January 2012 Archives

In her latest blog post, the National Restaurant Association’s Director of Nutrition & Healthy Living Joy Dubost, Ph.D., R.D., helps you come up with a nutrition game plan for watching the professional football championship game this Sunday.

Whether cheering for New England or New York this Sunday, the nutrition game-plan is the same - to balance the enjoyment of the food with a healthier approach while watching the two teams battle it out on the field. Many of us plan to watch the event at home, at a friend or family member's house, or at a restaurant or bar. No matter where we are, food and beverages are likely to be part of the event and it's a good idea to plan ahead so you can better manage your choices.

Recent research by the National Restaurant Association shows that salsa, dips and spreads top the list of must-have food items on game day, followed by chicken wings, and pizza. Somewhat surprisingly, healthful options and salads were also cited as must-haves by more than 4 out of 10 people who plan to watch the big game. This is very encouraging to me as a dietitian, and reminds us that food can and should be both delicious and nutritious even at special occasions.

Employers in states that borrowed from the federal government to pay for jobless benefits and that haven't yet repaid the funds will feel it in their wallets as they file their tax returns for 2011.

Employers pay a 6 percent federal unemployment tax (FUTA) on employee wages up to $7,000. Typically, employers each year are able to offset the 6 percent federal tax with a 5.4 percent credit for state unemployment taxes paid.

However, employers who operate in states that still owe the federal government money for unemployment benefits will not be able to take the full 5.4 percent credit for 2011.

The IRS released a bulletin last month listing the 21 "credit reduction" states. Employers in most of these states will be limited to a 5.1 percent credit against FUTA taxes for 2011. The information is also available on the IRS's recently released 2011 Form 940, Employer's Annual FUTA Tax Return.

Fueled by solid same-store sales and traffic results and a bullish outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) rose sharply in December. 

The RPI stood at 102.2 in December, up 1.6 percent from November and its highest level in nearly six years.  In addition, December represented the third time in the last four months that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Aided by favorable weather conditions in many parts of the country, a solid majority of restaurant operators reported higher same-store sales and customer traffic levels in December,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.  “In addition, restaurant operators are solidly optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, and their outlook for the economy is at its strongest point in nearly a year.”

Watch our latest industry update video, where the National Restaurant Association's SVP of the Research & Knowledge Group Hudson Riehle summarizes the December Restaurant Performance Index.

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

The National Restaurant Association's Conserve Sustainability Education Program and United States Composting Council have teamed up with a group of students at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy to examine barriers preventing restaurateurs from conducting organic composting at their various facilities.

The group of students: Candace Hewitt, Wendy J. Matheny, Tingting Tang and Kris FitzPatrick, are all students in the school's public policy masters' program. They will look at the regulatory policy and physical limitations that make composting at restaurants more difficult to implement. Findings from the study and subsequent report will be presented April 27 to the NRA and USCC.

Solutions developed as a result of the report could be incorporated into the zero waste zone initiatives used not only by Conserve and the USCC, but also such associations as Elemental Impact, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the Foodservice Packaging Institute, Global Green & the Coalition for Resource Recovery and GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

The California Restaurant Association, representing 22,000 restaurants across the state, applauded the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last week for its approval of the Los Angeles County Healthy Design Ordinance that promotes exercise and increased access to fresh foods.

The organization also cautioned policymakers to avoid punitive and impractical policies that would create excessive zoning regulations on Los Angeles restaurants.

Thousands of restaurants around the country are participating in Kids LiveWell, a program developed and initiated by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with Healthy Dining.

The program, which debuted last July, helps parents and children make more healthful choices when dining out. Participating restaurants offer kids' meals that focus on increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy items, while limiting the amount of unhealthful fats, sugars and sodium they eat.

As part of an occasional series on Kids LiveWell participants, profiled here is family-dining stalwart Denny's.

Denny's: Big ideas for the small set

If you are one of America's largest family-dining chains, satisfying your smallest customers is a big part of a successful equation.

Recognizing the importance of providing children with healthful food items, Denny's became a member of Kids LiveWell and rolled out a new kids' menu that offers its youngest guests a variety of flavorful, healthful choices.

"Denny's is committed to offering options for kids that are not only delicious, but will also give them the fuel they need to tackle the day," said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny's. "Our new kids' menu encourages children to make healthy eating choices in a format they will respond to."

According to Dillon, Denny's worked with Kids LiveWell to create a pair of dishes that met the dual goals of cutting calories without sacrificing taste. The result was the Spartanburg, S.C.-based chain's 270-calorie Spaghetti Plate and its Build Your Own Jr. Grand Slam, which is 332 calories.

When it comes to creating more nutritious meals, 2011 was a big year for the 1,600-plus unit Denny's.

In June, Denny's introduced a series of nutritious Fit Fare® meals for all diners, which are lower in fat and calories and higher in protein and fiber.

And last September, the chain completely revamped its kids menus to encourage children -- subtly -- to make healthful eating choices by offering each entrée with a lower-calorie side item such as vegetables or Goldfish® crackers instead of French fries.

"Accessibility to nutritious menu options that don't compromise taste, value or variety is an important step to improving the well-being of future generations," said David Coltrin, Denny's senior director of product marketing and strategy. "We're excited to work with Kids LiveWell and showcase healthier alternatives to some celebrated American classics."

In comments filed Jan. 24, the National Restaurant Association told the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service that government mandates aren’t the way to go in reducing the use of sodium in food.

"Incremental reductions over time are the best way that meaningful sodium reductions will occur. Mandatory targets are unrealistic, unnecessary, and fail to address head-on the primacy of how consumers purchase, prepare and consume foods every day," we wrote. "Sodium reduction for menu items is a complex, highly technical, expensive, and labor-intensive task that challenges our current knowledge and food-science limits for product development."

The agencies solicited comments last September on how to cut sodium consumption in the United States. Read the NRA's full comments.

The NRA is ramping up its requests for Congress to extend two tax provisions important to restaurant operators: the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and a 15-year depreciation schedule for restaurant spending on new construction and building improvements.

The Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association today unveiled a statewide initiative to give consumers access to more healthful dining options.

Eat Healthy Mississippi links restaurants and farmers, thanks to a USDA grant through the state agriculture and commerce department. The program helps restaurants add locally grown and healthful food to their menus and helps farmers market local specialty crops, says MHRA Executive Director Mike Cashion.

"There are hundreds and hundred of ways restaurants can incorporate local products into their menus," he says.

In response to President Barack Obama's Jan. 24 State of the Union address, the National Restaurant Association called for advancement of several pro-growth policies to allow the restaurant industry to continue its position as a leading job producer and engine of economic success.

"After adding an impressive 230,000 jobs in 2011, the strongest gain since 2006, America's restaurant industry is expected to outpace the overall economy in job growth in 2012," said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the NRA.

The National Restaurant Association estimates that 48 million Americans will order takeout or delivery food from a restaurant while watching the professional football championship game on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5. In addition, 12 million are expected to visit a restaurant or bar to watch the big game.

New National Restaurant Association research also shows that salsa/dips/spreads, chicken wings and pizza are considered must-have foods on game day.

“Sporting events and great food go hand in hand, so it is no surprise that millions of Americans will incorporate restaurants into their plans for watching the professional football championship game this year,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association.

Four National Restaurant Association members were named to Fortune Magazine's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For" for the second year in a row.

The companies are Darden Restaurants, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Marriott International and Starbucks Coffee.

The magazine determined its list by conducting a broad, random survey of employees. The survey sought employees' attitudes about their company's management, their job satisfaction and camaraderie. The magazine surveyed employees who worked at companies at least seven years old with at least 1,000 U.S. employees.

Pulitzer Prize nominee Ron Brownstein, one of America's top political journalists, will provide election-year insights at the National Restaurant Association's Public Affairs Conference, April 17 to 18, in Washington, D.C.

The next round of National Restaurant Association study group meetings begins in February.

The NRA's executive study groups are bi-annual conferences for multi-unit restaurant company executives in human resources, risk and safety, nutrition, quality assurance, internal audit, marketing, information technology, finance and quality assurance.

The first conference of the year is a joint meeting of the Human Resources and Risk & Safety Managers study groups. The meeting is set for Feb. 7 through 9 in Las Vegas.

The Information Technology group is scheduled to meet Feb. 20 through 23 in Austin, Texas.

Other upcoming meetings include:

• Nutrition, March 20 through 22 in Portland, Ore.
• Internal Auditors, March 28 through 30, Orlando.
• Marketing Executives Group, May 2 through 4, Chicago.
• Supply Chain Management, May 3 and 4, Chicago.
• Finance and Tax Executives, June 27 through 29, Boston.

Participants gain insight into specific business challenges through presentations from their peers and other experts. In addition to the education sessions, the meetings offer benchmarking, best practices and networking opportunities.

In a nod to its importance on the U.S. economy and relationship to the restaurant industry, President Obama, at an appearance last week at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., pledged his full support for the U.S. tourism and travel industry. He also named former National Restaurant Association chairman Michael C. Gibbons as one of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board's 32 new members.

Gibbons, president and CEO of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Mainstreet Ventures, which owns and operates fine-dining restaurants in five states, will help advise the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect U.S. travel and tourism and provide counsel on current and emerging issues affecting that industry. One important area of focus will be working to increase hotel-room occupancies here in the United States, which ultimately will lead to job creation, he said.

"Filling hotel rooms ... helps the entire tourism and hospitality industry," Gibbons stated. "When hotels are busy, they hire staff; same with restaurants, theaters, retailers, etc. Job growth will help the economy and reduce the government's debt through increased revenue."

The U.S. Supreme Court this week refused to consider an appeal by Applebee's in a class-action case filed by more than 5,000 servers and bartenders over the company's tip-credit practices.

The National Restaurant Association, which had filed a brief supporting Applebee's petition to the Supreme Court to take the case, believes the court's refusal to hear the case will increase confusion over an impractical and bureaucratic Department of Labor interpretation of federal tip-credit law.

The servers and bartenders who filed the 2006 case allege that they spent more than 20 percent of their time performing work that didn't directly produce tips, such as cleaning tables and general prep work, and should have been paid the full minimum wage rate for that time.

The Supreme Court's refusal to take the case sends Applebee's International Inc. v. Gerald A. Fast, et al., back to a lower court to rule on the case's merits, including whether the Applebee's employees who filed the case spent more than 20 percent of their time on non-tip-producing duties.

Restaurant operators can help alert employees to tax credits that might put extra money in their pockets.

Many workers don't realize they qualify for the Earned Income or Child Tax credits. Nor do they know how to claim the credits or where to find free filing assistance.

The National Restaurant Association encourages members to educate employees and guests about the credits by marking EITC Awareness Day (Friday, Jan. 27).

There are several innovative and cost-effective ways restaurateurs can implement sustainable actions into the building and operation of their foodservice businesses, according to Christopher Moyer, subject matter expert for the National Restaurant Association's Conserve Sustainability Education Program.

Operators interested in going beyond recycling and composting, who want to incorporate more out-of-the-box eco-friendly methods at their establishments, can do so easily, effectively and without spending tons of money, Moyer asserted.

"Many restaurateurs know of or are at least familiar with the three 'R's of sustainability: reduce, reuse and recycle," he said, "but even more of them are starting to employ a fourth R - repurpose."

U.S. Small Business Administration chief Karen Mills will now be included in President Barack Obama's Cabinet meetings.

The President announced Jan. 13 that he is "elevating the Small Business Administration to a Cabinet-level agency." The designation doesn't necessarily mean additional funding or staff for the SBA. The President said he eventually would like to roll SBA, the Commerce Department and a few other trade-related groups into a yet-to-be-named new agency. This consolidation will require Congress's approval.

Congress should extend a tax deduction for smaller businesses that donate surplus food to charity, representatives of the food industry said today in a Capitol Hill briefing.

The briefing for the Senate Hunger Caucus examined the stress and strain on food banks and food donations. As economic woes continue, demand for nutritious food has skyrocketed at food banks, food pantries and other charitable organizations.

One way Congress can encourage more food donations is "changing tax policy to make sure the food goes to families, not the local dump," said Jane Avery, president, Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana.

Following the launch of the New York City health department's ad campaign to get New Yorkers to reduce portion sizes and make more healthful dining choices, the National Restaurant Association said restaurants offer better-for-you menu items and that, ultimately, consumers are responsible for the choices they make.

"Restaurants are continuing to offer more healthful options to consumers - with less calories, fat and sugar, and in a variety of portion sizes," said Joy Dubost, the NRA's director of nutrition and healthy living. Furthermore, she continued, "The association has been a key advocate of the new federal menu labeling law, which is similar to what is available in New York City, so that consumers will have more information to make the choice that best fits their dietary needs."

The campaign, which debuted Jan. 9 in both English and Spanish, explains that consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain, which greatly increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The National Restaurant Association will hold its 26th annual Public Affairs Conference April 17 to 18 in Washington, D.C., to deliver a message to Congress: America Works Here.

Restaurateurs beleaguered by New York City's controversial letter-grade health-inspection system could see some relief soon, thanks to the City Council's decision to survey operators on the mandate's impact on business, the New York State Restaurant Association said.

The decision to survey restaurant operators was made Jan. 5 by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, following more than a year of work by the New York State Restaurant Association to have their members' voices heard on how difficult and confusing the letter grade standards are to achieve and the amount of money they spend to defend their businesses when they don't receive an "A" grade upon first inspection.

The survey, which asks restaurant operators about their experiences with the health department's inspections, is available online and must be completed by New York restaurateurs by Jan. 31, said Andrew Rigie, executive vice president of NYSRA's New York City division. He added that the findings of the survey would be addressed at an oversight hearing in February.

High school culinary and management students are sharpening their skills as the state ProStart Invitational season heats up. The competitions begin this month in Ohio and New Jersey.

More than 90,000 young people are enrolled in the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's ProStart program. These bright, talented young people are investing in their future through their participation. They receive classroom and on-the-job learning experiences, as well networking and mentoring opportunities with industry leaders, as part of the two-year curriculum.

Through the ProStart program, these students have the opportunity to earn college scholarships. By participating in ProStart Invitational competitions through their state restaurant associations, they compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships.

In her latest Ask the Nutritionist commentary, the National Restaurant Association’s Director of Nutrition & Healthy Living Joy Dubost, Ph.D., R.D., offers up helpful tips to maintain New Year's resolutions.

Many of us set goals for ourselves around each new year, but it’s all too easy to lose sight of those goals as we resume our busy lives after the holidays. Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions focus on weight loss or becoming more physically active. Making small changes in your diet or exercise routine can eventually add up to big success. It’s important to initially focus on the behavior change, which will eventually lead to positive results. Remember, health and wellness is a life-long commitment, not just for a year or even month. 

Below are a few strategies to keep in mind to make your life healthier for 2012:

The National Restaurant Association is seeking restaurant and foodservice leaders who transform the industry with extraordinary creativity and commitment for its new Operator Innovations Awards.

Commercial and non-commercial operators may self-nominate. Manufacturers, dealers and distributors, media and other restaurant and foodservice industry professionals are also invited to also submit nominations for operators. Nominations must be submitted by March 7, 2012.

Selected by an independent panel of judges, the winners will be announced during the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, held at its new dates, May 5-8 at Chicago's McCormick Place.

Restaurateurs mindful of sustainability are finding ways to expand the possibilities of what they can recycle at their establishments.

As a result, they are moving beyond glass, plastic and paper to other, more complex items ‑ materials that range from carpets to cargo containers and adding momentum to the movement as both recyclers and users of recovered materials.

For example, wine bottle corks are now being collected by chain and independent restaurants for conversion into such items as shoe soles. Houlihan's Restaurants is participating in a pilot program called ReCork at its specialty steak and seafood restaurants that could lead to cork recycling at its namesake 85-unit dinnerhouse chain.

Consistent with the National Restaurant Association's strong concern about the impact of the health care law on the restaurant industry -- particularly the employer mandate that takes effect in 2014 -- the Association Jan. 6 submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court asking judges not to let related provisions of the law proceed if justices rule that the law's "individual mandate" is unconstitutional.

As the Food and Drug Administration gears up to write the next version of its Model Food Code, the restaurant industry is gearing up to make a difference on critical food-safety regulations affecting the restaurant industry.

A provision in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's new 10-year operating contract requiring concessionaires to use compostable packaging as well as compost waste is one of the most significant sustainability initiatives of its kind, said Christopher Moyer, subject matter expert for the National Restaurant Association's Conserve Sustainability Education Program.

Moyer, along with Holly Elmore, founder and CEO of sustainability concern Elemental Impact, a strategic partner of the NRA, and onsite foodservice concern HMSHost, spearheaded a taskforce that just completed a yearlong exploratory project yielding tools and solutions concessionaires can use to comply with the contract's zero-waste provision.

"This [request for proposal] is game changing because of the sheer size of the airport," Moyer said. "It's one of the busiest in the nation. By implementing this plan, they essentially are changing the way food items are served there. Companies will now be required to put their products in compostable packaging."

Wednesday is the deadline to apply for the National Restaurant Association's Food & Beverage Product Innovation Awards.

The program recognizes innovative food and beverage products that have a significant impact on the restaurant and foodservice industry. Award recipients will be honored in May at the Association's annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Manufacturers who have made significant advancements and innovations in ingredients, preparation, processing and packaging of food and beverage products launched in the U.S. marketplace between Jan. 1, 2011, and May 5, 2012, are eligible to apply. The product may be designed for one, several or all operator segments.

Learn more about eligibility criteria, judges and the NRA Show, set for May 5 through 8 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Apply here.

President Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States and Founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation will address attendees at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show on May 6. Clinton will share insights into his presidency and his current work with the William J. Clinton Foundation. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8 at Chicago's McCormick Place.

"President Clinton has a unique perspective on our nation and the world," said Jack Crawford, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC (IOC).

Crawford added, "Clinton's insights are sure to be both interesting and entertaining, making his keynote address one of the main attractions at NRA Show 2012."

The non-profit organization that manages the Internet domain-name process appears to be moving ahead with its plan to broaden the number of generic top-level domains, despite the broad concerns of business groups, U.S. government officials and others.

In his latest commentary, Bruce Grindy, the National Restaurant Association's chief economist, looks back at 2011 job growth and offers projections for 2012. Restaurants added 230,000 jobs during 2011, the strongest gain since 2006. Looking ahead to 2012, job growth in the restaurant industry is projected to outpace the overall economy by a full percentage point.

The restaurant industry was an engine of growth for the nation's employment recovery in 2011, and the trend is expected to continue to in 2012.

Restaurants added a net 230,000 jobs during 2011, their strongest performance since 2006. In addition, the restaurant industry finished the year only 20,000 jobs shy of fully adding back the 366,000 jobs lost during the recession. Complete recovery is expected in early 2012.

In comparison, the overall economy added a net 1.6 million jobs during 2011, which also represented the strongest gain since 2006. However, the economy has added a total of only 2.7 million jobs since the recovery began, or roughly 30 percent of the nearly 8.8 million jobs shed during the recession. Even factoring in stronger growth in the years ahead, the nation will likely not be back to its prerecession employment level until 2014.

The National Restaurant Association and its allies in the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace last month filed suit in federal court to block the National Labor Relations Board's unfair "ambush election" rule.

The measure would radically change the process for union representation elections, the CDW says. The CDW argues that the new rule effectively shortens election time frames, limiting employees’ opportunity to hear from employers and make an informed choice, and diminishing employers’ due process.

The National Restaurant Association is a long-time member of CDW and has filed regulatory comments with the NLRB and urged Capitol Hill lawmakers to block the NLRB regulation. The complaint filed Dec. 21 seeks to enjoin the NLRB from enforcing the final rule.

The National Restaurant Association congratulated Starbucks Coffee Company on the success of its national jobs fund program, which has raised more than $1.5 million in donations since it debuted last November.

The program, called "Create Jobs for USA," was developed by Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz in partnership with the Opportunity Finance Network, a network of community development financial institutions that invests in small businesses in order to jumpstart employment throughout America. Schultz launched the program with a $5 million donation from the Starbucks Foundation at the end of 2011 when the national unemployment rate was 9.1 percent. It currently hovers at 8.6 percent.

In order to fund the jobs plan, Starbucks has asked its customers to donate $5 or more to the fund. Those who make donations receive a red, white and blue wristband inscribed with the word "Indivisible" on its face. Additionally, more than 150 business leaders have made contributions to the jobs initiative.

A continued increase in U.S. tourism spending, particularly among international travelers, will aid restaurant sales in 2012, industry observers say.

"There has been a travel rebound, particularly in international visitation, and that, definitely, is helping restaurant sales grow," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the National Restaurant Association's Research & Knowledge Group.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, International visitors spent approximately $126 billion on travel to and tourism-related activities in the United States through the third quarter of 2011. The figure is an increase of 14 percent over the same period a year ago, the data found.

The National Restaurant Association has joined the Food and Drug Law Institute as a sponsor of FDLI's annual Food Week 2012, Jan. 23-26, in Washington, DC.

The event is for professionals in food law and regulation. Sessions provide practical guidance on such topics as food advertising and labeling, food safety and food regulation across the globe. The event includes three days of advanced programming, in addition to FDLI's basic course on food law and regulation.

NRA members can save 15 percent on the advanced programs by using the promotional code "FOODPRTNR" when they register.

The FDLI is a non-profit organization that provides a marketplace for discussing food and drug law issues through conferences, publications and member interaction.

The National Labor Relations Board last month pushed the compliance deadline for businesses to post a new federal workplace poster regarding employees' union-organizing rights to April 30, 2012.

Employers received the three-month reprieve on the regulation's effective date after a federal court held a Dec. 19 hearing on a lawsuit that challenges whether the NLRB is authorized to impose the requirement at all. The National Restaurant Association is one of the parties to the lawsuit, as part of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.