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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.

Understanding the Tip Income Protection Act of 2018

April 24, 2018
Good, bad or a litigation nightmare waiting to happen? Nation's Restaurant News // Jim Coleman // Apr 24, 2018 Buried deep within the 2,000-plus pages of the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law earlier this year are three pages of legislative language that amend the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, of 1938 to prohibit employers — including managers and supervisors — from “keeping” tips received by employees for any purpose. What is most unusual, however, is that the new prohibition is not linked to the employer’s taking of a tip credit...

Support Tipped Employees & Vote No On Ballot Initiative #77

May 7, 2018
DC RESTAURANT OWNERS & TIPPED EMPLOYEES - DO YOU KNOW ABOUT INITIATIVE 77? ​ Initiative 77 aims to create one minimum wage by eliminating the tip credit. This will likely eliminate tipping in DC restaurants which would move tipped employees to a flat hourly rate.​ Support Tipped Employees Vote NO on June 19th Under the current system, tipped employees have incredible earning potential in the District of Columbia. Ballot Initiative #77 is threatening to change a system that works and could reduce pay for servers and bartenders in D.C. if it passes in June. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS COULD MEAN...

New Tip Pooling Guidelines for Employers

April 10, 2018
Source: Sheppard Mullin Labor & Employment Law Blog By Keith Goodwin and Greg Labate on April 10, 2018 Posted in Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) , Tip Pooling , Wage and Hour The recent passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (“H.R. 1625”) , an 878-page omnibus spending bill, significantly changes the rules for tip pooling under the Fair Labor Standards Act (the “FLSA”). While the conditions for taking a tip credit toward federal minimum wage obligations remain essentially unchanged, H.R. 1625 appears to permit the inclusion of a larger group of...

How to Report Sexual Harassment in the Digital Age

April 4, 2018
Tech tools make it easier, but employers should be aware of risks Nation's Restaurant News | Lisa Jennings | Apr 04, 2018 With sexual harassment prevention very much on the minds of employers across the industry, some restaurant operators are turning to digital tools to make it easier for employees to speak up about potential harassment or abuse. Some are using traditional telephone employee hotlines. But there is also a growing crop of smartphone apps and web platforms that allow employees to report harassment digitally, said employment law attorney Sheila Willis of Fisher Phillips in...

The OpenTable Marketing Engine: How Diners Find Your Restaurant

April 3, 2018
OpenTable / Scott Jampol / April 3, 2018 Running a restaurant is, without a doubt, one of the most challenging, passion-driven things you can do—and then there’s marketing one. Keeping your business thriving, and serving up hospitality to each and every guest, night after night, is an enormous undertaking, so the unfortunate reality is that many restaurateurs don’t have the time or resources to market their restaurants effectively. Many restaurateurs also believe that diners begin their search with their restaurant in mind (having heard about it from a friend or family...

Largest Circa to Date Debuts in Chinatown

February 19, 2018
There’s two bars, scenic views, and Asian-themed dishes by Rebecca Gale Feb 19, 2018, 4:20pm EST | Eater DC The new two-story Circa scheduled to debut on Wednesday, February 21 in Chinatown is the homegrown chain’s biggest location to date. Parent company Metropolitan Hospitality Group shut down the flagship Circa in Dupont Circle at the end of last year, but continues to operate the remaining casually themed bistros in Foggy Bottom and Clarendon, Virginia. The Chinatown restaurant (781 Seventh Street NW) is one of at least two planned new additions to the Circa family; a Navy...Read more

New BMI/NRG Study Confirms Consumers Eat, Drink & Spend More When Listening to Music

May 23, 2023
A recent study by BMI and NRG (National Research Group) confirms that music positively impacts the way consumers interact with local eating and drinking establishments. According to the findings, bars and restaurants that feature live music have customers who eat, drink and spend more when listening to music they enjoy, resulting in higher revenues for many business owners. Out of the 1,000 nationally represented U.S. consumers 1 surveyed across age demographics 21+, atmosphere and music are a big part of what keeps them returning to the establishments that they frequent. When taking a closer...

Meet Our New Energy Partner and Start Saving Money Today

August 18, 2022
Dear RAMW Members, We know that your bottom line is always top of mind as you also work hard to support your teams and give guests the best experience you can in a competitive market. Did you know that you could be saving money every month on your electric and natural gas?| RAMW has several key providers who support our industry, and we are excited to introduce you to our new Endorsed Provider, Electric Advisors, Inc. EA is an energy broker who will help you get your natural gas and electricity supply at a competitive rate. Shopping for a competitive energy supplier is a sure fire way to take...Read more

Why Workforce Health Matters from our Friends at Kaiser Permanente

February 8, 2022
You have an opportunity to improve the health of your employees every day. Making small changes to your workplace and company policies are great ways to start and can have a big impact. Not sure how to get started with a workforce health strategy? Check out our four-step model --- The restaurant business is rewarding but tough. Operators need a health care plan that works as hard as they do. That’s why RAMW has partnered with USI Insurance Services and Kaiser Permanente to develop a plan that is flexible, convenient, and affordable, to help operators with their bottom lines, and their...

Make the ServSafe Dining Commitment

October 21, 2021
Restaurants have always made food safety a priority, but the pandemic has altered customers’ awareness and sharpened expectations about what safe dining entails. Make your commitment a very prominent part of your marketing message by joining the ServSafe Dining Commitment. When customers see the SSDC logo on a restaurant website, menu, or door, that restaurant communicates that its staff is professionally trained in safe food handling and that the establishment is committed to following the best procedures for safe dining going forward. Make the commitment .

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