You are here
all and Washington DC
December 18, 2013
Are your GAS and ELECTRICITY costs hurting your bottom line? Let's see if we can help you reduce your costs, increase profits and potentially earn FREE ENERGY.
As Independent Consultants with Ambit Energy, we offer you the opportunity to reduce your cost with competitive rates and potentially FREE ENERGY. There is NO COST to taking advantage of the savings we offer. Our goal is to help you save money and earn FREE ENERGY!
For a free evaluation of how much you can save, e-mail Clayton or Alva Bourges at usave12@gmail.com. You may also call us at 703-863-4086 or...
December 17, 2013
Today the Council of the District of Columbia passed bills increasing the minimum wage and broadening the coverage of the District’s mandatory paid sick leave law to include tipped workers.
How does this affect you?
The minimum wage will increase to $9.50 on July 1, 2014, $10.50 on July 1, 2015 and 11.50, July 1, 2016. On the paid sick leave revision, tipped workers who take mandatory paid leave must be paid for the missed shift at the overall minimum wage rate. Another change in the law allows all workers to access mandatory paid leave within 90 days of hiring, rather than the...
November 18, 2013
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board issued on August 28, 2013 a new alcoholic beverage warning sign. The new warning sign must be posted by licensees at their establishments in a conspicuous place no later than Wednesday, November 27, 2013. The new sign provides several benefits to the public and licensees. Specifically, it allows the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to address several warnings and requirements for consuming alcoholic beverages in one sign thereby reducing the number of signs an establishment is required to have posted.
Licensees can pick up the new...
November 14, 2013
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Contact: Richard Sorian: 202-741-0903; richard.sorian@dc.gov
Mahlori Isaacs: 202-741-0920; mahlori.isaacs2@dc.gov
(Washington, DC) — The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority today released new data showing strong interest by people and businesses in the District of Columbia in affordable quality health insurance. Between October 1 and November 13, DC Health Link had more than 84,272 unique visitors and 19,706 accounts were created to shop, compare, and choose a health insurance plan that meets ones needs and budgets. To date,...
November 1, 2013
Reminder: DC restaurant operators still able to submit written statements on minimum wage, tipped minimum wage and paid sick leave exemption.
If you were unable to testify at Monday's hearing on the District's minimum wage, tipped minimum wage and paid sick leave policies, we encourage you to submit a written statement that will be made a part of the official record. The official record will remain open until close of business November 11, 2013. Copies of written statements should be submitted to the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory...
October 29, 2013
Bethesda, MD (PRWEB) October 29, 2013
Streetsense, a multidisciplinary firm specializing in retail, restaurant, hospitality, and real estate solutions, announced today that it has acquired two firms – Food Culture of Miami, Florida and Financial Foods of Bethesda, Maryland – to create a new line of concept development and operational consultancy services for restaurant and hospitality clients. Antoni Yelamos of Food Culture and Adam Williamowsky of Financial Foods will serve as the co-directors of Streetsense’s Eat+Drink consultancy group.
With the...
October 26, 2013
RAMW chefs partnered with Growing Healthy Schools Week, an annual celebration of local food, school gardens, and food education October 20-26, 2013. This year, 52 DC schools and 14,000 students participated in the week’s activities. There were 50 chef demos, a dozen farmer visits, and on October 24th at 10AM, 11,000 students city-wide took part in Capital Crunch by simultaneously biting into local apples (courtesy of Whole Foods Market). It was a fantastic week!
For pictures from the week, visit the Growing Healthy Schools Week Flicker photos albums...
October 20, 2013
The Sustainable DC Plan is the District’s first sustainability plan that lays out a path forward to make the District the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation over the next 20 years. In the summer of 2011, Mayor Gray announced a new initiative to make DC a leader in sustainability, while improving quality of life and creating new economic growth for all residents. Nearly 18 months later, with the collaboration and hard work of residents, workers, business leaders and professional experts, the District has a strategy to address our core urban challenges with innovative,...
October 10, 2013
Michael Neibauer, Washington Business Journal
Mayor Vincent Gray has proposed banning foam food containers in the District, citing their harmful effect on the Anacostia River. The measure is part of a package of bills Gray recently submitted to the D.C. Council as part of his effort to “make the District of Columbia the healthiest, greenest, and most livable city in the United States,” the mayor wrote in a letter to D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson.
The legislation bans “expanded polystyrene” in food containers, plates, clamshells, hot and cold beverage...
October 9, 2013 to March 14, 2014
The Mayor's 2014 Sustainability Awards will recognize outstanding individuals, businesses, schools, institutions, and organizations for their environmental leadership and contributions to the Mayor's vision that the District become the greenest, healthiest, and most livable city in the nation.
To apply, please read, complete, and return the application instructions and cover sheet below. Application deadline is Friday, March 14, 2014.
Application Instructions
October 1, 2013
Business owners can reduce operating costs by evaluating energy expenses. A new report, Best Practices: Electricity Procurement, discusses the major impact that electricity costs have on middle-market operating budgets. View the report for information and best practices regarding how to select the right electricity supplier, what to consider before signing a contract, and which hidden items impact your final electricity bill. You can also benchmark your energy usage and costs, and become better equipped to make smart energy-related decisions. View the report.
October 1, 2013
Jason Dangle, Fishbowl SM3 Team
It happens to every restaurant at some point. A bad day has led to a displeased guest. In the old days, you might have to deal with negative word of mouth. But, with the rise of websites like Yelp, a bad review can have a boomerang effect, impacting the bottom line of a restaurant substantially over time.
Fishbowl’s SM3 team works with restaurants every day to alleviate the damage a bad review can create. Over time, they’ve developed a system of best practices to give you the confidence to deal with harsh criticism. We sat down with SM3...
October 1, 2013
Small business owners know their ability to offer employees high-quality health insurance is a competitive advantage in the labor market.
DC Health Link is an online marketplace for individuals, families, and small business owners in the District of Columbia to help them shop, compare, and select health insurance. DC-based small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) are be able to see all health insurance policies and prices and make choices to best meet their needs and budgets.
Download the Small Business Guide
September 23, 2013
Tony Ventre, Heartland Restaurant Solutions Insights
For restaurateurs, mobile payment acceptance solutions are giving new meaning to the saying “think outside the box.” By transforming smartphones and tablets into mobile point-of-sale systems and providing the freedom to accept credit/debit/gift card payments from anywhere at any time, mobile payments enable you to take your business beyond your four walls.
With the use of mobile payments, many restaurateurs are taking advantage of untapped sales opportunities. Consider utilizing mobile technology to facilitate...
September 4, 2013
Julie Jargon, Wall Street Journal
Gratuities Added for Larger Groups Will Be Taxed as Service Charges
An updated tax rule is causing restaurants to rethink the practice of adding automatic tips to the tabs of large parties.
Starting in January, the Internal Revenue Service will begin classifying those automatic gratuities as service charges—which it treats as regular wages, subject to payroll tax withholding—instead of tips, which restaurants leave up to the employees to report as income.
The change would mean more paperwork and added costs for the restaurants—...
August 28, 2013
August 28, 2013 (Washington, DC) - In a press release distributed this morning, the District's Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) unveiled a new alcoholic beverage warning sign that will be posted in approximately 1,800 ABC licensed establishments in the District. Licensees are required to post the new sign in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises by Wednesday, Nov. 27.
The new sign allows ABRA to address several warnings and requirements for consuming alcoholic beverages in one posted notice and will also reduce the number of notices an ABC establishment is...
June 3, 2013
When Is a Tip Just a Tip?
Tipping in the hospitality industry is considered the normal course of business. However, the IRS considers tipping, in certain situations, to be taxed differently through payroll. Employers in this industry now need to be diligent in their recordkeeping. ...
May 15, 2013
You ask and we answer. The following questions and answers are a result of responses we received from the earlier round of FAQs.
Health Care FAQ's For Restaurants
My restaurant has fewer than 50 employees and I offer insurance but only to my senior staff. Since we’re under 50 and exempt from the employer health care mandate, can we continue to offer to only some of our staff?
There are five restaurants trading under the same name in our group but each restaurant was set up individually with a different mix of...
April 30, 2013
Below you will find an FAQ session that will help update you on the health care mandate. We would like to continue with frequent updates based on what you need and want to know. So please, send us your questions for the next FAQ session to betsy@ramw.org:
Health Care FAQ's For Restaurants
Will all restaurants have to offer health benefits to their employees?
What are my options for offering health care to my employees?
Am I OK with the insurance I have now?
I have restaurants in DC, Virginia and Maryland...
February 28, 2013
Scott Attman, Acme Paper & Supply Co. for Franchise Times
Now that the Federal Trade Commission’s new Green Guides are in effect, restaurant industry and other franchisors can expect big changes in several elements of their business. For starters, marketers who pitch products as environmentally friendly have to back up their claims or face fines. If the FTC finds product marketing misleading, it will begin filing suits against the companies in question, just as it does for health claims made by food manufacturers. Precise verbiage in product descriptions will be important...
January 1, 2013
Source: The District of Columbia Department of Health
The District of Columbia Department of Health has revised its food safety regulations by adopting the 1999 federal Food Code, with amendments that are specific to the District of Columbia. The adoption of the federal Food Code is the core of the regulations. The following questions and answers are intended to help businesses comply with these regulations.
What is the federal Food Code?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes the federal Food Code, a document of food sanitation regulations for retail outlets, and...
September 17, 2012
By J.D. Harrison , Washington Post, Capital BusinessSeptember 17, 2012Washington’s food truck owners will soon operate under an improved tax system, but they are still waiting for the city to approve additional changes to long-standing regulations they say were meant for old-fashioned ice cream trucks and make life unnecessarily complicated for today’s mobile vendors.Starting next month, food trucks will charge and file the same 10 percent sales tax as their brick-and-mortar counterparts, a popular alternative to the current system, by which licensed vendors on every truck pay a...
May 14, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Betsy Allman, Policy Advisor202.331.5990 or betsy@ramw.org Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington ...
April 16, 2012
RAMW Backs Mayor’s Budget Proposal to Extend Alcohol Service Hours in Testimony Provided DC Council Committee Three years ago, between January 17 and 21, 2009, the nation’s capital hosted an unprecedented number of visitors for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Also unprecedented was the emergency legislationapproved by the D.C. Council allowing for extended alcoholic beverage service hours at the city’s restaurants, bars, nightclubs and hotels. More than 280 alcohol-licensed establishments chose to participate during this extraordinary five-day hospitality...
Comment period on vending regulations ends: Businesses, including restaurants, raise serious and sub
February 29, 2012
Comment period onvending regulations ends: Businesses, including restaurants, raise serious andsubstantive concerns about proposed regulations WASHINGTON, DC (March 1,2012) – Today marked the end of a nearly 6 week period during which theDepartment of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) accepted commentsconcerning proposed regulations to govern vending, including food trucks, inthe District of Columbia. Over 70 restaurant operators employing over 6,500area residents expressed concerns about the proposed regulations, principallyabout a provision that allows food trucks to operate...
