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May 5, 2017
Veteran restaurateurs will tell you that making great food isn’t the biggest challenge of running a good restaurant. Making food profitably is the real beast.
Despite ever-rising ingredient costs compressing margins to razor-thinness, operators are reluctant to pass those increases on to price-conscious consumers. That makes monitoring every step of the food production process—from the loading dock to the very plates on which food is served—essential if an operation is going to make money.
It's always fun to hear customers’ rave reviews about your food, but...
May 2, 2017
Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is thrilled to announce restaurateur Ashok Bajaj will be honored with the 2017 Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award at a reception at 6:00pm on Wednesday, May 17. This is one of the twenty-one awards presented during the RAMMY Awards season and is named in honor of legendary Washington restaurateur Duke Zeibert. The honor is determined by RAMW’s Executive Committee and recognizes an individual whose hard work and outstanding initiative has increased the profile and success of the metropolitan Washington foodservice community and...
April 26, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joanna Heaney
Linda Roth Associates, Inc.
joanna@...
March 13, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
...
January 17, 2017
Lending made easy: Secure more dough to get back to your bread and butter
Balancing your everyday operating costs while investing in expenses to grow your business doesn’t have to feel like juggling hot plates. While a small business loan may seem daunting, it’s often the best way to boost your bottom line. Here are a few reasons you may consider a loan:
Expansion – Is business booming out your front door? If you need a bigger space or need to hire more employees or fresh talent to keep up, a loan can help you cover the cost of expanding without...
November 7, 2016
It’s been approximately one year since the EMV liability shift took effect and it’s time for a mid-term report card on EMV’s issuance, acceptance, speed, security and overall impact.
EMV Issuance
In terms of card issuance, I have to give the issuers a “B+” for the pure volume of credit and debit cards they’ve placed in the hands of millions of cardholders, starting even before the liability shift began. As of June 2016, Visa reported that 125 million credit cards were issued, representing 44% of all credit cards. Visa also reported that 126 million...
November 2, 2016 to November 20, 2016
Liability shift lifts veil on small counterfeit charges
By: Georgia Stavrakis, CPP
It’s been a year since the U.S. migrated to EMV technology, and more than 1 million businesses now use EMV chip-embedded credit card readers. Unfortunately, criminals are taking full advantage of businesses that haven’t fully made the switch, leaving even small businesses vulnerable to costly chargebacks.
Restaurants have been plagued for years by counterfeit, stolen and cloned credit card activity, but it’s much more apparent now that liability for these fraudulent charges...
July 6, 2016
Whether you want to reduce operating costs, increase the reliability of your energy supply, upgrade inefficient systems, increase your revenue potential or improve the ambience of your restaurant —Washington Gas is here to help. Our team will help you determine what investments will save the most energy and money. We’ll survey your structure or planned project, assess your energy needs and recommend natural gas solutions that will give you optimal performance at absolutely no cost to you. Our team also has the experience and technical expertise to walk you through each...
June 30, 2016
On Thursday, June 16th we recognized the accomplishments of more than 340 graduates who completed their career training, GED and ESL programs. During her address to students, Mayor Muriel Bowser commended graduates for putting education first.
New citizen and Carlos Rosario School graduate Yorlenys Maradiaga, originally from Honduras, encouraged her classmates to spread the word about the power of education. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for someone else helping us to see that with education we have so many more opportunities in life,” Yorlenys said.
The...
June 23, 2016
Have you experienced an increasing number of chargebacks in the wake of last fall's liability shift? Now that the fraud liability shift has moved to merchants, many restaurant operators are seeing an increase in chargebacks in the restaurant space. Many restaurant POS companies do not have a method (EMV) to process these cards which in turn exposes the restaurant to the liability. Join the National Restaurant Assocation (NRA) and Heartland Payment Systems for a webinar on this topic on June 23, 11 a.m. ET.
During this webinar, experts from Heartland and the...
November 5, 2015
Content provided by Heartland Payment Systems a RAMW Endorsed Provider.
The liability shift deadline has passed. And guess what? The world didn’t come to an end—just like it didn’t when the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2000. But unlike Y2K, EMV is here to stay.
The good news is the sun didn’t set for good on October 1. Maybe you were aware of the liability shift, but decided against the equipment upgrade. You might have had every intention of becoming compatible, but before you knew it, October 1 had come and gone.
Or you could still be trying to...
September 30, 2015
Restaurants and the foodservice industry in the DC Metropolitan region are major drivers of business growth. Restaurants account for nearly 60,000 jobs just in DC and the industry brings in over $2.6 billion in spending to the District. Still, restaurant owners and operators face a delicate battle to maintain a sustainable bottom line and continue to create and maintain jobs.
Learn about how restaurants thrive in our region, about the challenges and economics of owning a foodservice business, and read the stories of the people behind some of our regions best restaurants in the...
August 14, 2015
The EMV (European MasterCard Visa) migration is rolling full steam ahead in the United States and it’s a tectonic shift of the nation’s payments infrastructure. Banks and card issuers are sending out chip cards to their customers, while retailers are deploying new terminals to support them. Effective October 1, 2015 Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express have mandated liability shifts for fraudulent transactions. Generally, liability will shift to the party using the least secure technology. If you’re like many restaurateurs, you may be having a hard time...
July 8, 2015
Montgomery County Council Changes Minimum Wage Effective Dates and Freezes Tip Wage at Current $4.00
New Effective Dates
Earlier this year, the Montgomery County Council passed legislation which changes the 2016 and 2017 effective dates for County minimum wage increases. On October 1, 2015, the Montgomery County minimum wage will increase from the current $8.40/hour to $9.55/hour as scheduled. However, subsequent wage increases will become effective in July instead of October in order to align the County with statewide minimum wage effective dates.
Tip Wage...
January 23, 2015 to February 1, 2015
RAMW member restaurants welcome auto enthusiasts with Auto Show specials and promotions
Washington, DC - Events DC and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington along with its members are excited to welcome the 2015 Washington Auto Show from January 23 – February 1, 2015.
The annual show marks a new era for Washington, D.C.‘s largest public show. With its doubled time frame, from five to ten days, it’s an even bigger experience for fans and attendees. The 2015 Washington Auto Show will deck the Walter E. Washington...
September 19, 2014 to October 19, 2014
YELLOW PAGES SCAM TARGETS SMALL BUSINESSES
Prepared by Carolyn Due at Saul Ewing LLP
At a time when Yelp reviews, Twitter and Facebook have become popular ways for restaurants to advertise their businesses, the relevance of directory listings has diminished. It may then come as a surprise to receive an invoice for hundreds or thousands of dollars for what looks like an online Yellow Pages listing. Beware: it may be a “yellow pages” or directory scam.
Over the years, Attorneys General in various states and the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) have...
September 18, 2014 to October 18, 2014
Focus on cleanliness, good hygiene practices
to prep your restaurant for an A+
By Kristin Dempsey
Heading up a restaurant means there is an endless list of things you need to get ready for each and every day. In the hustle and bustle of the daily lunch rush or the late-night crowd, it’s easy to push one of the most important items farther and farther down the “to do” list: Get ready for the next health inspection.
You don’t want to be left scrambling to make sure everything is up to code right before an expected visit – which you can’t predict anyway....
September 16, 2014 to October 16, 2014
Summer 2015 may seem a long time away, but we need you to sign up now to be part of one of the largest multi-sport, multi-venue events in the world (second only to the Summer Olympics!). The 2015 World Police and Fire Games will welcome more than 30,000 visitors (including athletes from police, fire, and other public safety agencies) from more than 70 countries to compete in 1,600 medal events across 60 sports. This is a unique opportunity to gain exposure, promote your brand and gain repeat business through more than 4,000 local volunteers that will a part of this event. ...
September 9, 2014
GAITHERSBURG, MD – September 9th, 2014 – Great American Restaurants are opening their newest restaurant in Gaithersburg, MD. Coastal Flats will be a part of the Downtown Crown development and will be open for lunch and dinner. Doors open at 4pm September 9th.
Coastal Flats is a casual seafood house. The “buzz” is 1950’s coastal Florida inspired…with some unexpected twists such as Blue Crab & Rock Shrimp Fritters, Miso Glazed Sea Bass, Jambalaya Pasta, Low Country Beef Back Ribs and world class Mojitos. Coastal Flats is a throwback to another era...
August 22, 2014
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of its strong commitment to food safety, the National Restaurant Association today announced this year's National Food Safety Month (NFSM), held annually in September, will mark its 20-year anniversary by featuring the top 20 food safety tips from the past 20 years.
NFSM was created in 1994 to heighten awareness about the importance of food safety education. NFSM offers free resources for foodservice industry professionals at FoodSafetyMonth.com and will highlight tips for a number of food safety...
August 5, 2014
WATCH: Nizam Ali of Ben's Chili Bowl talks about healthcare solutions for restaurants and small businesses. "It's not a business decision, it's just the right decision."
Video Link: Nizam, Ben's Chili Bowl
August 1, 2014
Restaurant professionals agree: Hard work and a smile can carry a restaurateur from hand towels and busing to handshakes and board rooms. Find out how eight industry leaders from Washington, D.C., turned their first jobs into their life’s work.
Read more
July 14, 2014
Washington, DC—Events DC and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) along with its members are thrilled to officially welcome the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2014 to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and to the region overall July 13-17, 2014. As a partner of Events DC, RAMW’s restaurant members are extending their hospitality and services to Microsoft World- wide Partner Conference attendees and are available to assist with dining needs, reservations, large party requests, and last-minute private dining needs.
All RAMW member restaurants (...
June 11, 2014
By Betsy Craig, CEO and co-founder of MenuTrinfo®
We've all read the headlines about restaurant patrons having an allergic reaction after being served food items contaminated with the cause of the reaction. While in a majority of cases these reactions have not been fatal they can be life threatening. According to a 2007 study by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), there were 63 food allergy–related fatalities between 1996 and 2006, with half involving restaurants.
While it's true that much has been done to educate kitchen and wait staff on safe food-...
May 28, 2014
By Claire Willis, Director of Culinary Nutritionists at MenuTrinfo®
Recently, the RAND Corporation (“a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision making through research and analysis,” according to their website) has proposed implementing healthy dining standards for restaurants. This would require foodservice establishments to have a percentage of their menu items (on both adult and kids menus) meet certain nutritional criteria. Their reasoning behind this would be to help curb the obesity epidemic in the US by having healthy options at each and every...
