Operations

Operating a restaurant involves a lot of moving parts – most controlled by you, but many controlled by laws, regulations, licenses and permits. Alcoholic beverages, food safety, labor practices and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (the healthcare mandate) are significant – and then there is everything else.

Get to know the regulatory agencies that govern such things as sidewalk cafes, signage, noise, fire safety and more. And, get to know about the efforts being made by RAMW on your behalf to improve the regulatory environment.

IMPORTANT Restaurant Coronavirus Updates

March 3, 2020

A Note from the Desk of RAMW's President & CEO, Kathy E. Hollinger As of March 2, there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Washington, DC or the metro region. We are in constant conversation with relevant government agencies, lodging and hospitality partners and the National Restaurant Association to ensure we have the most up to date information, to then share a plan of action with our members and the restaurant community. What You Should Focus On Right Now Our goal is to provide you with information and tools that might assist with your planning and...

If the Coronavirus Spreads in America, Food Delivery Companies Could See a Surge in Demand — Are They Ready?

March 2, 2020

Original content c/o: MarketWatch People who isolate themselves with ‘social distancing measures’ would still need food From movie chains to luxury retailers, the coronavirus could cut into earnings for many consumer-facing companies if the virus that’s infected more than 82,000 people worldwide escalates in America and forces consumers to stay home. Chinese workers in February carrying a cart of vegetables meant as groceries for nearby residents. Photo Credit: GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images Yet bottom lines could go in the opposite direction for companies with food...

How Restaurants Can Prepare for a Coronavirus Pandemic

February 28, 2020

Original content c/o: Restaurant Business Magazine As virus fears grip the country, experts stress planning and good food safety practices to reduce risk. As coronavirus fears gripped the world this week, more attention has focused on challenges restaurants often face in keeping sick workers home — and how that could exacerbate the spread of a virus many experts believe is destined to become a global pandemic. Photo credit: Shutterstock As of Friday, there were 82,294 confirmed cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, worldwide, the vast majority of them in China, according to the World...

What to Do When the Deck Is Stacked?

February 4, 2020

Original content c/o: James Beard Foundation by Jackie Summers Access to capital in hospitality is an uneven playing field Chef Jennifer Hill Booker in the Beard House kitchen (photo: David Chow) When we say the James Beard Foundation is about good food for good, it’s not limited to sustainable agriculture, the Farm Bill, or reducing food waste. Another important aspect of our mission is highlighting the myriad hands that are helping to shape American cuisine. Below, Jackie Summers explores the barriers to entry for many chefs and aspiring business owners of color, and how a systemic...

The Global Food Safety Initiative Raises the Bar for Food Safety, Releases All-new GFSI Benchmarking Requirements

February 26, 2020

Version 2020 marks the beginning of a new generation of benchmarking, recognition and transparency SEATTLE, Feb. 26, 2020 / PRNewswire / -- During the opening plenary of its annual conference , a gathering of more than 1,000 food distributors, manufacturers and safety professionals, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) announced the newest edition of its Benchmarking Requirements . GFSI has long set the "global standard" for those in the industry, yet the newest edition of the GFSI Benchmarking Requirements is more than an update — it's a complete rethink, representing...Read more

Grubhub Launches Industry Leading Membership Program with Unrivaled Rewards & Exclusive Benefits

February 26, 2020

- Grubhub+ offers unlimited free delivery, 10% Cashback, Elite Care and donation matching - Company doubles down on diner rewards after doubling restaurant network CHICAGO, Feb. 26, 2020 / PRNewswire / -- Grubhub , the nation's leading pickup and delivery marketplace with the largest restaurant network, today launched Grubhub+ , a new membership program loaded with rewards ( Seamless+ also available). Grubhub+ goes above and beyond other subscription programs with member benefits like 10% Cashback and donation matching to high impact organizations like No Kid Hungry. Grubhub+ membership...Read more

These Programs Will Improve Your Restaurant's Retention Rate

February 28, 2020

Original content c/o: National Restaurant Association ServSuccess and the Apprenticeship Program work well alone – and together – to help develop career paths for your restaurant employees. Here’s the difference between the two and how they can connect. Two great programs now exist to help foodservice operators attract and retain employees, and provide employees career development opportunities. We heard details about both during the Association’s Human Resources and Risk & Safety conference held mid-February and found out they’re ideally suited to be used in...

NLRB Announces Final Joint Employer Rule

February 26, 2020

Original content c/o: National Restaurant Association The Association has worked for more than five years to advocate for the type of change enacted in the National Labor Relations Board's final rule. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said today it would issue its final joint employer rule. The National Restaurant Association has worked for more than five years with NLRB, congress and key stakeholders to advocate for the type of change enacted by the agency in this final rule. “With the completion of today’s rule, employers will now have certainty in structuring their...

20 Restaurant Industry Opportunities for 2020

February 27, 2020

Original content c/o: National Restaurant Association The Association’s annual State of the Restaurant Industry is out. Report highlights key avenues for growth for the coming year and beyond. People want to use restaurants. According to new data from the National Restaurant Association, heading into a new decade, pent-up demand for restaurants remains high. It’s also the 11th consecutive year of industry growth, and operators are interested in using all the tools at their disposal to stay top-of-mind with an evolving consumer base. The National Restaurant Association’s 2020...

Four New DC Alcohol Bills Are Effective 2/21 | Next Steps

February 21, 2020

(WASHINGTON, DC) – February 21, 2020 – How businesses sell, serve, and transport alcohol is changing. Four alcohol laws — introduced and signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser — focused on boosting access to DC-made products, fostering creativity and collaboration, creating parity within the manufacturing landscape, and alleviating administrative burdens for licensees became effective Friday, February 21, 2020. Notable improvements by law include: Alcoholic Beverage Enforcement Amendment Act of 2019 Persons 18+ may deliver alcoholic beverages off-site including to DC residences...Read more