March 2011 Archives

The National Restaurant Association today applauded Sens. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Reps. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) and Richard Neal (D-Mass.) for introducing bipartisan bills to make permanent a 15-year tax depreciation schedule for restaurant improvements and new construction, leasehold improvements and retail improvements.

Driven by improving sales and traffic levels, as well as growing optimism among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association's February Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) gained 0.4 percent from its January level and stood at 100.7. 

"February's RPI gain was driven by solid improvements in the same-store sales and customer traffic indicators," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.  "Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales and customer traffic results in February, after January's results were dampened by extreme weather conditions in many parts of the country."

"In addition to improving sales and traffic indicators, restaurant operators' outlook for capital spending hit a 40-month high, while their expectations for staffing growth rose to the highest level in nearly four years," Riehle added.

Watch our latest industry update video, where the National Restaurant Association's SVP of the Research & Knowledge Group Hudson Riehle summarizes the February Restaurant Performance Index and the impact of rising gasoline prices on restaurants.

For previous industry update videos, visit our Research & Insights section.

In his latest commentary, the National Restaurant Association's Chief Economist Bruce Grindy breaks down the latest establishment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The restaurant industry added over 8,300 locations between the third quarters of 2009 and 2010, the strongest gain in more than two years. 

Eating and drinking places added a net 8,326 locations* between the third quarters of 2009 and 2010, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  This represented the strongest four-quarter gain in over two years, and the 35th consecutive gain dating back to the start of this BLS data series in 2001.  Even during the extremely challenging business environment of the last few years, the eating and drinking place segment continued to added locations each quarter, albeit at much slower rates than in previous years.

A Michigan restaurateur and National Restaurant Association member today gave the Subcommittee on Health of the House Energy and Commerce Committee a look at what it takes to run a restaurant business in the United States -- and a daunting prognosis for what the new health care law could mean for businesses like his.

On behalf of the National Restaurant Association, Larry Schuler described for Congress how the law will significantly impact his employees and how he runs his business. He urged early action to make fundamental changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

More than 60 members of Congress are backing bills to delay by up to two years National Restaurant Association-supported debit-card swipe-fee reform.

The NRA will be on Capitol Hill in force April 13 to 14 as part of its Public Affairs Conference, talking about this, health care reform, and other issues important to restaurants.

Even if you're not part of the conference, find out what you can to make a difference on these issues. Join us at 3 p.m. ET Wednesday, March 30, for a webinar to learn more about interchange-fee battle.

Plus, join us for more upcoming policy webinars: How to make a difference in grassroots lobbying (April 1), regulatory burdens on restaurants (April 6) and health care reform (April 8). Sign up for a policy webinar.

A degree from the Culinary Institute of America prepared Kristin Macan for a 15-year career as a chef. But she says she didn't really understand the true meaning of hospitality until she was a judge at the Virginia ProStart Invitational in early March.

Macan, food service director, SAGE Dining, Christchurch (Va.) School, says she agreed to be a judge for the wrong reasons: She wanted to network with other chefs, recruit talent and taste great food.

"I expected it to be fun and light-hearted," she says. "What I didn't realize was how much the I would be affected by the kids and the competition."

As National Nutrition Month wraps up, it's a good time to address diner demand for healthful menu options. In her March column, Joy Dubost, the National Restaurant Association's nutrition director, encourages restaurants to help guests "Eat Right with Color," the American Dietetic Association's theme for National Nutrition Month. Dubost, a registered dietitian, has a doctorate degree in food science.

During this time, we focus our attention on current dietary behaviors and go back to the basics of healthy eating. According to the National Restaurant Association 2011 Restaurant Industry Forecast, 71 percent of adults say they try to eat more healthfully when dining at restaurants than they did two years ago.

This year's National Nutrition Month theme encourages consumers to include a colorful variety of fruit and vegetables to their daily intake of whole grain, lean protein and dairy. Providing color through various food and beverages adds an array of beneficial nutrients that can equal a healthful eating plan.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently updated its online guides to help restaurants find cash rebates for energy-saving kitchen equipment.

The rebates range from $30 for an automatic door closer to $2,000 for a high-volume dishwasher or other major equipment. The incentive to purchase high-efficiency equipment also could take the form of financing assistance, says Una Song, program manager of the EPA's Energy Star conservation effort.

The money usually comes from local utilities, not the EPA. Highlighting the state or local incentives is part of Energy Star's mission of encouraging energy conservation.

Sixty million international visitors traveled to the United States in 2010, up 9 percent from 2009, according to the Commerce Department.

Furthermore, the number of overseas resident visits (26,000) was up 1 percent from 2000 for the first time. Overseas resident visits were up 11 percent from 2009.

Fourteen of the 15 countries with the most visitors to the United States had more visitors in 2010 than in 2009. Of those 15, the United Kingdom posted a 1 percent decrease.

Nine of those countries had record visitation to the United States: Canada, France, Brazil, South Korea, Australia, Italy, the People's Republic of China, India and Colombia.

The National Restaurant Association was a strong supporter of the Travel Promotion Act of 2010, which created the United State's first destination-marketing program to draw more international visitors. International travel to the United States supports more than 1 million travel and tourism jobs, including those in restaurants.

The NRA's popular state economic brochures are now online with new data. Get five facts below, and find more at www.restaurant.org/research/state.

1) THE BIGGEST: California's 62,280 restaurants employ more than 1.4 million people -- more restaurant locations and employees than any other state.

2) LONE-STAR SALES: Every $1 in extra spending in restaurants in Texas generates another $1.44 in economic activity in the state.

3) THE WISCONSIN MULTIPLIER: In Wisconsin, every $1 million in restaurant spending generates 34 new jobs.

4) TOP JOB GROWTH: Restaurants in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas are projected to see restaurant job growth exceeding 15% in the next decade.

5) A CORNERSTONE INDUSTRY: Restaurant jobs represent 16 percent of total employment in Nevada and 13 percent of total jobs in Hawaii.

Download all 50 state economic brochures at www.restaurant.org/research/state.

Julian Cribb, award-winning journalist and author of The Coming Famine, will keynote the International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium (IFSS) - the first restaurant and hospitality-focused sustainability conference.

Held May 24-25, 2011, in Chicago following NRA Show 2011, the event is being supported by co-founding sponsors the National Restaurant Association Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative and Kendall College. 

The book, published late last summer, examines the confluence of a number of sustainability-related issues that are likely to come together over the next few decades to form a perfect storm that portends worldwide famine.  Cribb addresses the usual culprits like fossil fuels, climate change and overfished oceans, but he also tackles what he calls "the two elephants in the kitchen" - population growth and overconsumption. He says the world is headed not just for peak oil, but also for peak population, water, arable land, and agricultural output.

Celebrity chefs - you watch them create masterpieces on TV, and now you have a chance to see them up close and personal in the World Culinary Showcase at NRA Show 2011.

The cooking demonstration theater provides event attendees an interactive setting to soak up the passion, innovation and inspiration shared by world-class culinary masters who perform live on stage.

"These chefs operate highly successful restaurants, and attribute much of their success to the culinary innovation they apply to their menus. Our World Culinary Showcase will offer a rare glimpse into their creative process," said C.W. Craig Reed, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2011 and Director of Food and Beverage, Broadmoor Hotel.

The National Restaurant Association has tapped a world-class independent panel of expert judges to select the recipients of the first annual Food & Beverage Product Innovations Awards, to be showcased at NRA Show 2011.

Two of the judges are sharing their insider industry knowledge about what innovations they are hoping to see enter to win these prestigious awards.

Brad Nelson, vice president & corporate chef of Marriott International, is interested in seeing innovative products that offer advancements in nutrition profiles, sensible packaging for to-go items and room service, and more.

The National Restaurant Association's "America Works Here" campaign moves forward with its latest ad.

The ad cites statistics that why the restaurant industry is the cornerstone of opportunities. Nearly half of all Americans have worked in a restaurant, and one in four had their first job in the industry.

The campaign aims to educate lawmakers and opinion leaders about the restaurant industry's impact on the U.S. economy. The ads run in Capitol Hill publications such as Politico and The Hill newspaper.

See the latest ad, learn more about the campaign, or contact us to help spread the word.

Rep. Jerry Nadler's (D-N.Y.) congressional district has 4,666 eating and drinking places -- more than any other congressional district in the country, according to new National Restaurant Association research.

Nadler represents an area that includes parts of the Upper West side of Manhattan, along with other Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods. Next biggest "restaurant districts" are the districts represented by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who represents the San Francisco area (3,026 eating and drinking places), and Rep. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), whose district covers parts of Atlanta and includes 2,750 eating and drinking places.

Find out all the state and congressional-district statistics at www.restaurant.org/research/state.

Restaurant and foodservice industry leaders raised nearly $350,000 for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's ProStart and scholarship programs at the 19th annual Ted J. Balestreri Leadership Classic. The event took place March 9 through 12 in Pebble Beach, Calif.

The NRAEF awards millions of dollars each year in scholarships to students and educators. It also develops future restaurant and foodservice leaders through ProStart, its  two-year high school curriculum. About 90,000 students participate in the program.

The event enables top restaurant and foodservice operators and suppliers to invest in the restaurant industry's future, said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF.

As spring begins, now is a good time to look at ways to grow your business and better understand your most loyal patrons. Diners continue to expect great value this year, and it's important to know who appreciates good deals at your restaurant - as well as those who might.

National Restaurant Association partner American Express offers a few tips to attract and retain loyal customers:

. Shed light on both your most loyal patrons and most promising prospects with a "best customer analysis. Identify various segments of your customer base, their average spend and average frequency to better understand your guests and their differences.

. Use behavioral data on the top 20 percent your customers to convert those in lower segments to more frequent diners. Conduct a "lapsed customer analysis" to understand the psychographics and spending patterns of patrons you might have lost during the recession. Then launch a targeted marketing effort to bring back those guests.

. Evaluate your loyalty program. Compare participants and non-participants to measure the effectiveness of your program and develop future loyalty programs.

American Express has a suite of tools to help restaurants perform those analyses. NRA members receive a 50 percent discount through March. Learn more.

If there's a downside to putting an invasive species of seafood on the menu, National Restaurant Association member Croc's 19th Street Bistro has yet to find it.

The Virginia Beach, Va., restaurant's profits have grown since it added tacos made from the meat of the cownose ray, a type of stingray that preys on Chesapeake Bay's shellfish bounty. It now pays about 35 cents for a slab of ray but initially got the fish for free under a state initiative to interest restaurants in the protein. At the time, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill had driven Croc's seafood costs to $2 per shrimp.

Co-proprietor Laura Wood Habr said it was a no-brainer to give the ray a try. At $10 for an order of Chesapeake Ray Tacos, there wasn't much to lose.

While a holistic approach to health and nutrition is often preferred, some consumers are making food and dining choices based on more specific dietary needs and preferences, such as watching their sodium intake.

National Restaurant Association partner site HealthyDiningFinder.com was featured on St. Louis television station KSDK Thursday in a viewer question segment on how to find lower-sodium options when dining out. Check out the video on the station's website!

HealthyDiningFinder.com helps diners identify better-for-you options at tens of thousands of restaurant locations nationwide, and its recently launched "Sodium Savvy" feature highlights lower-sodium options at about 10,000 locations.

Fast casual operators reported a net increase in same-store sales for the fifth consecutive month in January, according to the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey*. 

Sixty-four percent of fast casual operators reported same-store sales gains between January 2010 and January 2011, while 15 percent reported a decline. In December, 71 percent of fast casual operators reported a same-store sales gain, while 21 percent reported a sales decline.

Building on the recent sales gains, fast casual operators are optimistic that business conditions will continue to improve. Fifty-nine percent of fast casual operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year). Just 5 percent expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was in the same period the previous year. In addition, 49 percent of fast casual operators said they expected overall economic conditions to improve in six months, while 13 percent expected economic conditions to worsen.

*The National Restaurant Association's monthly Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey is a valuable benefit of membership. By completing a brief confidential survey each month, all panelists receive exclusive access to the detailed survey results, broken out by industry segment, ownership type and state/region. Complete the survey online to become a Tracking Survey panelist.

The National Restaurant Association's Fast Casual Industry Council recently named Geoff Alexander of Wow Bao, Geoff Hill of Roark Capital Group, Ian Vaughn of Raising Cane's and Jim Vinz of Corner Bakery Café to its steering committee. Steering committee members serve two years.

Other steering committee members are: Louis Basile, Wildflower Bread Company; Paul Barron, Genghis Grill; Linda Duke, Duke Marketing; Don Fox, Firehouse Subs; Ed Frechette, Au Bon Pain; George Green, Bread and Company; Valerie Killifer, NetWorld Alliance; Husein Kitabwalla, Retail Brand Group; Dan Pittard, Rubio's Restaurants; Larry Reinstein, Fresh City; and Dave Wolfgram, Forklift Brands.

No matter how frequently they dine in fast casual restaurants, most consumers don't realize it. But Bobby Flay, Steve Ells and reality television aim to change that.

Flay's new TV show, "America's Next Great Restaurant," focuses on the fast casual segment. In the opening episode, Flay describes fast casual as "quality ingredients and good food that everyone can afford to eat."

Over the course of the series, Flay, Ells and fellow judges Lorena Garcia and Curtis Stone vet 21 fast casual concepts to determine which has the potential to succeed. The winner will gain the judges' support to open locations in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. (Watch past episodes online.)

The National Restaurant Association has joined as an anchor partner of the Small Business Lending Summit, hosted by the International Franchise Association and scheduled for April 7 at the Capital Hilton, Washington, D.C.

"Access to credit remains one of the top priorities for the restaurant industry," said National Restaurant Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney. "We look forward to working with lenders and government regulators at this summit to find solutions that will help drive small business franchise growth."

National Restaurant Association Chair Sally Smith loves to visit events such as the University of Delaware's recent hospitality career fair. That way, she can talk to students who are about to make career decisions.

"Choosing to work in the restaurant industry can provide a lifetime of rich experiences and achievement," she said at an industry forum organized by the Hospitality, Restaurant and Institutional Management School. Joe McInerney, president and CEO, American Hotel and Lodging Association, also spoke at the March 6 forum.

"Moving from accounting to restaurant management was the best career decision of my life," said Smith, president and CEO, Buffalo Wild Wings. She acknowledged that students at the fair would have a head start in succeeding in the restaurant industry, thanks to their education.

House and Senate lawmakers this week introduced bills to postpone action on skyrocketing merchant debit-card swipe fees. The National Restaurant Association is firing back, with letters to Congress asking lawmakers not to support the legislation.

Restaurants are the cornerstones of their communities, and often among the first to respond when tragedy strikes. Last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan prompted many restaurants and chefs in the United States to spring into action and help those affected by the disaster.

If you want to get involved and provide support to relief efforts in Japan, we suggest the following ways:

Donations to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will support the Japanese Red Cross Society disaster relief efforts. Funds will be utilized for the on-going provision of immediate relief and eventual recovery support to the affected population. To make a donation, visit the IFRC website. You can also text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to disaster relief in Japan.

One-fifth of American adults say they plan to visit a restaurant or bar, or order takeout or delivery from one, to watch the men's national college basketball tournament this year, according to new research by the National Restaurant Association.

When it comes to where basketball-watchers will gather for the games - which begin this week - the top choices are eateries that offer special-price deals, and those that have the best televisions.

"Sports-themed establishments are not the only ones catering to college basketball fans - many restaurants and bars will attract a crowd during the upcoming games," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association.

The clock is ticking on the timeline for the Federal Reserve Board to publish final regulations to ensure merchant swipe fees for debit-card transactions are reasonable and proportional -- and there's an intense campaign to derail those regulations.

Under Congress's direction last summer, the swipe-fee rules are due to be published by the Federal Reserve by April 21, with an implementation date of July 21. But the big banks and card companies are working hard to delay, revise or repeal the rules or last summer's Durbin Amendment that required the Federal Reserve to act. The banks and debit-card-issuing card companies didn't like the Fed's proposed regulations issued in December and have mounted a multi-million-dollar ad and lobbying campaign to slow down the process.

Have you written to Congress to urge your lawmaker to implement the rules on time, and as intended? Hundreds of your restaurant colleagues have. Contact your lawmaker today.  

Important new rules spelling out the meaning of accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act begin taking effect March 15.

A new conference will explore tactics restaurants use to make their operations greener. The National Restaurant Association is a founding sponsor of the International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium, set for May 24 through 25 in Chicago.

We learned more about the brainstorming event from Chris Moyer, project director of NRA's Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative:

Q. Why is the NRA co-sponsoring the IFSS?
A. The No. 1 reason is that restaurateurs are interested in learning what they can do and what tools and strategies they can use to make their operations more sustainable. Operators said they were looking for something exactly like this.

Nine National Restaurant Association members are included on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's list of the 2011 "100 Best Corporate Citizens," illustrating the restaurant industry's commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

National Restaurant Association member companies included on the list of best corporate citizens are Conagra Foods Inc., Coca-Cola Co., Darden Restaurants Inc, Hormel Foods Corp., Pepsico Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., Sara Lee Corp., Starbucks Corp., and Walt Disney Co.

"We are proud to have these companies as members of the National Restaurant Association, and congratulate them on their accomplishments," said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association.

Hundreds of restaurateurs from across the country are gearing up for the National Restaurant Association's Public Affairs Conference, April 13 to 14 in Washington, D.C. 

They'll hear from a slate of lawmakers about the political climate and pending policy issues in the nation's capital. Among the leading U.S. lawmakers who will address the group: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas); Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), a member of the 112th Congress's historic freshman class; and Rep. Greg Walker (R-Ore.), a former small business owner who has served in Congress since 1999. Political pundit Tucker Carlson will also offer insights on the Conference's opening night.

Restaurateurs will be in town to do a job -- get the word to Congress about the restaurant industry's impact on the U.S. economy. Early-bird registration discount and preferred hotel rates are available until March 15. Register today at www.restaurant.org/paconference.  

The National Restaurant Association last week filed comments with the Department of Transportation on the DOT's December proposal to set new hours-of-service limits for drivers of commercial motor vehicles. Among other changes, the DOT plan would restrict some night driving.

More than one-quarter of Americans say they plan to visit a restaurant or bar this St. Patrick's Day, according to new research from the National Restaurant Association. The research also shows that the majority of those consumers will pick their favorite place - St. Patrick's Day theme or not - or an eatery that offers special St. Patrick's Day fare on March 17. 

When asked about the most important factors in selecting a location for St. Patrick's Day celebrations, 31 percent said they prefer their favorite restaurant or bar, regardless of St. Patrick's Day theme. Nearly as many (29 percent) said they favor a restaurant or bar that offers St. Patrick's Day menu items, such as green beer or traditional Irish food. Women were almost twice as likely as men to indicate that they find food and drink most important when selecting an eatery (41 percent versus 22 percent).

In addition, 15 percent of those planning to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at a restaurant or bar said their most important factor for location selection is a place that will also be showing the national men's college basketball tournament. Men were more likely than women to agree (18 percent versus 10 percent).

After Delaware culinary instructors visited the Maryland ProStart Invitational last week, they wanted to be able to offer the same culinary and management experiences to their students.

"They were all pumped up," says Carrie Leishman, president/CEO, Delaware Restaurant Association. "They loved it."

Leishman wanted to show the Delaware teachers what to expect when DRA launches ProStart this fall. About 10 teachers, Leishman and Delaware restaurant operator Xavier Teixido visited the March 1 event organized by the Restaurant Association of Maryland. Teixido, who owns Harry's Hospitality Group, is vice chairman of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

With a little more than a month to go before April 15, restaurateurs and their accountants who want to minimize their tax liability for 2010 or get a head start on tax planning for 2011 may want to tune in to "2010 Federal Tax Law Changes: Benefits for the Restaurant Industry," a March 3 webinar sponsored by the National Restaurant Association.

A panel of tax experts from the law firm K&L Gates reviewed a series of tax law changes that could benefit restaurant operators, including:

--Investments in property and buildings. The tax bill Congress passed late last year extended through 2011 a speedier depreciation period for certain restaurant improvements, new-construction expenditures, and leasehold improvements, allowing restaurateurs to recover the cost of qualified investments over 15 rather than 39.5 years. In addition, Congress extended bonus-depreciation and Section 179-expensing benefits to allow businesses to deduct a higher amount of costs for investments made in 2010 and 2011. The NRA supported all these measures.

"If there are capital improvements you want to make, there are some real incentives to do them this year," said Roger Wise, partner, K&L Gates, a webinar panelist. Wise said accountants should help restaurateurs figure out how to allocate costs appropriately under the expensing and depreciation laws, to maximize their benefits under each.

--Hiring credits. Panelists reviewed the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which Congress recently modified and extended through 2011. The WOTC offers employers a 40 percent credit against the first $6,000 in wages paid to employees from groups thought to experience significant barriers to finding jobs. There's also a wage credit to help employers offset the cost of paying differential wages to employees in the National Guard who are called up to serve overseas. A third provision allows employers who hired certain unemployed workers during 2010 to claim a tax credit for each new employee retained one year.

Visit www.restaurant.org/events/webinars to listen to the full webinar.

The NRA's policy team is dealing with a full plate of issues as the 112th Congress and regulators kick into high gear for 2011.

This week's issue of Advertising Age profiles Scott DeFife, the NRA's executive vice president of policy and government affairs, who discusses the NRA's work on top restaurant policy issues, including interchange fees on debit-card swipes and calorie counts on menus.

DeFife says the NRA carries the message to policymakers that typical restaurant pre-tax profit margins are slim -- 3 percent to 4 percent -- and that the wrong public policies can have a devastating impact on restaurateurs' bottom lines. "It's the kind of margin where unexpected fee changes from credit cards, commodity prices, or regulatory prices can have a substantial impact on an operator's ability to stay in business," he says.

By the way: The NRA is gearing up for its 25th Annual Public Affairs Conference, April 13 to 14, Washington, D.C., to make a difference on top issues for the restaurant industry, including health care reform, interchange fees and regulatory reform. Hundreds of restaurateurs will meet in the nation's capital for the industry's largest grassroots lobbying event. Join us.

In his latest commentary, the National Restaurant Association's Chief Economist Bruce Grindy analyzes the latest jobs report.  The private sector added 222,000 jobs in February, the largest increase in 10 months and second-strongest gain since the recovery began.  Is the economy out of the woods or is this just another false start? 

Driven by solid private sector gains, the February jobs report provided clear indications that the economy is moving in the right direction.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation's private sector added 222,000 jobs in February on a seasonally-adjusted basis, the largest increase in 10 months and second-strongest gain since the employment recovery began in March 2010.  In total during the last three months, the private sector added 457,000 jobs, the strongest three-month performance in more than four years. 

While the overall numbers are positive, it is the breadth of the private sector job growth that gives further cause for optimism.  Professional-and-business services (+47,000), health care (+34,000), construction (+33,000), manufacturing (+33,000), transportation-and-warehousing (+22,000) and eating-and-drinking places (+13,000) all posted solid job growth in February.  This diverse collection of industries signals that the recovery is becoming more broad-based.  The positive manufacturing trend is particularly noteworthy, with a total of 189,000 jobs added in the last 12 months alone.

The National Restaurant Association invites professional and amateur mixologists to step out from behind the bar and into the spotlight for the Star of the Bar competition at the 2011 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB). This nationwide search for the country's most creative cocktail will start online with video submissions, then bring the finalists to Chicago to compete live for the Star of the Bar title and $5,000 grand prize.

Interested individuals should submit on YouTubeT a 2-minute video of themselves preparing their best signature cocktail by 11:50 p.m. Central Daylight Time on April 1. The contestant must complete the entry form on www.winespiritsbeer.org and include the original written recipe and must use at least one product from the Bacardi portfolio.

Voting will take place on www.winespiritsbeer.org through Monday, April 11, 2011 until 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Six semi-finalists will be flown to Chicago to mix, stir and shake their signature cocktail at the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event on Sunday, May 22, 2011.

The National Restaurant Association and its members have held meetings, testified, e-mailed and written letters asking Congress to repeal a controversial new paperwork mandate for businesses. Congress may finally be ready to act.

Today, the U.S. House voted to repeal new Form 1099 information-reporting rules for businesses. Both chambers of Congress have now passed 1099-repeal measures by strong bipartisan majorities.

Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the rules, which starting in 2012 would require businesses to file 1099 forms with the IRS any time they do more than $600 in cash/check business in a year with a vendor, contractor or business partner. The NRA has been a strong voice in favor of repeal. A NRA member from Colorado was among the first business owners to testify on this issue in the 112th Congress.

The sticking point remains how to pay for repeal. The enhanced 1099 mandate was part of last year's health care reform law and is expected to raise about $20 billion to help pay for health care reform. Senators and House members now will need to jointly decide how and whether to pay for repeal. The NRA will keep up the call for Congress to repeal the mandate as soon as possible.

The hot new fashion in restaurant attire soon could be eco-friendly uniforms.

National Restaurant Association members Pizza Fusion and Snappy Salads are dressing their teams in eco-friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp.

Virtually all employees of Big Bowl's eight Asian restaurants wear uniforms spun from trashed plastic beverage bottles. It's the result of what Big Bowl President Dan McGowan describes as a three-year learning curve.

Gift cards are an important revenue source for restaurants, and consumers love to receive them. National Restaurant Association research shows that nearly one-third (32 percent) of Americans received a restaurant gift card during the holiday season last year.

Receiving a restaurant gift card was more prevalent among older adults, with 36 percent of 45-54-year olds saying they did; among 55-64-year-olds, 35 percent said they received a restaurant gift card last holiday season, as did 42 percent of those age 65+.

In comparison, 24 percent of 18-34-year olds and 33 percent of 35-44-year-olds received a restaurant gift card as a holiday gift. 

High school students from Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Baltimore scramble to plate an appetizer, entrée and dessert as a judge counts down: "One minute left, team."

Their ProStart teacher, Bette Mullins, watches nervously, hands pressed to her face. "Thirty-five seconds, team," the judge calls. "Twenty-five seconds." During a trial run the previous weekend, the team went over its one-hour time limit by six minutes.

But this is no practice. The Carver Center students represent one of the 18 culinary and seven management teams who competed March 1 in the Maryland ProStart Invitational. The competition at the Baltimore Convention Center was one of nine run-ups this week to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's National ProStart Invitational.

The winners of the culinary and management competitions in each state will compete in the national event, set for April 29 through May 1. That means North Hagerstown High School will represent Maryland in the NPSI culinary competition, and the Carver Center will represent the state in the management contest.

At stake: millions of dollars in college scholarships.

At the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation event, students competed for more than $1.4 million in scholarships from culinary/hospital schools and food companies. Students from the top five teams in each category receive scholarships. At the National ProStart Invitational, the top five ranking culinary and management teams will receive a similar amount in scholarships from NRAEF and other sponsors.

Ralph Brennan, president of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, has been named the 2011 Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality.  Brennan will be honored at the 25th Annual Salute to Excellence on Saturday, May 21, 2011, at the Hilton Chicago.  Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Salute to Excellence is the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (NRAEF) premier fundraising event and pays tribute to extraordinary industry leaders. 

"We are thrilled to recognize Ralph Brennan and his extraordinary accomplishments with the NRAEF's highest honor," said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF.  

"Each of our Ambassadors has demonstrated significant dedication to education and excellence in our industry, as well as a commitment to serving their communities.  Ralph exemplifies these qualities through his steadfast support of the ProStart program, his efforts to revitalize New Orleans and assist its citizens following Hurricane Katrina, and his leadership in representing the restaurant industry after the 2010 Gulf Coast oil spill," she added.

NRA Show 2011 will be full of opportunities to improve business, and 70 of those opportunities come in the form of education sessions. Designed to deliver take-home tools and solutions to successfully navigate industry hot topics and increase profitability, this year's lineup will include topics such as the aging workforce, kids' nutrition, going "greener," social media and commerce, and digital menu boards.

Organized by the National Restaurant Association's industry imperatives, sessions will address topics in the areas of jobs and careers, sustainability and social responsibility, profitability and entrepreneurship, and food and healthy living. In addition, the technology session track will focus on the latest foodservice technology solutions.

New sessions will continually be added between now and NRA Show 2011 (May 21-24 in Chicago). Some highlights include: