National Restaurant Association Calls on the FTC to Exclude Restaurants from “Junk Fees” Rule

In comments they call the proposal unwarranted and unlawful, and highlight significant unintended consequences for consumers

In comments submitted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding its Unfair or Deceptive Fees Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the National Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Law Center (Law Center) called for the Commission to exclude the restaurant industry from the final rule. In the comments, the groups highlight that the proposed rule’s blanket prohibition on “hidden” and “misleading” fees as applied to the restaurant industry is “unwarranted, unlawful...

Agreement Made with Massachusetts AG in Pork Rule Litigation

Today, the Restaurant Law Center, four state restaurant associations, the National Pork Producers Council, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office asked a federal judge to approve their settlement agreement in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Massachusetts Pork Rules. The agreement would end a lawsuit filed(Opens in a new window) by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, HospitalityMaine, New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association, Rhode Island Hospitality Association, the Restaurant Law Center, and the National Pork Producers Council that challenged enforcement guidelines and the underlying 2016 law defining the conditions under...

U.S. Interstate Pork Commerce Faces Uncertain Future As States Implement New Restrictive Laws

On May 11, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) upheld a lower court’s ruling to preserve California Proposition 12 (Prop 12), which prohibits the sale of pork not produced according to the state’s production standards. This means restaurants in California will now have to source pork that meets these standards.

California requires that all pork sold in the state must come from farms that house sows with at least 24 square feet each and ensure their ability to stand up and turn around in their... 

Restaurant Sales Hold Steady in June, Job Growth Slows

The National Restaurant Association reported sales at eating and drinking places reached $88.9 million on a seasonally adjusted basis in June, per preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This total is on par with the month prior.

The Association said the “plateauing” of restaurant sales mimicked the entire retail landscape as spending in non-restaurant retail sectors jumped by 0.2%. The Wall Street Journal noted that overall retail spending indicates that consumers are keeping up with inflation but have yet to outpace it...

Pace of Foodservice Job Growth Slows, Industry Workforce Still Behind Pre-Pandemic Levels

Preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) April showed employment gains in foodservice and drinking places of 25,000, which carried gains seen across the leisure and hospitality sector. Through the first quarter of 2023, the sector has added almost 180,000 jobs.

However, the National Restaurant Association’s chief economist Bruce Grindy said those gains were at a slower pace compared to what has occurred in previous months.

April’s increase followed moderate gains in February (45,400) and March (28,200) – both of which were revised lower from their...