lra Recent News

Louisiana Restaurant Association
  • About Us
    • Upcoming Events
    • Leadership >
      • Past LRA Chairs
    • Advertising & Media
    • LRA Staff Directory
    • LRA Recent News
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
    • COVID
    • Benefits
    • Membership Application
    • Advocacy >
      • Why Tipping Works
    • Chapters
    • Louisiana Restaurant Legends
    • ADA Compliance Disclaimer
    • Member Login
  • Training
    • ServSafe Foodservice Manager
    • ServSafe Alcohol
    • ServSafe Allergens
    • ServSafe Food Handler
    • ServSuccess
    • Manage My Restaurant
  • LRA SIF
    • Agents & Brokers
    • Leadership
    • Coverages
    • Claims
    • Loss Prevention
    • Questionnaire
    • Compliance Reporting
    • LRA SIF Staff Directory
    • Contact Us
  • Showcase
    • Attendees >
      • 2021 Exhibitor List
    • Exhibitors
    • Be a Sponsor
    • Floor Plan
    • Hotels & Travel
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • About Us
    • ProStart
    • Giving
    • Scholarships
    • Annual Partners
    • Contact Us

Orleans Parish to Return to Modified Phase 2

1/27/2021

 
Orleans Parish will return to a Modified Phase 2, effective Friday morning, January 29, 2021. Orleans will remain in this phase through Friday, February 19. 

The Modified Phase 2 includes the following provisions for restaurants:
  • Restaurants will be able to return to 50 percent capacity, with no more than 10 guests per table. 
    • Social events/gatherings are limited to 10 people inside and 25 people outdoors. Social gatherings include any event where guests would primarily be mingling and in close contact for extended time, not seated.
  • Bars will remain closed to indoor service under state regulations. Regardless of positivity rates, bars will not be allowed to resume indoor service before Mardi Gras. 

NRA Statement on the Introduction of the Raise the Wage Act of 2021

1/26/2021

 
Today, Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association released the following statement on the formal introduction of the “Raise the Wage Act,” legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour over five years and eliminate the tip credit for servers.

“The Raise the Wage Act imposes an impossible challenge for the restaurant industry. While other businesses on Main Street are starting to see a recovery, restaurants across the country are struggling to stay open amidst indoor dining bans or limits that have been in place for ten months. The industry has laid off 2.5 million workers as a result of the pandemic, and 1 in 6 restaurants have shuttered. 

“Our industry runs on a 3-5% pre-tax profit margin in a good year – during a pandemic is not the time to impose a triple-digit increase in labor costs. Far too many restaurants will respond by laying off even more workers or closing their doors for good. As the pandemic has highlighted, the economic realities of each state are very different. A nationwide increase in the minimum wage will create insurmountable costs for many operators in states where restaurant jobs are most needed for recovery. 

“The elimination of the tip credit will cut the take-home wages of thousands of tipped employees who make far above the proposed minimum hourly wage. These skilled hospitality professionals generally earn between $19-25 dollars per hour and have made clear many times before that they support a tipped minimum wage. 
​
“The restaurant industry needs time to recover, but at the same time, the National Restaurant Association and our members are ready to have a conversation about a balanced way to address wage levels in the foodservice industry. We hope that Congress and the Administration will appreciate the unique impact any change would have on the economic recovery of both our workers and restaurant operators.”

Here is a broad explanation of bill details:

  • The “Raise the Wage Act of 2021,” would increase the federal minimum from the current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour over five years.  Following that, the federal minimum wage would be indexed to median wage growth. This legislation would also phase out the tip wage for tipped workers. 

  • In the first year (2021), the federal minimum wage would increase by $2.25 (from $7.25) to $9.50 per hour.  This increase will occur on the first day of the third month that begins after the date of enactment of the Act (the effective date). One year after the effective date, the minimum wage will increase by $1.50 to $11.00; two years after the effective date it will increase by $1.50 to $12.50; three years after the effective date, it will increase by $1.50 to $14.00; four years after the effective date, it will increase by $1.00 to $15.00 (2025).  Thereafter, for each subsequent year, the increase will be based on the percentage increase, if any, in the median hourly wages of all employees. The Secretary of Labor, through the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), will calculate this change by compiling data on the hourly wages of all employees.
    ​
  • The Act would also increase the tip wage from $2.13 to $4.95 in 2021; and for each succeeding year, the Act increases the tip wage by the lesser of either $2.00 or the difference between the tipped wage and the federal minimum wage until year 2027 when the tip wage equals the standard minimum wage and is eliminated. 

SBA Shuttered Venues Operators Grant Opportunity

1/21/2021

 
The Shuttered Venue Operators (SVO) Grant program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020. The program includes $15 billion in grants to shuttered venues, to be administered by the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Eligible applicants may qualify for SVO Grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees.
​
Eligible entities include:
  • Live venue operators or promoters
  • Theatrical producers
  • Live performing arts organization operators
  • Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria
  • Motion picture theater operators
  • Talent representatives, and
  • Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

Other requirements of note:
  • Must have been in operation as of Feb. 29, 2020
  • Venue or promoter must not have received a PPP loan on or after Dec. 27, 2020​
    ​
SBA grant portal

Restaurants and Third-Party Delivery Companies Agree to Public Policy Principles

1/19/2021

 
The National Restaurant Association released Public Policy Principles for Third-Party Delivery (Principles) that define best practices for third-party delivery to guide lawmakers in developing public policy. The release of the Principles culminates a year-long effort by the Association to develop national guidelines based on the experiences of restaurant operators of all sizes. The Principles represent the first time the restaurant industry and third-party delivery companies have come together and agreed on a framework for their relationship.

Delivery represents one of the most important segments of growth for the restaurant industry. In a National Restaurant Association online survey of 1,000 adults conducted Dec. 7-9, 2020, 70% of adults say they ordered delivery from a restaurant and 40% had used a third-party delivery company for their delivery. The pandemic has accelerated restaurant customers’ comfort with technology, and with that new level of access comes a lasting desire for easier ways to satisfy their pent-up demand for their favorite restaurant meals. 

“Even before the pandemic, delivery – and decisions related to delivery – had major impacts on restaurant operations,” said Mike Whatley, vice president for State and Local Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “Until now, the relationship between restaurants and third-party delivery companies lacked a national framework to protect restaurants. These new Principles, which center around permission and transparency, add consistency and structure that will benefit all restaurants. This agreement represents an important first step in an ongoing dialogue between restaurants and third-party delivery companies about ways to improve our relationship going forward.”

The seven Principles are:
  • Restaurants have a right to know and determine when and if their food is delivered.
  • Customers should expect the same degree of food safety from delivery as they do when dining in a restaurant.
  • Restaurants should be able to offer alcohol to customers through third-party delivery in a safe and legal manner.
  • Restaurants deserve transparency on fees (including commissions, delivery fees, and promotional fees) charged by third-party delivery companies.
  • Third-party food delivery contracts need contractual transparency, and issues surrounding fees, costs, terms, policies, marketing practices involving the restaurant or its likeness, and insurance/indemnity should be clear.
  • Sales tax collection responsibility must be clear in terms of which party is collecting and remitting the specific sales tax to the appropriate authority.
  • As a best practice, third-party delivery companies should offer restaurants access to anonymized information regarding orders from their restaurant that originate on third-party platforms.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to have partnered with the National Restaurant Association in developing these principles, which will help platforms like DoorDash continue to empower restaurants to reach new customers and grow their revenue,” said Max Rettig, global head of Public Policy at DoorDash. “We are proud to support these principles through the range of products and services we’ve developed for restaurants, and we look forward to continually improving our offerings to best serve our restaurant partners.” 

"These principles will help strengthen the critical relationship between the diners, drivers and restaurants that has grown even more important during the pandemic," Seth Priebatsch, chief revenue officer at Grubhub, said. "We look forward to continuing to work with the National Restaurant Association to deliver for the hundreds of thousands of restaurants we’re proud to partner with every day."

“The teams at Uber Eats and Postmates are committed to the restaurant community,” said Stephane Ficaja, head of Uber Delivery for the U.S. & Canada. “As one company, we’ve recently made commitments to listening to and learning from merchants and have worked together to support the National Restaurant Association’s development of these new principles that are designed to address the most pressing interests of the industry.”

In the customer survey, roughly 90% of customers who ordered delivery in the last six months favor each of the seven Principles. Read the full Public Policy Principles for Third-Party Delivery here. 

Biden's American Rescue Plan

1/19/2021

 
President-elect Biden made a speech announcing his framework for an American Rescue Plan (ARP), a $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill.  While the attached includes key insights, it lacks the detail needed for a thorough analysis.  Alarmingly, it would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour and eliminate the tip wage (see below for additional details). Until we have a copy of the proposed bill, what is included below is speculation based on the content of his speech.
 
Speaker Pelosi and incoming Senate Majority Leader Schumer swiftly endorsed the proposal, encouraged Republicans to  support it, and pledged to work on its passage.  Biden has suggested that he would like to see it enacted by the end of the month.
 
Following are some of the ARA’s key elements:
  • Federal Minimum Wage
    • Raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour (no details on a timeline and/or phased-in approach).
    • Eliminate the tipped minimum wage.
    • Eliminate the sub-minimum wage for people with disabilities.
    • No further details are provided for consideration of this proposal.  We are, however, informed by Democratic senior leadership staff that the minimum wage increase will likely not be tied to a post-inauguration COVID bill, as they do not want to bog it down; and that the minimum wage debate will likely occur in the House in February, and the Senate in March.
 
  • OSHA COVID-19 Protection Standard
    • Calls on Congress to “authorize OSHA to issue a COVID-19 Protection Standard that covers a broad set of workers” to protect them from the virus.
    • Organized labor has pushed heavily for this safety standard.
    • As authorized, OSHA would promulgate an emergency temporary standard pursuant to its statute but there are no details provided as to how far reaching the standard would be.  We suspect, however, it could be very similar to the recently issued overreaching California safety standard.  
    • Increases funding for OSHA enforcement and grant funding.
    • Given the lack of legal liability protections in place for employers for exposure-based claims, the overlay of this safety standard on employers is concerning and potentially opens the flood-gates to potential litigation.  

  • Emergency Paid Leave
    • Extends the emergency paid leave requirements contained in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to September 31, 2021, and eliminates the 500 employee threshold, mandating all private and public sector employers to offer paid leave.
    • It would also, eliminate the safe harbor provision for covered employers with less than 50 employees. 
    • It only extends the refundable tax credit for employers with less than 500 employees. 
    • Additionally, it would provide over 14 weeks of paid sick and family and medical leave for parents to take care of their child and family members under certain conditions.
 
  • $15 billion in grants to small businesses
    • We do not have details yet on these grants.
 
  • Community Credit Corporation Assistance – Restaurants
    • Calls for providing a bridge to recovery – including through the Community Credit Corporation at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – for restaurants, bars, and other businesses that have suffered disproportionately.
    • We do not have details yet on what he will specifically propose.
 
  • $35 billion in government funds to leverage $175 billion in additional small business lending and investment
 
  • FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act
    • This Act would leverage the resources and expertise of the restaurant industry in helping to get food to families in need and laid-off restaurant workers back on the job.
    • The FEED Act would  authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve state, local, and Indian tribal government plans to partner with small and mid-size restaurants and nonprofit organizations to provide nutritious meals to individuals in need.
    • We called for passage of this legislation in our Blueprint for Restaurant Revival in July 2020. 
 
  • Direct Checks to Individuals
    • Increases direct financial assistance to $2,000 by an additional $1,400 per person in direct checks (that is in addition to the $600 per person that Congress authorized in December.)
 
  • Unemployment Insurance (UI)
    • Extends expanded unemployment benefits through the end of September, with an extra $400 weekly supplement.
 
  • Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums
    • Extends eviction and foreclosure moratoriums and continues applications for forbearance on federally-guaranteed mortgages until September 30, 2021. 
 
  • Increases to the Child Tax credit
    • Increases the credit to $3,000/child ($3,600 for a child under age 6) and qualifying 17-year olds as children for the year.
 
  • National Vaccination Program
    • Creates a national vaccination program in partnership with states, localities, tribes and territories; and will include the launching of community vaccination centers around the country and deploying mobile vaccination units to hard-to-reach areas.​​

LRA Announces 2021 Chair & Officers

1/18/2021

 
The Louisiana Restaurant Association announced its 2021 volunteer leadership with Keith Bond as its Chair. Bond has been in the restaurant business since 1997 when he and his wife Shelly partnered with her father to open the second Mel’s Diner in Broussard. Named for Shelly’s mother Mel, she and Keith are rebuilding the original Mel’s Diner Johnston Street location which was gutted by a fire and is expected to reopen it in April 2021. He has served on the LRA’s Board of Directors since 2014 and has been active in the LRA’s Acadiana chapter for many years.
 
“The LRA is fortunate to be led by a group of professionals who are actively involved in the restaurant industry, especially after the past year we’ve experienced,” said Stan Harris, LRA President and CEO. “These leaders support their peers by sharing best practices and ideas on how we can make this industry more resilient. Their willingness to volunteer their time and efforts during an extremely difficult business climate is critical to the mission of the LRA.”
  
The 2021 officers of the LRA:
 
  • Michael Boudreaux, Vice Chair— Boudreaux is a partner in the soon to open SouLa restaurant and co-owner of Juban’s restaurant in Baton Rouge
  • Michael Maenza, Secretary— Maenza is the owner of MMI Culinary, Mr. Mudbug’s, 12 Seasons Catering Company and SWEGS Kitchen in New Orleans
  • Alan Guilbeau, Treasurer—Guilbeau is the Executive Vice President of Business Development of PJ’s Coffee & Tea of New Orleans and New Orleans Roast Coffee & Tea
  • Mark Latter, At-Large–Latter is owner of Latter Hospitality including Tujague’s Restaurant, Claret Wine Bar, The Bower, and the soon to open Birdy’s in New Orleans
 
The following members were elected to serve as an LRA Director for a one-year term in 2021:
 
Acadiana Chapter
  • Keith Bond, Mel’s Diner Part II, Lafayette and Broussard
  • Dwight Prudhomme, Republic National Distributing Company
 
Greater Baton Rouge Chapter:
  • Bruce Attinger, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
  • Michael Boudreaux, SouLa and Juban’s restaurants
  • Michael Carmouche, Ecolab
  • Mickey Freiberg, A La Carte Food Properties
  • Matt Massey, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
  • Peter Sclafani, Down South Hospitality  - Phil’s Oyster Bar, Portabello’s, P-Beaus and the soon to open SouLa restaurant
  • Scott Taylor, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
 
Bayou Chapter:
  • Randy Barrios, Flanagan’s Restaurant and Fremin’s Restaurant
  • Greg Hamer, Taco Bell—B&G Food Enterprises
 
Greater New Orleans Chapter:
  • Tony Abadie, Jack Rose Restaurant, Hot Tin, Bayou Bar and Silver Whistle
  • Glen Armantrout, Mahony’s Po-boys & Seafood
  • Patrick Brennan, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
  • Ralph Brennan, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
  • Geordie Brower, II, Dickie Brennan & Co.
  • Katy Casbarian, Arnaud’s and Remoulade restaurants
  • Billy Clark, Galatoire’s Restaurant and Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak
  • John Eastman, Auto-Chlor Services
  • Nick Hazard, Crescent Crown Distributing
  • Jason Jones, Sysco
  • John Lalla, Natco Food Service
  • Mark Latter, Claret Wine Bar, The Bower and Tujague’s Restaurant
  • Helen LeBourgeois, TLC Linen Services
  • Michael Maenza, MMI Culinary, Mr. Mudbug’s, 12 Seasons Catering Company and SWEGS Kitchen
  • Octavio Mantilla, BRG Hospitality including August, Borgne, Domenica, Luke, Willa Jean, Shaya, Cho Thai and Pizza Domenica
  • Greg Reggio, Taste Buds Management including Zea Rotisserie & Bar and Semolina’s
  • Melvin Rodrigue, Galatoire’s Restaurant & Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak
  • Paul Rotner, Acme Management Group
  • Randy Stein, Mr. B’s Bistro
  • Emery Whalen, QED Hospitality including Jack Rose Restaurant, Hot Tin, Silver Whistle and Bayou Bar
 
Northeast
  • Darrell Whaley, Taco Bell
 
Northshore
  • Brian Girardot, Community Coffee
  • Alan Guilbeau, PJ’s Coffee & Tea of New Orleans and New Orleans Roast Coffee & Tea
  • Jake Palmer, Acme Oyster House
 
Southwest
  • Chauncey Davis, Ben E. Keith Company
  • Rob King, Pitt Grills & Southern Kitchens

​*Headshots attached. 

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

LRA Announces 2021 Leadership

1/18/2021

 
The Louisiana Restaurant Association is proud to announce the chapter presidents who will lead its membership in 2021. The LRA is comprised of nine chapters across the state, each designed to support our advocacy and membership activities. Every year, the chapters’ Board of Directors elects a restaurant owner in its ranks to serve as President. This year’s leaders, who volunteer their time and efforts at the highest level, are charged with localizing the overall LRA member experience and cultivating opportunities for growth within the association.
 
The 2021 LRA Chapter Presidents are:
 
  • Acadiana Chapter: Randy Daniel of OMW Restaurant Holdings including La Pizzeria in Lafayette
  • Bayou Chapter: Buddy Aucoin of DJ’s Grille in Vacherie
  • Cenla Chapter: Scott Laliberte of The Diamond Grill, The Mirror Room, The Bentley Room and Hotel Bentley in Alexandria
  • Greater Baton Rouge Chapter: Jeffrey Conaway of Beausoleil in Baton Rouge
  • Greater New Orleans Chapter: Mark Latter of Latter Hospitality including in New Orleans including Tujague’s Restaurant, Claret Wine Bar, The Bower, and the soon to open Birdy’s in New Orleans
  • Northeast Chapter: Tara Ambrose of Tara’s Taste of the Town West Monroe
  • Northshore Chapter: Jake Palmer previously of Acme Oyster House
  • Northwest Chapter: Jason McKinney of Texas Roadhouse in Bossier City
  • Southwest Chapter: Ben Ferguson of Sysco in Sulphur
 
“The LRA’s impact is significant because of its volunteer leaders,” said LRA President and CEO Stan Harris. “This group of restaurateurs and industry professionals will serve as strong representatives of their respective regions and the industry statewide in 2021.”

Wins for Restaurants in the Latest Stimulus Package

1/13/2021

 
The NRA/LRA successfully worked to include the following three items in the recent stimulus package.

  1. A second draw of PPP (application now available). 

  2. The deductibility of expenses for tax purposes using PPP funds. This will save the average PPP borrower 30-35% of the tax burden that would have been proposed under IRS guidance. For example, a restaurant borrows $500,000 in PPP, and the forgiveness of the loan triggers a tax effect of $150,000. So in essence the cost of the loan would be $650,000.
    ​
  3. And specifically for restaurants- only we can borrow 3.5 x our average monthly payroll when other businesses are limited to 2.5 x average payroll. We also retained the total employee carve-out for restaurants and hotels at 300 per location, not total enterprise headcount.
<<Previous

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    Categories

    All
    Boil Water Advisory
    Capitol Connection
    Chapter Awards
    Chapter Fundraisers
    Educational
    Emergency
    EMV
    Endorsed Providers
    EXPO
    Food News
    Food Recall
    Health Care
    LRA SIF
    ProStart
    Restaurant Legends
    Scholarships
    Workforce Development

    RSS Feed

ADA Compliance Disclaimer
Privacy Policy 
 Copyright Louisiana Restaurant Association.  All Rights Reserved.
2700 N. Arnoult Road | Metairie, LA  70002
Phone: (504) 454-2277  | sitemap
MemberClicks
  • About Us
    • Upcoming Events
    • Leadership >
      • Past LRA Chairs
    • Advertising & Media
    • LRA Staff Directory
    • LRA Recent News
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
    • COVID
    • Benefits
    • Membership Application
    • Advocacy >
      • Why Tipping Works
    • Chapters
    • Louisiana Restaurant Legends
    • ADA Compliance Disclaimer
    • Member Login
  • Training
    • ServSafe Foodservice Manager
    • ServSafe Alcohol
    • ServSafe Allergens
    • ServSafe Food Handler
    • ServSuccess
    • Manage My Restaurant
  • LRA SIF
    • Agents & Brokers
    • Leadership
    • Coverages
    • Claims
    • Loss Prevention
    • Questionnaire
    • Compliance Reporting
    • LRA SIF Staff Directory
    • Contact Us
  • Showcase
    • Attendees >
      • 2021 Exhibitor List
    • Exhibitors
    • Be a Sponsor
    • Floor Plan
    • Hotels & Travel
    • Contact Us
  • Education
    • About Us
    • ProStart
    • Giving
    • Scholarships
    • Annual Partners
    • Contact Us