De’ante Skidmore, graduate of John Curtis Christian School, now enrolled at Louisiana Culinary Institute.

 

• Adelaide Speyrer, graduate of Hahnville High School, enrolled at University of New Orleans.

 

• Abbey Warren, graduate of Ruston High School, enrolled at Nicholls State University

 
 
“Honoring the LRAEF Scholars during Serving the Future is a favorite part about my role as Chair of the LRA Education Foundation,” said LRAEF Chair Jason Jones, Sysco. “Meeting them in person, and hearing how passionate they are about a career in restaurants and hospitality, and then seeing their face light up as they accept their scholarship is so rewarding. These scholars are the future leaders and innovators of our industry.”
 
 
                                                                                                 -30-
​
 
ProStart is a registered trademark of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
 
ProStart is a two-year, culinary management program for high school juniors and seniors with a curriculum designed to teach students culinary techniques as well as restaurant management skills. ProStart is in 58 high schools statewide and more than 2,000 students participate in the program.  
 
The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation exists to enhance the industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities.
 
The Louisiana Restaurant Association is one of the largest business organizations in the state, representing restaurant operations and related businesses. The restaurant industry in Louisiana is one the state’s largest private employers, providing jobs to 207,700 residents. Restaurants in Louisiana generated sales of $8.9 billion in 2017. Get up-to-date news about the LRA and the restaurant industry from www.lra.org.                                                                                          

​Are your surcharges souring your customers’ dining experience?  
 
During a weekend trip to Acadiana and several dining experiences there and back, we were caught off guard by the practice of surcharge options for credit card payments. At two different locations, we were hit with a four percent surcharge on our bill – one we were advised ahead of time as it was posted on the menu. At the second location, it was posted on the entrance door, however, we missed it. Neither provided a receipt that indicated the charge, which is a requirement.
 
Here are a few things to remember if you are considering this or doing it at present to be compliant.
 
While adding surcharges to the cost of a purchase is legal in Louisiana, each credit card brand has its own rules that merchants must adhere to. Our partners at Heartland Payment Systems have a thorough article to review here.
 
Some of the guidelines include:

• Clear disclosure of fees prior to transaction. To begin with, surcharges must be made clear by the merchant prior to a sale. Signs must be posted at the cash register or point of acceptance. The notice sign must clearly state that a fee of X% will be added on to any payment made with a credit card at time of the sale. It is best to err on the side of noting this in multiple locations in your business, and advising your staff through training how to communicate this to guests.

 

• Surcharges must be listed on receipts. The surcharge must also be disclosed on the receipt for the transaction. Receipts must include the percentage of the surcharge and also the dollar amount of the surcharge to be compliant with surcharging rules for the card brands.

 

• Cap of 4% on surcharges. The surcharge that merchants pass on to consumers cannot exceed the cost merchants are charged by credit card payment processors and are capped at 4%. Remember you can’t profit from this. If your blended credit card transaction fee percentage is lower than 4%, that is a percentage you are allowed to charge.

 

• No surcharges for debit cards. Debit cards are excluded from surcharges. Merchants are prohibited from assessing surcharges on cards that are linked to a bank account. While they may be branded like a credit card (VISA or MC) no matter how the transaction is handled, a fee cannot be charged for their acceptance. Running a debit card without a pin doesn’t make it a credit card.

 
Be careful in changing processors without understanding the exposure you could have to your existing processor under liquidated damages for a breech or early termination of an existing processor agreement. And, remember to read your merchant agreement with Visa, MasterCard and Amex. There are some that require you to provide advance notice to the processor before instituting these charges.
 
Our payment system partner Heartland has a new POS system that can help you with compliant processing of any surcharge, and avoid those on debit transactions.
 
And, accept that you have the risk of a guest choosing to frequent another restaurant for one that doesn’t use surcharging and instead includes its total operating costs in the menu price.
 

Download the State of the Industry report on Restaurant.org.

The report is free to members and $349 nonmembers.

During the purchase process, login with your previously established email address/password or select Create Account.

Use the same email on your membership to ensure it syncs with your existing member record.

The Create Account feature will also show if the email has an existing login.

The login for Restaurant.org is different than LRA.org. If you are still receiving the non-member rate after creating an account, please contact Membership@Restaurant.org and request for your account to be linked to your company’s membership.

​Metairie, La.--The Louisiana Restaurant Association Self Insurer’s Fund for Workers’ Compensation announces rate reductions effective March 1, 2023.
 
The LRA SIF offers workers’ compensation coverage specializing in the hospitality industry and the rate reduction applies primarily to businesses in this sector focused on restaurants. Management believes this rate reduction should be attractive to our restaurant members in these challenging economic times.
 
“In this highly competitive marketplace, the LRA SIF Board of Trustees is pleased to approve and implement this rate reduction which will assist members of the Fund with managing their overall cost of operations,” said Stan Harris, President and CEO, LRA SIF.
 
If you have restaurant clients who may benefit from this rate reduction, please contact the LRA Workers’ Comp program at underwriting@lra.org. 

Since its inception in 2008, the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off (LASCO) has been at the top of the list of professional culinary competitions. Competing chefs line the stage in this live cooking, fast paced, culinary throw down. Chefs from all corners of the state come together in one arena to compete for the winning crown. In addition to earning the title of King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood, the winner goes on to represent the state at a variety of events including the Great American Seafood Cook-Off. Winning the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off has been known as a "culinary catapult" amongst industry members. With past winners going on to open their own "brick and mortar" establishments, hosting their own culinary television shows, gracing the covers of magazines across the nation and more!

Join us on Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, Louisiana to find out who our next culinary champion will be.

Instructions for Applicants: 
​
• Entrants must be an executive chef for an acclaimed, free-standing Louisiana restaurant.
Restaurants associated with a luxury country club, resort or hotel are also eligible.

• Restaurant must be a member of Louisiana Restaurant Association.

• Institutional chefs, i.e., food service distributors, hospitals, culinary school instructors,
caterers or corporate chefs for chains having 10 or more restaurants are not eligible.

• Each chef will be responsible for plating five (5) entrées for judges with Louisiana seafood
as the main protein.

• Each chef will receive a $250 stipend to assist with ingredient costs, travel, and time
away from his/her restaurant. In addition to the stipend, a hotel room will be offered
for each competing chef for two nights.

• There are twelve (12) spots available and entry forms will be accepted until end of the
business day of Monday, May 15, 2023.
​
• All submissions will be reviewed and selected by a committee of the Louisiana Seafood
Promotion and Marketing Board. Contestants will be notified of their eligibility by
Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

Click Below for ATC Guide!

​We are thrilled to announce that registration for the 2023 Public Affairs Conference is now open.  The conference is June 19-21 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. 
 
Here’s what you need to know about the flow of the conference, as well as key information when registering.

Public Affairs Conference Structure

Monday, June 19: “Welcome to Washington” evening reception.
Tuesday: Public Affairs Conference starts in the afternoon.  The NRAEF Restaurants Advance Leadership Awards will be held Tuesday evening. We plan to reserve time Tuesday morning to hold a meeting with SRA executives, but there will be no formal CSRA meetings given the proximity to the CSRA Summer Conference.
Wednesday: Public Affairs Conference content in the morning.  Hill visits rest of the day.  Capitol Hill reception that evening. 
Thursday: No conference programming. Optional day for additional Hill visits.

How to Register: Go to https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=709670&
​
Early Bird Discount: Conference attendees who register before March 31 will receive 50% off conference pricing.  We expect we will sell out – register early.

Click Here for the Conference Schedule

AT A GLANCE

RESTAURANT PERFORMANCE INDEX: ▼ -0.8%
RESTAURANT JOBS: ▲ +62,100
RESTAURANT SALES: ▲ +0.9%

Note: Figures reflect November data and represent change from previous month

MONTH IN REVIEW
 
Consumers ramped up their spending in restaurants in November—potentially at the expense of other retailers. Eating and drinking place sales rose 0.9% in November, while consumer spending in non-restaurant retail sectors fell 0.8%.
One reason why consumers can sustain elevated levels of spending even in the face of decades-high inflation is the significant amount of savings that households have on their balance sheets. Another somewhat more concerning reason is the increased use of credit cards—many of which were safely stowed away during the early months of the pandemic.

BY THE NUMBERS
 
54% of restaurant operators reporting higher same-store sales in November.

30 - Number of states with restaurant employment below pre-pandemic levels.

24% of restaurant operators reporting higher customer traffic in November.


THE DEEP DIVE

Consumers boosted their restaurant spending
Elevated consumer spending is being supported by excess household savings and the increased use of credit cards. 

Restaurant workforce recovery continued
November marked the 23rd consecutive month of employment growth, but the industry was still 462,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels.
 
Average wholesale food prices jumped 3.1%
November represented the 18th increase in the last 23 months; 15 of those monthly gains topped 1%. 

Menu prices rose 8.5% during the last 12 months
Fullservice prices rose 9% during the last 12 months—well above the 6.7% gain in prices for limited-service meals and snacks.

Scholarship Fund to aid students for 13th consecutive year

Metairie, LA— The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) is now accepting applications for its annual LRAEF Scholars Program for students entering college or already working in the industry to pursue careers in the culinary and hospitality industries. The application deadline is February 3, 2023. Scholarship recipients will be announced in March 2023.
 
The LRAEF Scholars Program was created in 2009 to provide financial support for individuals interested in furthering their education to support a career in the culinary, hospitality, or related industries. With the 2023 grants, the LRAEF will have awarded approximately $700,000 since the program’s inception.
 
“The dollars that fund our LRAEF Scholars are generated by LRA members and chapters from around Louisiana who encourage interested students to apply,” noted LRAEF President & CEO Stan Harris. “We encourage LRA members to share the information with their employees who may be attending or returning to college in culinary arts or restaurant management.”
 
Applicants must be currently enrolled, or accepted in a bachelor and/or associate degree program in order to pursue or further a career in the restaurant or hospitality industry. Courses of study can include, but are not limited to culinary, hospitality, tourism, business and management programs. Scholarship awards are merit-based and will vary based on available funds.
 
The following scholarships will be awarded in 2023:
 

• Jim Funk Scholarship: Established in 2012 and is the LRAEF’s most prestigious award. It honors former LRA President & CEO Jim Funk, who guided the creation of the LRAEF during his 30 years with the organization. This is presented to the top scholarship applicant for the 2023 cycle and is renewable on an annual basis for up to four years, provided that minimum GPA and enrollment standards are achieved.
• LRAEF Scholars: Awarded to qualified Louisiana students who intend to pursue a career in the restaurant, foodservice, tourism, or hospitality industry. ProStart students who completed the Certificate of Achievement will be given priority.
• Louisiana Seafood Scholarship: Established through a generous gift from the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, this scholarship is awarded to qualified applicants who show an interest in cultivating, protecting and promoting Louisiana seafood.

 
The online application can be accessed at www.LRAEF.org and must be completed by February 3, 2023.
 
“The LRAEF Scholars program is a key part of our mission of education and promotion of career opportunities, especially in the culinary and hospitality industries,” said LRAEF Executive Director Jonathan Baynham. “These industries provide great training for young people, as well as a path to economic advancement.”
 
The LRAEF, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, exists to enhance the industry’s service to the public through education, promotion of career opportunities and community engagement. If you would like to make a donation, please contact Jonathan Baynham at jbaynham@lra.org.
 
The LRAEF is grateful to its annual partners: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, Auto-Chlor System, Acme Oyster House and Ecolab.
-30-
 
ProStart is a registered trademark of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
 
ProStart is a two-year, culinary management program for high school juniors and seniors with a curriculum designed to teach students culinary techniques as well as restaurant management skills. ProStart is in 56 high schools statewide and more than 2,000 students participate in the program.  
 
As the philanthropic foundation of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, the LRA Education Foundation exists to enhance the industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement and promotion of career opportunities.
 
The Louisiana Restaurant Association is one of the largest business organizations in the state, representing restaurant operations and related businesses.                                                                    
​

MYTH: Retailers pocketed the savings from the Durbin Amendment
 
FACT: RETAIL IS SO COMPETITIVE THAT REDUCING BUSINESS COSTS ALWAYS RESULTS IN CONSUMER SAVINGS

• The retail sector is an intensely competitive industry. Retailers try to keep prices as low as possible to incentivize customers to their stores.
• When Moody’s Investor Services looked into it, they found savings from debit reform shielded consumers from higher prices that would have resulted from increases in other operating costs for businesses such as transportation and fuel costs.
• The best example is that cost increases, as reflected in the Producer Price Index for retail trade industries, rose 9.4 percent from the time reform went into effect in October 2011 through the end of 2016, while price increases to consumers, reflected in the Consumer Price Index, increased only 4.3 percent. That is a large spread between the higher costs that merchants had to pay for the goods they sold and the prices that they charged consumers. Those numbers demonstrate clearly that merchants shielded their customers from the majority of the cost increases the merchants themselves faced.
• And, that experience has held true even during the past year with increased inflation. During 2021, the Producer Price Index rose by 9.7 percent while the Consumer Price Index rose by 7 percent.
• Retail profit margins show the same pattern. Those margins did not grow following debit reform.
• It is very clear that savings from debit reform (and more) have been consistently passed along from merchants to consumers in the form of prices that are significantly lower than what consumers would have been forced to pay in the absence of those reforms.

 
MYTH: If this bill passes, credit card rewards will disappear
 
FACT: CREDIT CARD REWARDS ARE OFFERED AROUND THE WORLD EVEN THOUGH THEIR FEES ARE MUCH LOWER

• Competition on credit cards will not end rewards. Visa and Mastercard don’t give rewards, the banks who issue the cards do. Those banks will still offer rewards to incentivize customers to use their cards.
• Merchants regularly provide many of their own rewards and loyalty programs – without resorting to the price-fixing that the credit card industry engages in.
• Rewards have not gone away in other countries where swipe fee reform has been adopted. A decade after reform in Australia, the Reserve Bank of Australia found banks still offered “significant credit card rewards” despite Visa and Mastercard claims that rewards would go away.
• Competitive markets are much better for consumers than price-fixing – they deliver low prices and rewards by reacting to what consumers want.

 
MYTH: This bill will hurt small banks and credit unions.
 
FACT: THE BILL DOES NOT APPLY AT ALL TO SMALL BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS – THEY WON’T HAVE TO DO A THING

• The bill exempts banks with under $100 billion in assets, only 32 of the largest banks and one credit union are above that threshold.

• The biggest banks issue 85% of credit cards.

 
MYTH: The bill will hurt card security.
 
FACT: THE BILL WILL IMPROVE CARD SECURITY AND FIX A VULNERABILITY BY PLUGGING THE LOOPHOLE THAT TODAY COULD ALLOW CHINA UNION PAY TO ENTER THE U.S. MARKET

• This bill makes our credit cards more secure than they are today.
• There is language in the bill that prohibits any network from entering the U.S. market if it threatens security – ensuring that it would block China Union Pay, or any network sponsored or funded by a foreign government.

• The United States has the most credit card fraud in the world – with 34% of all the fraud in the world even though the U.S. only has 22% of the world’s transaction volume.
• Today, any bank in the United States is free to select China Union Pay as the network on their credit cards.
  • This is a particularly big threat because Visa and Mastercard have brought China Union Pay into the security standard-setting bodies that they control.
• Competition leads not only to lower prices but to more innovation on things like card security.

 
MYTH: Swipe fees are needed to cover rising fraud costs.
 
FACT: RETAILERS ALREADY PAY FOR A MAJORITY OF FRAUD LOSSES AND THE FEES ARE MANY MULTIPLES OF TOTAL FRAUD LOSSES

• Visa and Mastercard have no skin in the game when it comes to fraud. Retailers and banks pay for fraud with retailers shouldering the majority of the costs.
• Retailers pay for fraud three times:
  1. Retailers pre-pay for fraud through interchange fees. However, these fees far exceed what is needed to cover banks’ fraud losses.
  2. Retailers pay for fraud in chargebacks.
     • Why merchants must pay chargebacks to cover the majority of fraud that they have already prepaid (and then some) to the banks is inexplicable.
  3. If a retailer suffers a data breach, Visa and MasterCard rules require the
     merchant to pay for any increase in fraud for those breached accounts and for card reissuance for all impacted or suspected impacted cards.

• The Fed has collected data on debit card fraud every two years since debit reform was passed. Its 2019 data shows that merchants covered 56.3 percent of debit card fraud   while card issuing banks only covered 35.4 percent. Keep in mind that 2019 is 4 years after merchants made the shift to chip card/EMV technology (Fed Data).
• The picture is similar for credit losses. The Federal Reserve has reported that the merchant share of fraud on dual message debit  cards (processed in similar fashion to credit cards) is more than 60 percent (Fed Data).
• On top of retailers’ fraud costs, the EMV transition cost retailers an estimated $30 billion. Retailers have made this shift because chip card technology is more secure.

 
MYTH: The bill isn’t workable and would lead to a massive reissuance of cards.
 
FACT: THE SAME THING HAPPENS WITH THE SAME BANKS ON DEBIT CARDS AND NONE OF THAT REQUIRED REISSUING CARDS

• Routing competition is proven to work because it happens today on debit.
• The whole concept of “massive reissuance” no basis in fact.
• They made the same claim about reissuance of cards when debit reform was debated, but when it came time to implement the new law the banks did not have to reissue cards.
• Routing happens as a back-office process with the banks sharing information regarding the enabled networks with processors. It doesn’t need to change anything physical on the cards.
• That was true for single-network debit cards a decade ago and it’s true for single-network credit cards now.
• There have been some credit cards that have used more than one network over time – Diner’s Club for example has done that. There was no “massive” change or investment needed for that. In fact, hardly anyone noticed. There will be some software changes that happen, but these will be relatively minor.

 
ONE THING IS CLEAR FROM ALL OF THIS – EVERY ONE OF THE CLAIMS MADE BY THE CARD INDUSTRY TO CRITICIZE THE CREDIT CARD COMPETITION ACT IS WRONG

​Because Zelle is an easy way to send and receive money, it's also an easy way for hackers to steal it. Here’s how to protect yourself from Zelle scams.

The pandemic normalized contactless payments, and digital wallet options have popped up everywhere, including places that used to only accept cash—like farm stands, garage sales and even your babysitter. While this is incredibly convenient, it also leads to unsuspecting people becoming victims of scams, and wherever we turn, there seems to be another one--cash app scams, online scams, Venmo scams, Facebook Marketplace scams and now, Zelle scams.

“Over 100 million people use Zelle to transfer nearly $500 billion annually, which is a staggering amount of money,” says Monica Eaton-Cardone, COO of Chargebacks911. “So, naturally, when you have that many people transferring that much wealth, it’s going to attract the attention of hackers, criminals and cyberthieves.”
To help you stay safe, we’ve identified the most common Zelle scams you might encounter, as well as provided information on what to do if you accidentally fall for one. And remember: Scammers are sneaky, but if something seems off about a monetary transaction, it probably is.

What are some common Zelle scams to look out for?
The good news is that Zelle has top-tier security protocols, says Adam Levin, host of the “What the Hack with Adam Levin” podcast. The bad news? Scammers are creative and convincing, and once you send money, you have little recourse to recoup it. “Zelle’s main vulnerability is that payments are instant and irreversible,” explains Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate. “People love getting paid quickly—like, if I’m reimbursing a friend for my share of a meal—and fraudsters exploit this vulnerability.”
If you lose your phone and have the Zelle app, a criminal can initiate transfers from your account, but in the majority of cases, “Zelle scams boil down to trickery,” Contos points out. “Most of the time, Zelle scams involve social engineering a victim into transferring money to the criminal’s account.” The same is often true of scams involving Apple Pay and Google Pay.

These are the most common Zelle scams:
​
Impersonation scam
This is probably the most common scam, according to experts, and it has several forms. A scammer will impersonate a friend or family member and say they have an emergency and need money right away. This urgent request may come in an email, text message, direct message on a social media site or even a phone call.
Other times, a criminal will impersonate a legitimate company, organization or government agency and request a payment from you via Zelle. “They could claim that you owe them money for a past due charge, that your water bill is late and the service will be stopped if you don’t pay immediately, that you were short on your taxes, or that you failed to pay a traffic fine and a warrant will be issued for your arrest,” says Contos. “They could also claim to be a charity, a family member who is stranded and in desperate need of help, or use any other con that will pull at your heartstrings.” FYI, be aware of these scam phone numbers.

Romance scam
Catfishing or “romance” scams are also increasing in frequency. In fact, Joe Troyer, CEO of ReviewGrower, says they’re the most common Zelle scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, “people sent $547 million to online romance scammers last year,” and “in the past five years, people have reported losing a staggering $1.3 billion to romance scams, more than any other FTC fraud category.”
“It all begins with a phony dating profile on one of the many popular social media sites or apps,” Troyer says. “People exchange hundreds of texts with the fraudsters, who are charming and can make people fall in love with them, and then they start asking for money or presents, often requesting cash through Zelle.”

Phishing scam
“In this scam, scammers send emails or text messages that appear to be from a participating financial institution, asking users to click on a link or open an attachment,” explains Daniel Chan, Chief Technology Officer of Marketplace Fairness. “If users do this, they may download malware that can steal their personal information.”
The FBI warns about these phishing scams that “lure you in and get you to take the bait,” noting that any ploy that leads a victim to giving a scammer access to their Zelle account is extra risky. That’s because Zelle payments are fast and irreversible and were designed only to be used between people who know and trust each other.

Fake invoice scam
With this type of scam, scammers send emails or text messages that appear to be from a business that the user does business with. “The email or message will instruct the user to click on a link to view an invoice,” Chan says. “If the user clicks on the link, they’ll be taken to a website that looks like the business’s website. However, this website is a scam site, and if the user enters their personal information, they will give the scammers access to their account.”

Lottery scam
The lottery scam can be used for any prize. In this scam, emails or text messages appear to be from a lottery company or a company offering a prize of some sort. The email or message will ask the user to click on a link to claim their prize and enter their Zelle account to send the “lottery winnings.” Like the fake invoice scam, if the user clicks on the link, they will be taken to a website that looks like the lottery company’s website, and if the user enters their personal information, they will give the scammers access to their account.

Malware scam
Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate at Comparitech, warns against clicking on links or attachments in unsolicited emails or texts, because they could install malware on your device. “You’re tricked into installing malware,” Bischoff says, “and an attacker could hijack your device and send themselves money from your Zelle app.”
And that’s not all. “More severe malware could hijack banking apps like Zelle and send money directly from your account,” Bischoff adds. “Other malware might just wait for you to log in to your bank account via a web browser so it can steal your password and send it to the attacker. Another strain of malware might redirect you to a phishing site when you try to access your bank’s website or Zelle, which then steals your password and other info.”

Goods-and-services scam
Jim Murphy, Director of Fraud Management North America at D4t4, also warns against the goods-and-services scam. “This happens when you shop online and pay using Zelle and never receive what you paid for,” Murphy says. “The item is usually listed at a discount but only if it’s purchased within a limited time window.”
As Hamerstone warns, be wary of companies or individuals with products that are priced low or are hard to find—and who then push you to pay via Zelle.

Emergency phone scam
“Another thing to watch out for is someone asking to use your phone,” Hamerstone warns. “There have been cases where someone will fake an emergency, ask to use a stranger’s phone and then quickly send a payment to themselves.”

Business account scam
A new kind of scam has been popping up on resale sites like Facebook Marketplace. If you list an expensive item and have a very interested buyer, make sure it’s legit. The Better Business Bureau has warned of fake “buyers” who pretend to pay for an item, then trick you into sending them money back.
After the scammer tells you they want an item, you receive an email that looks like it’s from Zelle, saying the “buyer” paid with a business account and to access the payment, you must also upgrade to a Zelle business account—for $300. The scammer will generously add the $300 onto the “payment” they sent you, as long as you promise to refund them after you upgrade. The “buyer” will use fake emails and screenshots to make it look like they’ve paid you. But when you Zelle the $300 back, you realize the payments were fake, and you’ve just lost your money.
To avoid getting scammed, always check for payments through your Zelle app. Never rely on screenshots or emails as proof, beware of buyers offering more than you listed the item for and don’t agree to refund a payment.