You are here

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.


How Do Gas and Electricity Costs Impact Your Bottomline?

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 703-798-3912 .

DC City Council Passes Minimum Wage Bill

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 one year...Read more

The Bar Bystander Campaign

November 20, 2013
What would you do if someone who had been drinking excessively picked up their car keys and headed for the door? If you are a good bystander, you would intervene to help the person get home safely without risking injury to self or others. Cities and states, colleges and branches of the military are using that same bystander approach to prevent sexual assault: teaching professionals and friends how to offer assistance and intervene to prevent alcohol-facilitated sexual assault. In Arlington County, police are seeing an increase in reports of alcohol-facilitated sexual assaults of young...

DC Restaurant Operators: Submit Testimony on Minimum Wage, Tipped Minimum Wage, and Paid Sick Leave by Nov. 11, 2013

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 Affairs, Council of the District of...

Washington Gas Rebates Give Virginia Restaurants a Break

October 17, 2013
Every restaurant could use a break. Cook one up for your restaurant in the form of a Washington Gas rebate. The Washington Gas Energy Efficiency Program is offering restaurants in Virginia substantial rebates on select natural gas products. Products include ovens, steam cookers, water heaters, programmable thermostats, infrared heaters and more. These rebates are only available for a limited time. Product installations must be performed by a licensed contractor before April 30, 2014. A full list of eligible products, corresponding rebates and more details are available at WashingtonGasRebates...

DC Proposes Ban on Styrofoam Food Containers

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 cups, meat...

ABRA Update: ABC Board Overhauls Alcoholic Beverage Warning Sign

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...Read more

How Do Electricity Costs Impact Your Budget?

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 .

Mobile Payments Mean More Sales Opportunities for Your Restaurant

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 payments for:...

IRS Rule Leads Restaurants to Rethink Automatic Tips

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—and a...

Pages