Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine Winter 2020

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THE TECH ISSUE

Technology Issue PROGRESS OVER SETBACKS:

Trying Year Helps New Innovations Bloom

MEET THE 2021 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

WINTER 2020 | FRLA.ORG


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contents W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 | F R L A .O R G

DEPARTMENTS

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04 06 10 13 20 38 39 40 42 46

Leadership Reports Letters from the CEO and Chairman

A La Carte Liability Protection from Future COVID-19-Related Lawsuits; Dover named as a top influencer; Seminole Hard Rock receives gaming awards and more

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Educational Foundation Grant Program and Teacher of the Year

United Healthcare Facing the Flu Path to Power Nick Sarra Fiberbuilt Tips from an Old Professional Natural Gas Saving Money with Natural Gas RCS Training Success at Irish Kevin’s Key West Seal of Commitment Congrats to These Designees Business Matters Switching Payroll Providers from Heartland Hospitality Happenings Check Out What Is Going on Around the State

PHOTO BY RIDOFRANZ / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

THE TECH ISSUE

28 The Technology Issue Innovations and the Effects of a Pandemic Have Pushed Technological Progress to New Heights

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30 Dell Reimagining Digital Transformation in the New World 31 Withum High Touch to No Touch 32 Adapting to New Tech Making Food Safety Safer; Technology Meets Field Marketing

33 The Wow Factor QR Powered Contactless Menus 34 Apps New Apps That Can Help Move Business Forward 35 C ontact-Free Building a Better Normal with Customer-Centric Technology 36 Safety Tips for Cleaning Point-of-Sale Equipment

SPECIAL FEATURES 14 16 18 24

47 FRL A .org

Membership Welcome FRLA’s Newest Members Recap FRLA’s Marketing + Operations Summit Stress Mental Health In Trying Times

FRLA's Legislative 2021 Priorities Get to Know FRLA's Government Relations Team, Amendment 2 Recap

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Get to Know FRLA’s 2021 Executive Committee

For up-to-date FRLA event information, please be sure to check FRLA.org.

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

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LEADERSHIP REPORTS

Letter from the CEO By the thinnest of margins — 0.8% — Florida voters narrowly passed Ballot Amendment 2 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Given the devastating impacts that COVID-19 has already had on Florida’s economy, we are extremely worried about the job losses and business closures that will accompany this mandate. We are incredibly proud of our small business owners and employees from across the state who came together to fight this amendment. We have seen too many places across the country that have implemented this wage hike, only to see workers who were promised more money instead lose their jobs altogether. We are concerned about our small businesses and those they employ. Businesses across Florida are already doing their best just to keep their doors open and take care of their employees during the challenging circumstances of COVID-19. FRLA will continue to do all that we can to help local businesses and employees in every way we can as they navigate the coming years. We hope that our state’s 21 million residents and our millions of visitors will also continue to support Florida’s diverse restaurants, hotels, motels and others across our unparalleled hospitality industry, along

with the 1.5 million employees who depend on these jobs to provide for their families and to grow their careers. We know there will be a lot of questions as the wage implementation nears, and we are committed to helping you. We still have a very busy legislative session ahead of us where we will fight for COVID-19 liability protections for the industry, alcohol delivery and takeout, and we will continue to help increase your business by building consumer confidence through enhanced sanitation and safety training programs like the FRLA Seal of Commitment. We will work together to move forward as these financial impacts disrupt our industry and put our people’s livelihoods on the line. We are HOSPITALITY STRONG, and we are here to assist you moving forward. While the bright spots in 2020 with regards to COVID-19 and minimum wage have been few and far between, the theme of this magazine, technology, appears to be one of the brightest for our industry. According to many, technology in the hospitality sector has grown faster this year than ever before. This was a popular topic of discussion at our recent Marketing and Operations Summit in Destin. COVID-19

has certainly accelerated the transition to, expansion of, and implementation of technology in our industry, and we know that it will continue to play an important role across the hospitality sector.

Carol B. Dover Carol B. Dover FRLA President & CEO

Letter from the Chairman of the Board Recently I was asked to speak about the future of the hospitality industry. Well the crystal ball that I purchased doesn’t seem to be working and is just sitting as a decoration on my desk. If we look back over the past 40 years, things were not always rosy. We were in a recession during the early 1980s. On 9-112001, our world stopped. During 2008–09, we experienced a housing and financial crisis that led us into another recession. Then here comes 2020 with COVID-19 — and we will call that the Twilight Zone. Now let us take a look back at what has been introduced during the past 40 years. In the 1980s, credit cards were used to guarantee rooms, children’s camps began, computers in hotels and loyalty programs started. The next decade brought coffeemakers in rooms, irons and ironing boards, free breakfast, online reservations and VRBO. During the 2000s, there came the start of video conferencing, Wi-Fi, the birth of OTAs, revenue 4  WINTER

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management, smartphones and AirBnB. The following decade saw the introduction of digital marketing, social media and epic amounts of fast food. So here we are in 2020, and what will this decade bring? I guess the point that I am trying to make is that we continue to innovate, introduce new products and amenities, and we are redefining service. I can only encourage all of us to remain optimistic of the future and look at our challenges as opportunities for our industry. I want to thank all of you for the opportunity to serve as 2020 FRLA chairman. I wish all of you the very best. Keep you and your families safe.

Sheldon Suga

Sheldon Suga 2020 Chairman of the Board

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


2019-20 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Sheldon Suga

Hawks Cay Resort, Hawks Cay

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Jim Shirley

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Olivia Hoblit

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John Horne

Anna Maria Oyster Bar, Bradenton 2020–21 RESTAURANT DIRECTOR

Carlos Gazitua

Sergio’s Restaurants, Miami 2020 IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

Kevin Speidel

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MANAGING EDITOR

Susie R. McKinley Email: Editor@frla.org PUBLISHED BY

Rowland Publishing, Inc.

1932 MICCOSUKEE ROAD, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32308 Phone: 850-878-0554 Fax: 850-807-5037

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MAGAZINE Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine is the official publication of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, Inc. (FRLA). FRLA reserves the right to accept, modify or reject any and all content submitted for publication, whether paid or otherwise, solely at its discretion. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, FRLA does not endorse or warrant any products or services contained herein. In addition, unless otherwise expressly noted, the opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of FRLA, its directors, officers, members or staff. Content submissions may be made to the Publisher’s Office by regular mail or by email. Please note that submitted materials will not be returned. FRLA Headquarters 230 S. Adams St. Tallahassee, FL 32301 850/224-2250 Fax: 850/224-9213

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Interested in advertising? Contact Susie McKinley at editor@frla.org. Ad rates and submission guidelines at www.FRLA.org Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine (USPS 002-629; ISSN 1044-03640) is published quarterly. FRLA members receive this publication as part of their membership dues. Non-members receive it as a marketing and promotion effort to inform the Florida foodservice and lodging industry of efforts made on its behalf by FRLA. Printing and mailing services: Publisher’s Press, Inc., Lebanon Junction, KY. Address changes may be sent to: FRLA, 230 South Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32301 or via email to susana@frla.org. Send subscription address changes to susana@frla.org.

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U N I T E D H E A LT H C A R E

Protect Yourself and Staff from the Flu

T

he flu shot is more important than ever this year with COVID-19. Both COVID-19 and the flu will be spreading this season, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). It is important this year to protect yourself with a flu shot as it will help reduce the risk of serious illness and hospitalization, which lead to two of the biggest concerns — serious illness and hospital capacity — with the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits — such as avoiding people who are sick, covering your mouth and nose when you cough, and washing your hands — often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.

Other healthy habits include: Get plenty of sleep Be physically active Manage stress Drink plenty of fluids Eat nutritious food

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2); the flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. The CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. The flu season can last until March, so you can still get the flu vaccine later. No matter when you get your flu shot, it will still be valuable to help protect you for the rest of the flu season. Talk to your provider about the best time to get your flu shot. Remember to ask about other vaccines you might need to protect yourself this year too. Speak to your doctor to learn more about how to get the most out of a healthy lifestyle. For more resources on ways you can help protect yourself against the flu, visit: uhc.com/healthand-wellness/health-topics/flu/faq.

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FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION

PHOTO BY UNOMAT / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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7


SUMMIT AWARDS

Hall of Fame and Special Award Received at Marketing + Operations Summit

D

uring the 2020 Marketing + Operations Summit, FRLA gave out two awards to supplier members that have been engaged with the Association for years.A partner of FRLA for more than two decades, Alsco was named 2020 Supplier of the Year. Mitch Johnson, Regional Sales Manager for Alsco, and Tony Brown, General Manager of the Tallahassee area, were on hand to receive the award for Alsco. “On behalf of our 1,100 Associates and Colleagues in Florida, we are grateful and honored to have been selected as FRLA’s supplier of the year for 2020! We value our 20-plus year partnership with FRLA, and we appreciate the advantages FRLA brings to our valued customers,” Johnson said.“The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) has enjoyed a strong relationship with Alsco for more than 20 years,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Alsco has been a great partner and friend of Florida’s hospitality industry and FRLA. We are incredibly proud to recognize them as our 2020 Supplier of the Year, and we look forward to continuing our relationship in the years to come.” Marilyn Arnall of Florida Power & Light received the 2020 Hospitality Excellence Award for all of her years of service to FRLA in her role as an active supplier with FP&L. Congratulations to both Alsco and Marilyn. Thank you for being a part of FRLA.

Alsco’s Mitch Johnson and Tony Brown, alongside Northwest Chapter Regional Director Nick Lowe (left to right), accept the 2020 Supplier of the Year Award for Alsco.

Florida Power & Light’s Marilyn Arnall receives her 2020 Hospitality Excellence Award from FRLA’s Ashley Gholston and Northwest Chapter Regional Director Nick Lowe. 8  WINTER

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FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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FRL A .org


PAT H T O P O W E R

Path to Power: Nick Sarra

Chief Operating Officer, Saltwater Restaurants, Inc.

N

ick Sarra is a restaurateur success story. Starting young as a busser in the hotel where his mother worked, Sarra has continued his 40-year career as the Chief Operating Officer of Saltwater Restaurants Inc. The company oversees nine high-volume restaurants that are iconic to the Florida Panhandle, a sizable beachfront shopping and dining venue, and an award-winning Northwest Florida golf course. He is a member of the FRLA Board of Directors and serves on the Okaloosa County Tourism Development Council. Sarra’s career launched with duel degrees in hotel and restaurant management and culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University. His management experience on the northeast coast include Gilbert-Robinson Specialty Restaurant Division, Charlie’s Place Bar & Grill, H.I. Ribsters, and Hogate’s Seafood. After moving to Florida's Gulf Coast, Sarra operated many iconic Gulf Coast restaurants before opening his own venture on the boggy bayou in Northwest Florida. If there’s one thing Sarra takes more seriously than hospitality, it’s family. He is married to his best friend and wife of 35 years and seeks quality time with his two children, grandson and beloved corgis.

Q: How did you get started in the hospitality industry? While growing up, my father owned a small manufacturing business in Hartford, Connecticut, where I worked during high school. While my father was very successful and loved his business, I found this was not for me. My mother had been a longterm employee at the Hotel Sonesta and encouraged me to try the hospitality industry. I started there as a busser and went on to work the front desk/room service and then to waiting tables. I found it to be challenging, rewarding and certainly never boring, which has led to a 40-plus year career.

Q: Do you have any mentors who were instrumental in helping you achieve your goals? Mentors are the foundation of any success story, and I can certainly name several positive influences that helped shape the trajectory of 10  WINTER

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my career. First and foremost was my father; Although I did not follow his career path, he undoubtedly taught me the value of hard work, persistence, and determination. My first regional director at Gilbert-Robinson, Judy Williams, helped guide me through my early years in restaurant management. And finally, Robert Bonezzi, whose creativity, vision and unwavering commitment to excellence challenge me every day to be a better leader.

Q: Early in your career, what was the most valuable lesson you learned? Always own up to your decisions. Never be afraid to admit you do not know how to do something or to ask for help. Also — hard work always pays off in the end.

Q: What is the simple greatest factor in the success of your career? I always approach every situation with

the question, “If this were my business and my money, what would I do?” Even though I may not have always made the right decision, I would always know it was what I truly believed was the best for the company. I also believe in surrounding myself with the best people, both professionally and personally.

Q: Is there anything that you would like to share with Florida’s hospitality industry members? This is truly one of the greatest industries that succeeds from persistence and passion, and my story is a testament of that. I do, however, worry about the future of our industry, particularly for the state of Florida, where hospitality is so deeply invested in our thriving communities. I hope we can all come together to protect the restaurant and hospitality industry so the same opportunities will be available for generations to come. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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F I B E R B U I LT

Outdoor Dining with Jordan Beckner, Fiberbuilt

PHOTO BY ALENA KRAVCHENKO / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

FR&L Magazine had an opportunity to talk with Jordan Beckner, President of Sales for Fiberbuilt Umbrellas & Cushions about the new streeterie/streaterie and parklet phenomenon that is catching on all over the country, including Florida. Jordan, as you know, streeteries and parklets are becoming all of the rage across the state and the entire country. Here in Florida, we are lucky because the term “winter is coming” doesn’t impact our streeteries and parklets like it does across much of the U.S. We are however very warm in many parts of the state year-round. Q. Do you have any tips to share with readers about keeping things cool with shade and seating?

We have a number of outdoor shade products that many of our FRLA member are currently using. These options range from our full 10-by10 pavilions with lighting and fans, to our 10by-10 tents with curtains and even our standard umbrellas with bases that have wheels. Many of

our hospitality customers already deal with the heat, so they have extra fans for their customer's convenience. Q. Since Fiberbuilt is Florida-based, are you able to get products ordered and delivered pretty quickly to restaurants that are interested in enhancing their outdoor seating?

Of course, we can deliver most of our shade and cushions within a three-week period. Q. Do you think that streeteries and parklets are here to stay?

I believe this eating situation is here as long as there is a demand and the zoning departments allow them to continue serving in the parking lots.

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Orlando Outdoor Living LLC Oxford Exchange Palm Beach Country Club Inc Palm Valley Fish Camp Paradigm Consulting Parametric Solutions Inc Parker Protective Parsley Baldwin Realty Patrice & Associates Patrice and Associates Paul Davis Restoration of the Space Coast Peck’s Old Port Cove Perkins Restaurant & Bakery Piazza Italia Pie Hole Wood Pizza LLC Pineapples Pinnacle Hospitality Systems Pioneering Resorts PooleMcKinley PopUp Structures LLC Port Charlotte High School PPM Site Services LLC Prime 112 Prime Fish Prime Hotel Prime Italian Prime Private Priority Business Solutions Prospect Five Points PuroClean of Stuart PUSH Technologies Inc PW Graphic Solutions Rapid Response Team Rapid Response Team Rapid Response Team RB Green Energy Red Bell Partners Red Elephant Pizza & Grill RescueDecon Restaurant City Restaurant Iron Reynolds Painting Group FL Rising Sun Hospitality River Park Inn Riverbend Retreat - Fla Riviera Suites South Beach Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - Boca Raton Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - Delray Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - Gardens Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - Naples Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - OrlandoRocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - Tampa

Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar - West Palm Beach Rock & Brews Rock & Brews Rock & Brews Rock & Brews Rolyn Companies Roots Restaurant and The Treehouse Rosen Centre Hotel Rosen Inn Rosen Inn At Pointe Orlando Rosen Inn International Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista Rosen Plaza Hotel RSVP of Palm Beach RSVP Orlando Sachs Sax Caplan Sage Salon Technologies International Inc Sand Glo Villas SaniPro NSB Sapphire Clean Corp Sawgrass Islands Inc Sayulita Taqueria Sculley’s Waterfront Restaurant Se7enbites Sea-Craft Waterfront Tiki Seafood Seller & Cafe Seamless Communication Systems Seaside All Suites Hotel ServPro of Jacksonville South & Arlington Jacksonville East Seventh South Craft Food & Drink Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort Shoney’s Old Town Shucker’s At the Gulfshore & The Cottage Bar Sixty-One Prime Sizzle Restaurant Week Skyline Analytics LLC Slipguard Floor Solutions Smitty’s Wings Smoak Chistolini & Barnett PLLC Snook Haven Social House Solaris Clinical Consulting Sonic Drive-in SOS Safety International Sourbon Kitchen & Bar South Beach Hotel Group South Fork Grille Southern Bell Catering

Springhill Suites by Marriott Naples Standard Insights Staybridge Suites Naples Gulf Coast Stone Gallery LLC Storey Lake Club Storms Carpet Care Sunbrite Outdoor Furniture Sundy House Super Restoration Super Restoration Support305 TabUp Taco Beach Shack Taco Taco Tacos & Tequila Cantina Tacos & Tequila Cantina Tacos & Tequila Cantina Naples Tally Fish House & Oyster Bar Tapmango Inc Teak Isle Mfg - Boat Outfitters Texas Roadhouse The Bay House The Blue Turtle The Catalina Hotel & Beach Club The Charter Agency The Claw Bar The Colony Bay Club The Great Catch The Island Ft Walton Destin by Hotel RL The Karol Hotel The Lake Club The Lazy Lobster of Longboat The Library The Lodge The Magni Group Inc The Meadows Country Club The Mojo Grill & Catering The Palms of Destin Resort The Pier The Sandbar The Shores Resort & Spa The SpeakEasy of Marco Island The Standard Hotel & Spa The Sunny Pint The Tavern - Hotel Croydon The Tavern - Oceanside Hotel The Urban Bean Coffeehouse Cafe The Vine At Victoria Gardens The Waterway Cafe The Whitelaw Hotel THesis Hotel Miami Think Quik

Third Wave Cafe & Wine Bar Tigertail + Mary Tiki Hut Barefoot Beach Bar Touchpoint Restaurant Innovations Touchrate LLC Tower Club Fort Lauderdale TPC Sawgrass Tradewinds Apartment Hotel Twisted Vine Bistro Two Meatballs in the Kitchen Two Meatballs in the Kitchen TydenBrooks Security Products Group Ugly Grouper Unison - Spero Consulting Unity Groves Corporation Vacasa Vamoos Vantage Point Coffee Vantage Rooftop Bar Venetian River Club VenueNext Vibez Viewpoint Security & Protection Agency Village Bread & Bagel Village Tavern Virtual CFO Solution LLC Visit Indian River County Visit St Lucie VoiceStar.ai Voodoo Bayou Voodoo Doughnut Walking Tall Brands Waste Management Inc of Florida Waterside Hotel Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman PL WellHealth Works White Coat Disinfecting & Building Wash Wicked Cantina Wicked Cantina Wing N It LLC Winni Marketing Solutions Wolfe Pincavage World Emblem World Equestrian Center World of Beer Destin Worldwide Health Products LLC XtraCHEF Yacht Starship Dining Cruises Ygrene Energy Fund ZeroTouch Order & Pay Zingone Rentals

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MOS RECAP

FRLA’s 2020 Marketing + Operations Summit

Northwest Chapter Regional Director Nick Lowe closes out the Marketing + Operations Summit with a thank you to the attendees and the FRLA Events team for putting together a great event.

The Marketing + Operations Summit 2020 was held in October at the Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village in Destin as a one-day, outdoor event. It was the first in-person event that most attendees had participated in since March, and it was a success. With nearly 200 attendees and sponsors, the event was socially distanced and reduced in size from prior years in order to accommodate this measure. The Northwest Chapter graciously welcomed FRLA members and friends to the area, and attendees were treated to a spectacular venue with beautiful views, great food and a hospitable place to stay. Be sure to look for information at FRLA.org/events for the 2021 MOS.

Everyone enjoyed the wine from Delicato Family Wines during the reception the evening before the MOS.

The MOS opened with an industry leaders roundtable that included (left to right): FRLA CEO Carol Dover; Tom Bené, CEO National Restaurant Association; Cecil Staton, CEO Asian American Hotel Owners Association; and Chip Rogers, CEO American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Fiberbuilt’s Jordan Beckner had a beautiful view in the sponsors’ area.

Presenters at the MOS included (left to right): Paul Van Leeuwen of Harborwalk Hospitality, Lisa Lombardo of HDG Hotels, Roger Amidon of the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort and Spa, and Greg Cook of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. 16  WINTER

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Check out the loot for the winners of the FRLA 2020 Big Fins Freestyle Fishing Tourney!

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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FRL A .org

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

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H E A LT H A N D W E L L - B E I N G

The Stress of Uncertainty

You’re open. You’re closed. Pivot to take-out? 25% dining capacity. Increase room service? Let employees go. Bring employees back. We are creatures of habit. We like to feel in control. But when life throws a curveball, the uncertainty of the outcome is more stressful than knowing something bad is going to happen. Think about being stuck in a traffic jam on your way to an important appointment. The closer you get to that point where you have a 50/50 chance of making it on time, the more stressed you get. Once you realize that there is no chance you’ll make it, the stress

subsides. It’s not the negative outcome that eases your stress, it’s the certainty. “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” — H.P. Lovecraft The brain’s primary job isn’t to think; the brain’s primary job is to keep us alive. Because survival is the neural priority, the brain is always scanning the environment for potential threats. This is why uncertainty is so unsettling. It doesn’t know how to protect us from the unknown. There is no question that there will be more challenges ahead. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. For your sake and for the sake of your family, friends and coworkers who count on you, here are a few strategies to help you keep the stress of uncertainty in check. 1. Increase your sense of control by finding choices. It’s easy to get caught in the negative feedback loop of the unknowns. Focus on that which you can control. Daily intentional acts of kindness,

healthy diet and regular exercise will all help you increase your sense of control and will disrupt the negative thought cycle. 2. Connect with others who care about you. We are social creatures who are wired to connect. Schedule coffee, lunch or a weekend walk with someone you trust. Put it on your calendar so that you can actually see something positive ahead and take your focus off the stress of the uncertainties. 3. Look for opportunities to contribute. One of the best ways to reclaim a sense of control is to find ways to give your time or your talents to something bigger than yourself. All of us want to know that what we do matters. Find a way to make a difference to someone else, and you’ve doubled the ROI of your efforts. The bottom line is that we cannot totally eliminate stress from our lives … nor should we. Our stress radar is what keeps us alive. But we can learn how to weather uncertainty more effectively.

Dr. Melissa Hughes is a keynote speaker, best-selling author and self-proclaimed neuroscience geek. She is the author of Happy Hour with Einstein, Happier Hour with Einstein: Another Round, and the companion Happier Hour Gratitude Journal — all designed to help people learn how the brain works and how to make it work better. As a keynote speaker delivering to a wide range of audiences — from teachers in the classroom to executives in the boardroom — Melissa combines her vast experience in marketing communications with extensive research in neuroscience and behavioral psychology to inspire people to tap into their inner genius for extraordinary results. 18  WINTER

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FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION

PHOTO BYR YANKING999 / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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his past year has evoked a sense of fear and anxiety like we’ve never seen before. As the world grapples with how to respond to the pandemic, the hospitality industry has been hit especially hard. Leaders and employees are realigning to new operational and safety requirements, but the challenges they face are not limited to a reduced revenue stream.


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F L O R I D A N AT U R A L G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

Natural Gas Means Business

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here’s nothing more important these days than finding smart, sustainable ways to save money without sacrificing quality or service. With 35 percent of small businesses citing energy as a major operating expense, natural gas provides a solution that can help save money and energy — while improving quality, service and reliability. Natural gas is a true win-win for businesses big and small — especially those in the restaurant and lodging industries. That’s because adding natural gas to your energy mix is a cost-effective, energy-efficient way to meet water heating, cooking, drying and other operational needs. Plus, you can save thousands in natural gas equipment rebates right now. Check with your natural gas provider for more information.

More hot water, less energy

Natural gas water heaters can easily handle high loads while using less energy. What does this mean for your business? It means more hot water in less time. And because it uses less energy, it also means lower utility bills. In fact, today’s natural gas tank water heaters have new features like superior insulation, efficient design and precise temperature controls that consume one-third less energy than they did just a few years ago. And they work even if there’s a power outage. Or you can opt for a tankless and get endless hot water on demand with added efficiency that saves even more energy. In fact, these are the additional benefits: • Endless supply of hot water • No more storing unneeded hot water • Life expectancy of more than 20 years • Space saving over tank style Cut your kitchen’s operating costs

You already know professional chefs prefer natural gas for all their cooking, frying and baking needs, thanks to perks like instant heat, a wide range of temperature controls, and precise settings. While natural gas booster heaters can help save dishwashing time and effort. Natural gas ranges, fryers, ovens and booster heaters provide the right tools to make your restaurant or kitchen more efficient while cutting operating costs with benefits like: • Easier and more consistent cooking with precision heat control • No waiting for an element to heat up with instant on/off • A power outage is typically no trouble for gas appliances, so you can keep serving when electricity-based kitchens are shut down • The flame heats the bottoms and sides of pans, which can mean it works faster • Wash and sanitize dishes faster with a natural gas booster heater 20  WINTER

2020

High-demand drying — faster

Linens and clothes dry faster, more thoroughly and more economically with natural gas. And because natural gas dryers produce a moist heat, it’s gentler on fabric. Whether it’s for your hotel, lodge or salon, natural gas dryers are the ticket for your highdemand drying needs. The smarter, tougher energy for Florida businesses

Tough times require strategic business decisions. At the Florida Natural Gas Association, we’re here for you. If you want to learn more about how natural gas can benefit your business, give us a call or visit FNGA.com/FRLA. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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Visit FNGA.com/FRLA to find your local service provider and discover all the rebates and incentives available in your area.

FRL A .org

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Kenneth R. Kennerly EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE HONDA CLASSIC

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ennerly is a 32-year sports marketing industry veteran having focused his career in professional athlete management, corporate consulting and professional event development, management and ownership. His strategic vision has been in the forefront of the industry bringing creative and innovative ideas to complex business strategies while also assisting in multi-level marketing solutions.

Is it fair to say that The Honda Classic is one of Palm Beach County’s biggest and best tourism events as it draws local, national, and international guests?

Yes, absolutely. As the largest sporting event in Palm Beach County, it is televised to over 220 countries and has the potential to reach over 1 billion viewers, which obviously showcases and presents our great county to literally the world. As one of the premier events on the PGA TOUR, The Honda Classic has a tremendous following not only from hundreds of thousands of spectators each year, but also attracts one of the strongest player fields on the PGA TOUR. In addition to The Honda Classic, you own and produce other events like the Garden of Life Palm Beaches Marathon and are involved with the PGA TOUR Champions’ TimberTech Championship in Boca Raton. What is it that you do so well to create events that make people want to spend money to travel here?

Simply, we are in the entertainment business, not just the sports and golf business. As such, it’s extremely important to create events that are appealing to a very diverse audience and not only the specific sports or running fan. Creating “events within the main event” is paramount to the overall success of what we do. As an example, at The Honda Classic, we have an enormous “Family Day” sponsored by Tire Kingdom which allows children 15 and under free admission. Additionally, we have a “best in class” military appreciation experience for over 14,000 veterans and active duty military along with their families to enjoy the tournament. Furthermore, we have created so much FUN outside of the ropes for fans to enjoy more than just the live golf. People from all over the world come to Palm Beach County and enjoy the great festivities as The Honda (Classic), which has returned annually over $50 million in economic impact to our local businesses. As it relates to the Marathon, we have created a great “after party” complete with a great brunch and music when runners finish their respective runs. Again, it’s all about creating a great atmosphere for people to come and enjoy our Palm Beach County lifestyle. You recently began a partnership with The Tourist Development Council’s unique marketing asset, ThePalmBeaches.TV. Can you highlight some of the benefits of this partnership and what it means for The Honda Classic?

Our relationship with The Palm Beaches TV, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission is a very unique collaboration which has never been done before on the PGA TOUR. Essentially, while NBC Sports and The Golf Channel produce and distribute all the competition “inside the ropes,” our production for 22  WINTER

2020

ThePalmBeaches.TV is a live and later packaged production which allows us to showcase the “outside the ropes” activities which has become legendary at The Honda Classic and on the PGA TOUR. It then creates a 52-week promotion for The Honda Classic as the produced final show is aired in thousands of hotel rooms within Palm Beach County and also around the USA. This relationship would not have happened without the foresight and creativity of George Linley, Chuck Elderd and their great teams. What will the next Honda Classic look like, given the recent changes we’ve all had to face?

While obviously the pandemic has created an unprecedented global downturn, and the fact that we are not yet 100% certain how this will impact The Honda Classic in March 2021, we do know that we will have another great tournament, and perhaps most importantly for tourism, The Honda Classic will once again be televised around the world promoting our great county as the greatest destination on the planet. In addition, we will have another great Honda Classic All Access show on ThePalmBeaches.TV, which will further showcase the excitement and magnitude of the tournament to promote Palm Beach County. Your events bring together many branches — sports, entertainment, tourism, hospitality and charity. What are the key factors in successfully intersecting these avenues?

Essentially all the branches together make up the entire philanthropic success of the tournament. You cannot have one or two without all the others, and at the end of the day, our final success metric is what we give back in charity to our community. In our case, we focus 100% on children’s related charities led by our significant commitment to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation for Jack and Barbara Nicklaus. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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Palm Beach County’s Official Tourism TV Channel The Palm Beaches TV offers high-quality, family-friendly original programming featuring the best of The Palm Beaches art, attractions, baseball, birding, culture, culinary, cycling, diving, equestrian, events, fishing, golf, parks, scuba, shopping, sports and more.

ART ADVENTURES

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the lion country legacy

For more information about this complimentary marketing tool offered by the Palm Beach County Tourist Development council, call 800.745.3456 or email info@pbfilm.com. FRL A .org

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A M E N D M E N T 2 R E C A P + G O V E R N M E N T R E L AT I O N S T E A M

Get to Know FRLA’s Governmental Relations Team

Government relations is a year-round job at FRLA with activity occurring every day in the legislature, the governor’s office, the cabinet and the executive branch. Thanks to the GR Team for managing all aspects of FRLA’s advocacy. Samantha H. Padgett serves as the General Counsel for the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. In this role, Samantha provides legal advice and services to the association and its leadership and serves as an advocate for the restaurant and lodging industries at the federal, state, and local levels. Ms. Padgett previously served for 10 years as the Vice President and General Counsel of the Florida Retail Federation (FRF). Ms. Padgett is a member of The Florida Bar. She graduated cum laude from the University of Florida College of Law and received her B.A. from Emory University. She has served on the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, the University of Florida Center for Retailing Executive Advisory Board and the Florida Recycling Partnership Board of Directors. Richard Turner is the Senior Vice President of Government Relations for FRLA. Richard has been with FRLA since 2002. Prior to joining FRLA, Richard served 17 years in various state agencies. His last position prior to FRLA was as Division Director of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, DBPR. The final repeal of Florida’s Alcoholic Beverage Surcharge in 2008, saving the hospitality industry millions is his fondest legislative memory although there have been many. He has been a member of the Florida Bar for over 30 years.

Amendment 2 Recap by ASHLEY CHAMBERS

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lorida voters passed Ballot Amendment 2, which will raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, beginning with its first increase to $10 an hour by the end of September 2021. The amendment barely passed the 60% mark required, with a final tally of 60.8%. FRLA was heavily engaged in the Florida minimum wage battle since it was announced as a proposed Ballot Amendment. This past summer, we joined small businesses across the state to launch Amendment 2 Hurts You through SAVE FLORIDA JOBS, a campaign against Ballot Amendment 2. FRLA members and staff worked tirelessly to spread awareness about the catastrophic effects this mandated wage increase would have on our industry. With very little money for digital media ads, we had an amazing push that resulted in substantial earned media. Our efforts reached millions across Florida, and we are proud of how we moved the discussion and educated voters. We scored essential victories as multiple editorial boards, even those of the most liberal media outlets in Florida, sided with us against the amendment, warning voters against the potential effects. They noted that it is not the right time for this costly amendment, that it is simply too risky, and that it would cause the economy to 24  WINTER

2020

Mary Rose McCarron has been with FRLA since September 2018. She is the Legislative Analyst and Event Coordinator for the Government Relations Department. Mary Rose graduated from Saint Leo University in Tampa, Florida, with a degree in social work. Her last position prior to FRLA was as Foster Care Recruiter and Licensing Specialist at Boys Town.

tank and people to lose jobs. We were thrilled with each of those victories. With financial devastation and serious constraints from the COVID-19 pandemic, we simply were not able to raise the cash needed to sustain a serious offensive. To those of you who donated to our cause and helped us to get digital ads out, mailers in mailboxes, radio ads running, internet searches prioritized, and more — THANK YOU. We could not have accomplished all that we did without your support. Many of you worked countless hours on top of your real jobs to participate in virtual debates, media interviews, community presentations, voter demonstrations, and COUNTLESS Zoom calls as our Task Force crossed legislative, media, governmental and community outreach. Despite all of these efforts and a true grassroots campaign across the state, Ballot Amendment 2 passed. While we are very disappointed in the outcome, we truly believe we did everything we could, given our constraints and COVID-19 impacts. So, what happens now? The first step in this process is for the minimum wage to increase to $10 an hour by Sept. 30, 2021. This is the largest increase in the path to $15. We have spoken with many of you who say this puts your business at serious risk even in Year 1. We will be with you every step of the way to be certain you understand the requirements. Again, thank you to everyone who put their blood, sweat and tears into this fight. Ashley Chambers is the Press Secretary for FRLA. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


G O V E R N M E N LTEAG L IR S LE A LT A ITVI E ON PS R ETVEI A EW M

2021 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Legislative Priorities for the 2021 Legislative Session

Liability Protection

TOURISM MARKETING

The threat of legal liability for claims related to COVID-19 looms large over businesses struggling to survive. We support the adoption of legislation that clearly outlines how liability claims related to COVID-19 should be addressed and allows only meritorious claims to be heard.

Protect Tourist Development Tax (TDT) Dollars

Vacation Rentals Proper licensing, safety and sanitation, and collection of taxes is critical for all who provide lodging for Florida’s visitors. Appropriate regulation of vacation rental properties and hosting platforms will ensure that basic requirements are met and appropriate taxes are collected and paid.

ALCOHOL REGULATIONS Codify “Alcohol-To-Go” During the pandemic, the governor permitted through executive order what is colloquially known as “alcohol-to-go.” This regulatory change allowed many Florida restaurants to supplement their revenue through increased sale of alcoholic beverages to accompany take-out food orders. The relaxing of these regulations during the pandemic demonstrated that the sale of alcohol in this manner can be practically and safely accomplished. Allowing this process to continue will directly benefit restaurants that continue to struggle financially.

Increase Licensure Opportunities for Hospitality Businesses We support reducing lodging facility room requirements and restaurant square footage requirements for establishments applying for specific alcoholic beverage licenses. This will encourage the development of new businesses and increase the operational flexibility and financial success of existing businesses.

Cooperative Advertising We support alcohol manufacturers and certain licensed vendors being permitted to cooperate to advertise special events. The marketing and promotion of notable events at some of Florida’s most popular destinations will increase tourism and spending in Florida. Such agreements will not compromise the independent decision-making capacity of the businesses who are parties to these agreement, and it will result in positive economic impacts to the state. FRL A .org

Voters in each Florida county approved collection of the TDT for the sole and specific purpose of funding the promotion and marketing of Florida tourism. Using these funds as they were originally intended, for the promotion and marketing of tourism, has never been more crucial as Florida continues to recover from the pandemic. New authorized uses, no matter how well-intentioned, must be rejected.

Increase Funding for VISIT FLORIDA to $75 Million The tourism industry is the backbone of Florida’s economy. As Florida seeks to recover from the economic destruction of COVID-19, the marketing and promotion of Florida has never been more important. Increased funding is necessary to increase tourism and facilitate recovery from the pandemic’s devastating impacts to this industry.

TAXATION Property Tax Relief Tourism-dependent businesses will struggle to pay their property taxes because of the financial impact of the pandemic. We support offering meaningful payment deferrals and installment payment plans. We also support the waiving of penalties for payments that are late or incomplete due to the pandemic’s impact on a business.

Tax Credits Tax credits can provide much-needed relief and support for Florida’s struggling businesses. Tax credits for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can help offset the increased expense businesses have incurred in purchasing this necessary equipment. Tax credits for the hiring of new personnel can provide financial incentives and support to make more job opportunities available for Floridians.

Main Street Florida Funding Florida Main Street needs increased investment to support recovery and increased economic development in Florida’s historic downtown commercial corridors. We support the appropriation of nonrecurring funds to The Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources to expand the Florida Main Street Program and help these important centers of community and commerce to grow and thrive. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

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LEADERSHIP

Meet the 2021 FRLA Jim Shirley Chair

Jim Shirley, Chairman, is a chef and restaurateur in South Walton, Florida, owning Great Southern Café, 45 Central Wine in Seaside, as well as The Bay Restaurant, North Beach Tortilla Co., and Farm & Fire Southern Pizzeria in South Walton. He is also co-owner of the Meltdown on 30A in Seaside. Jim was previously the president of the Northwest Florida FRLA chapter and president of the Escambia County chapter. He is currently the treasurer of FRLA’s Educational Foundation. Jim sits on the board of the Children’s Home Society and the Seaside Neighborhood School. Jim represented Florida in the 2015 Great American Seafood Cook-Off. In addition, Jim has been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City several times. He is author of the cookbook, Good Grits! Southern Boy Cooks, a compilation of his best recipes along with entertaining stories.

Olivia Hoblit Vice Chair

Olivia Hoblit, Vice-Chair, has more than 22 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is a Regional Manager with Innisfree Hotels overseeing Seaside Amelia Inn and the dual-Marriott brand Courtyard/Springhill Suites currently under construction in Amelia Island. She rejoined Innisfree Hotels in April 2020 in her new role after spending a year at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, a 446-room, AAA Five-Diamond luxury resort as the Assistant Rooms Executive. While at The Ritz-Carlton, she served as a member of the opening team, who successfully reopened The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, in 2019. She was also nominated as “Marriott Ops Star” for going above and beyond operational expectations. Mrs. Hoblit was the general manager of the Seaside Amelia Inn for five years during her previous tenure with Innisfree Hotels. Prior to her position at Seaside Amelia Inn, Mrs. Hoblit spent seven years as the general manager of the highly acclaimed Elizabeth Pointe Lodge. Under her leadership and management with owners David and Susan Caples, Elizabeth Pointe Lodge received numerous awards, including Travel+Leisure’s 2013 World’s Best Awards, where it ranked No. 25 on its list of Top 100 World’s Best Hotel, No. 3 Top Resort in Florida in 2012 as well as No. 2 Best Hotel in the Continental U.S. in 2008 Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Award. In 2012, Mrs. Hoblit also received the “Sharky Award” from Travel Shark for “Best GuestService General Manager.” 26  WINTER

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John Horne

Secretary/Treasurer, Restaurant Director 2021–22 John Horne, Secretary/Treasurer, FRLA Restaurant Director 2021–22, is the owner of four Anna Maria Oyster Bars located on Florida’s west coast. He has nearly 40 years of service in the industry starting as a bus boy on Anna Maria Island. At Anna Maria Oyster Bar, John and his 325 co-workers have received many accolades over the years, including Small Business of the Year awards from both the Manatee and Sarasota Chambers, over 70 People’s Choice Favorites, as well as community, volunteer and tourism awards culminating in the 2018 National Restaurant Neighbor Award presented by the National Restaurant Association’s Education Foundation. John is very passionate about education and helping his community and serves on numerous boards in many capacities. But, life is not all about work — along with his wife, Amanda, John enjoys traveling anywhere there’s a cooking class with wine involved!

Carlos Gazitua

Restaurant Director, 2020–21 Carlos Gazitua, FRLA Restaurant Director 2020–21, is the President and CEO of Sergio’s Cuban Café. Gazitua manages 650 employees, six full-service restaurants and eight fast casual locations all located in South Florida. Under his leadership, Sergio’s was awarded “best sit-down restaurant” by South Florida Independent Retailer awards. In addition, they were selected as South Florida Tourism Professional Restaurant of the Year Award and honored by Doral Business Council as the Small Business of the Year. In 2012, he created La Flaca™ brand, which promotes healthy cooking alternatives for Cuban food. La Flaca™ menu has transformed the way people eat Latin and Cuban cuisine in South Florida. Sergio’s earned an award from the Florida Department of Health as the first certified restaurant to take part in the Healthy Happens Here Initiative in Miami-Dade County. Carlos earned his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and his MBA and Law Degree from Stetson College of Law. He resides in Miami with his wife, Liana Gazitua, and their two young boys. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


Executive Committee Barbara Bowden Lodging Director, 2021–22

Barbara Bowden, FRLA Lodging Director 2021–22, is the Area Managing Director for Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, overseeing the operation of the destination’s premier and preferred hotels including Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Previously, she served as the Complex Managing Director for Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando, overseeing the operation of these two resort hotels, comprising 2,000 guest rooms and 250,000 square feet of meeting space. Prior to joining Loews Hotels, Bowden served as General Manager of the Orange County Convention Center. Before that, she spent 27 years with The Peabody Orlando, working her way through the ranks to become Vice President/General Manager. Bowden serves on the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Board. She also serves on the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association Governmental Affairs Committee, the Rosen College Dean’s Advisory Board and the HSMAI Foundation Board. Previously, Bowden served as Chair of the HSMAI Americas Board and was a member of the AHLA Women in Lodging Executive Board.

Sheldon Suga Immediate Past Chair

Roger Amidon

Lodging Director, 2020–21 Roger Amidon, FRLA Lodging Director 2020–21, has been the General Manager of Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa since 2012. Amidon is responsible for the operation of Palm Beach County’s only AAA FourDiamond all-suite beachfront hotel. Under Amidon’s expert leadership, in 2015 Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island was named one of Marriott International’s “Full-Service Hotels of the Year” in the Eastern Region, and he was named “Franchised General Manager of the Year” for its Eastern Region Full-Service Hotels/Resorts. A longtime Palm Beach resident, Amidon has worked in the hospitality sector since 1983. Joining Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island marked his return to the Marriott brand after serving three years as Executive Director of the Tourist Development Council of Palm Beach County. Prior to leading the Tourist Development Council, Amidon served Marriott in roles including Area General Manager for Marriott Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton Renaissance and Fort Lauderdale Marriott North. His regional tenure included General Manager positions for the Delray Beach Marriott and Sheraton at CityPlace. Amidon provides leadership in a variety of industry and community organizations. Current and past positions include: Chairman of Discover the Palm Beaches; President of the Palm Beach County Hotel & Lodging Association; President of FRLA’s Palm Beach Chapter and board memberships with FRLA State Board, Singer Island Civic Association and Loggerhead Marine Life Center, Riviera Beach Business Council, Coalitions to Senior Leaders and Interns, SunFest, South Florida Fair and Palm Beach Gardens High School Five Star Magnet Advisory Council. When not working or volunteering, Amidon enjoys golf, fishing, travel with his family and indulging in his passion for classic cars. Amidon and his wife, Tina, have two children and reside in Stuart.

Sheldon Suga, Immediate Past Chairman, is Vice President/ Managing Director of Hawks Cay Resort located in the Florida Keys. Suga is a seasoned hospitality executive with over 35 years of industry experience. After graduation from college, Suga entered Sheraton’s General Management Training program. During his time with ITT Sheraton, he attained the ITT Ring of Quality Worldwide Team Award and served as general manager at properties in West Hartford, New York City, Halifax, LaJolla, and Los Angeles. He also worked in Tokyo and was country manager for ITT Sheraton. Additionally, he has worked for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the Gaylord Palms and the Gaylord National Resort. He received a degree in Hospitality Management from Ryerson University in Toronto. FRL A .org

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t’s a fact, that as a response to the global pandemic, technology in the hospitality industry has progressed like never before. This was recognized at the 2020 FRLA Marketing + Operations Summit with one of the break-out sessions covering “The Rapid Digitization of the Restaurant Industry.” The industry is re-creating itself like never before, and the results are amazing! The innovation is incredible: apps for contactless inventory, grassroots marketing, QR codes replacing menus, field auditing and even menu management;

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remote communication to consumers about cleanliness and employee health; large-scale temperature checkers; handwashing timers; and sanitizing light and fogs, just to name a few. When we get through this crisis, the industry will be smarter — and certainly more modern. We hope you enjoy this issue of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Magazine featuring technology. Let us know if you want to learn more. We are in contact with dozens of new technology suppliers and developers who are hungry to talk with you.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BEACONSTAC

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All the business essentials. All at deep discounts. FRLA Members save extra.

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TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

Reimagining Digital Transformation in the New World by MICHAEL YOUNG

A Path Forward for Policymakers

The disruption caused by the current environment offers policymakers around the world the unique opportunity to fully adopt and utilize digital technologies — such as tele-health, tele-work and remote learning solutions — plus strengthen their resilience and competitive posture. As Dell Technologies continues to develop and provide innovative and empowering technology solutions, we are mindful of both the opportunities and responsibilities that come with such powerful tools. Our insights and experience as a global leader in applying emerging technology solutions to improve lives have informed our view on how governments should approach their next steps in a path forward. We believe governments have a responsibility to boost digital infrastructure as connectivity has become ever more vital for all of us — big businesses and entrepreneurs, universities and schools, families and individuals, in metropolises and rural communities — to 30  WINTER

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continue to function at a distance. Governments also should work with the private sector to ensure privacy protection and cybersecurity as new paths of communication and work environments have highlighted increased risk of cyber-attacks. To enhance innovation, governments should foster an environment for businesses to create jobs, for entrepreneurs to create new opportunities, for a data-driven economy to realize its full potential, and for everyone to have access to education, health care and economic opportunity. Policymakers and businesses are recognizing that this situation has three phases, each of which offer the opportunity for governments to make progress: • Respond by adopting immediate relief measures to safeguard the economy and public health • Recover by developing medium-term measures to activate an economic rebound • Reimagine by transforming how we work, learn, heal, create and play Read our full whitepaper online titled “Accelerating Digital Transformation in 2020: A Path Forward for Policymakers,” which outlines our view of accelerating convergence of technology, innovation and new opportunities for all. We look forward to working with governments across the globe to assist in undertaking their digital transformation to address humanity’s greatest challenges. If you’d like to learn more about how digital transformation can help your business, get additional information about the discount program, or even have general questions about Dell Technologies, reach out to Steven.Shipe@Dell.com and let him know you’re with FRLA. You can also shop online at Dell.com/FRLA. Michael Young is the Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Dell Technologies. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION

PHOTO BY MONSITJ / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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OVID-19 has changed the world as we know it. It’s forced parents to become teachers, enterprises to shift business models and turned ships and convention centers into hospitals. It’s allowed us to push technology to new limits as it kept people safe, helped business stay open, kept culture alive and comforted us in the face of great uncertainty. It’s also exacerbated cracks in our society — gaps in access to technology, infrastructure, education, health care and economic security. As countries, communities and businesses struggle to recover while addressing the growing concerns around social injustice, it gives us an opportunity to reimagine what a better world could look like. The current environment has shown the need for governments and businesses to innovate and organize themselves to adapt as well as respond rapidly to unforeseen external pressures. This moment has significantly accelerated what already was a growing trend of digital transformation.


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High-Touch to No Touch by ADAM LEVITHAN

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uring my years working at restaurants and hotels, I was taught the value of a smile and personal connection and how they were the drivers of a good experience. Today, these interactions are limited, and we look to technology not to replace them but to increase efficiency, allowing team members the time to focus on the customer. Built into your Microsoft 365 investments, there are two key areas involving the interaction between backoffice, managers and frontline workers — scheduling and training.

Scheduling with Shifts in Microsoft Teams

From the smallest restaurant using a sign-up sheet, call-ins and word of mouth, to chains of restaurants and hotels with self-created systems, a high percentage of time and thought is spent on scheduling. Aptly named Shifts, Microsoft created this solution for creating and maintaining schedules, and it’s fully integrated into the mobile Microsoft Teams app. With it, you can: • Request Time off: Requesting time off sends an alert to the owner, who can approve/reject the request. • Swap/offer shifts: Alerts are sent to the people that are chosen, and they can accept/deny the request. • Views/Reports: Back-office and managers can review schedules in many different ways.

Online Training With your team members already in Microsoft Teams for scheduling, virtual meetings and finding documents, the next step is to embed training into the mobile-friendly tool. While the best trainings in a restaurant or hotel are hands-on, you can come close to the experience. • Interactive Live Sessions — You can produce single or multi-camera training videos with minimal production effort to show all angles of the training, while simultaneously taking and answering questions. • One-time, Live & Recorded — If people couldn’t attend the original session, it is recorded, and a questionnaire can be added to test knowledge. Team members can even submit video responses demonstrating their training. Technology will never replace high-touch scenarios, but it provides more time for your team members to focus on delivering memorable and effective experiences in the new normal and beyond. Adam Levithan is a Principal with Withum and is a Microsoft MVP.

>>>> Refocus Your Business Strategy.

HINDSIGHT IS 2020 The world has changed and now demands innovation to succeed. Let Withum be the fresh lens to help you see the possibilities.

Learn more at withum.com/food

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TECHNOLOGY ISSUE

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Kitchen Brains Leveraging Technologies to Kitchen Brains KitchenBrains Kitchen Brains Well Connected. Well Connected. Well Connected. Make Food Safety Safer ®

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by JEFF GRAY

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based temperature sensors, employees can be reminded about and guided through required steps; meanwhile management can view real-time information, whether in the back office or off the beaten path. Add temperature sensors and refrigeration monitors, like the Kitchen Brains Modularm® 75LCT, into the equation, and you can receive alerts, day or night, to help reduce or eliminate food damage and waste. With today’s digital technologies, compliance is assured, records are accurate and accessible, issues can be identified and remedied immediately, and the associated savings will cover the cost of this investment over a short period of time. Jeff Gray is the Director of Marketing for Kitchen Brains.

Technology Meets Field Marketing by ALEX NOCIFERA

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s humans, parents, pet-owners, family members, friends and businesses have been punched in the gut like never before, COVID-19 has forced us into uncomfortable contortions in our daily lives, both personally and in business. Particularly, the restaurants who weren’t equipped to quickly adjust and adapt their business to accommodate delivery or outdoor dining options probably aren’t going to make it through this storm. As operators, your community is everything. Your business and brand were built inside-out within the neighboring community. The schools, churches, businesses, first responders and events all relied on you at some point for comforting food, products or service. If you’re one of the fortunate to survive this historical storm, without question you’ll need to start letting your neighbors know you’re back. Popping back up on the bike isn’t always plug-n-play. It’s going to take some runway to reawaken your neighboring community. Since most of the planet is now Zoom-ing and Facebook-ing, digital media has quickly flooded our world and become saturated and expensive. How does your brand leverage the power of technology to re-engage with your community? Let’s reintroduce your brand human-to-human. Let’s go drop something off at local businesses. Let’s send a treat bag to the local schools. 2020

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Made in the USA All trademarks are property of Kitchen Brains. © 2020 Kitchen Brains. Made in the USA All trademarks are property of Kitchen Brains. © 2020 Kitchen Brains. Made in the USA Made in the USA All trademarks are property of Kitchen All Brains. trademarks © 2020are Kitchen property Brains. of Kitchen Brains. © 2020 Kitch

nsuring food safety is a 24/7/365 job that is highly dependent upon your employees and your kitchen equipment. It requires a great deal of training, tracking and trust. Your employees must know what, when and how to monitor products and consistently record results to meet both your standards and HACCP requirements. The same is true for maintaining and monitoring temperatures in your storage and refrigerated areas. Doing so with a paper-based system can be extremely costly, not to mention risky, in an industry with high employee turnover. Leveraging connected technologies decreases the time employees spend on these tasks while increasing their accuracy. It also substantially reduces the costs associated with training, food waste and, in many cases, energy. By moving to digital checklists and IoT/Cloud-

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How about calling your neighboring businesses to see how their holding up? The point is, in today’s hyper-digital world, let’s rewind the clock and get back to the fundamentals in generating emotion and excitement with human engagement. But at the same time, let’s leverage technology and data to ensure we do this smart and measurable. I founded Field Day to take the best of the old and inject it with the new. Field Day delivers the capability to brands in any market, at any time, to send well-trained brand representatives (canvassing or calling) to engage with targeted local businesses. We leverage real-time data to identify the most opportunistic businesses and events to ensure they are the most locally relevant recipients of your message. Alex Nocifera is the founder and CEO of Field Day. For more information, contact Tracy Avolio at (770) 316-0597 or tracy@fieldday.app or visit their website FieldDay.app. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


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The Wow Factor:

QR Powered Contactless Menus by APOORVA HEGDE

PHOTO BY ANTONIO_DIAZ / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

QR

Codes are ubiquitous. The specials, remove out-of-stock dishes, change menu technology of QR Codes has languages, and even include unique offerings, all in QR Codes are cool again. erupted as a must-have option for one single menu. The square-shaped quick response barcodes have most industry verticals, especially restaurants, in the Contactless menus with QR Codes can have found a niche in restaurants wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. videos and images that can be updated on the fly. It amid the COVID-19 Julie Zucker, CMO of Branded Strategic also helps diners understand what the dish is made pandemic, where social Hospitality, said, “While people thought it was cool of and requires less explanation overall. distancing is a mandatory before, I think now it’s almost becoming a way of In addition, customers can be offered a discount requirement. dining life,” and that sums up what every restaurant coupon or a loyalty card through the same QR thinks of QR Codes for menus. Code. Diners can also be prompted after they Aside from the fact that they offer minimum scan the QR Code menu the first time to upload contact, what makes QR Code uber cool? a picture of their dish on social media and tag the A QR Code menu helps diners order their food restaurant they are at, which encourages others to safely with minimum contact with the restaurant go visit. staff. Even the National Restaurant Association Beaconstac’s QRestaurant solution is being encourages restaurants to opt for contactless menus leveraged by over 700-plus restaurants and hotels, and order systems to communicate with staff. including Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, several Marriotts Another upside is, contactless menus do not have and Hiltons to create contactless menus, collect to be downloaded for diners to browse the menu. contactless feedback, contactless check-in, facilitate They are safe, hygienic and accessed quickly, thereby contact tracing and more. keeping your guests safe from contaminated surfaces. The no-code platform enables anyone to create a contactless All diners have to do to order food from the menu is to simply experience in less than 5 minutes. For more information, reach out scan the QR Code menu, browse through their favorite food options to ravi@beaconstac.com or call (646) 655-0702. — and voila! With a text-based physical menu, it’s difficult to update when items are not available or to change the menu on special occasions. Apoorva Hegde is a Content Marketer at Beaconstac, an end-to-end The dynamic nature of QR Codes helps restaurants add daily proximity tech platform.

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The First Voice-Enabled + AI Mobile App for taking Food & Bar Inventory

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he food and hospitality industry is entering the era of digital operations, when businesses will accelerate their use of voice-activated technologies to be more efficient and remain relevant and competitive. VoiceStar.ai™ provides an easy way for hotels, restaurants and bar operations to take inventory. The new VoiceINV 2.0 digital technology is an efficient way to save time, money and helps with safety in a low-touch, hands-free way. The industry will evolve because of COVID-19. Productivity and safety are now very much on operators’ minds as they reopen with a great deal of uncertainty. Taking inventory is a slow, inefficient process. Michael L. Atkinson, CEO and founder says, “We conceived, built and published the first voice counting platform. VoiceINV: Bar™ and VoiceINV: Food™ is the first voice + AI platform to count bar and food inventory, generate cost

analysis, theft detection, real-time insights and dashboards, and automate asset management and purchasing. The mobile app can integrate with any back-office system or cloud-based POS.” It’s a valuable, easy-to-set-up mobile app, that independents, regional chains and national accounts are starting to use. Recently, a new subscriber and independent Texas operator says, “We saw the opportunity and have signed on to use in our operations. There is no hardware, it’s easy to use and helps us with inventory control.” It really is as easy as See it. Say it. Count it. Other national chains are signing up for the food, beverage and supply modules to be more on top of inventory management. It’s primarily an inventory counting application, available as a download on both Apple and Google app stores. VoiceINV uses artificial intelligence to expedite the manual process and machine learning to

improve the results. “Using your voice to count instead of taking hours to notate on clipboards, saves time and money. Not to mention all the environmental impact with no paper listing sheets,” Michael says. Since this is a new product and to show its commitment to the restaurant industry, the VoiceStar.ai set-up fee is being waived in 2020, and based on each location, different modules can be applied through monthly subscription. If you have to count it, you can customize your specific needs — from bar and wine, pantry, food and supplies. Michael was recently a guest speaker on the September virtual Texas Restaurant Assoc. and NRA Marketplace. He participated in the in-person Florida Restaurant & Lodging Marketing & Operations Summit in October and the NRA Virtual Marketing webinar in December. Learn more about the subscription-based application at VoiceStar.ai.

BnSellit App

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nSellit launched this fall, and their app helps you turn your VRBO, Airbnb or short-term rental into a marketplace. List items for sale or rent on the BnSellit app, and guests can purchase them using your unique host code and the BnBuyit app. Hosts across North America are selling mini-bar products, art, homemade gifts and renting bicycles and kayaks. The possibilities are endless with BnSellit, and with the mini-bar industry in a huge boom right now, this app is sure to help with COVID losses.

FOR FRLA MEMBERS ONLY:

Download the app from the App store or Google Play store, sign up and receive a FREE welcome pack. BnSellit is also offering lower rates on transaction/processing fees. As a special offer for all members, sell 3 items in 30 days, and BnSellit will deposit $30 into your account. Learn more at BnSellit.com. Download the app on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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Building a Better Normal with Customer-Centric Technology by MICHAEL LOUGHRAN

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n the wake of COVID-19, business owners large and small were made to digitally transform their operations to survive in the new normal. Customer behavior changed almost overnight, making five years of progress in the span of a few weeks. People embraced online shopping, contactless payment, curbside pickup, online schooling and video conferencing at an unprecedented rate.

Restaurants are using technology to minimize points of contact

The restaurant industry was one of the hardest-hit when COVID-19 measures forced thousands of businesses to shutter their doors for in-person dining. Still, many got creative with technology, pivoting to online ordering, takeout and delivery. As in-person dining resumes, technology allows restaurants to offer nearly contactless dining by minimizing staff interaction with guests, maintaining social distancing and helping prevent the spread of germs through surface contact. Mobile payment apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay help staff and customers avoid contact with high-touch objects like pin-pads, pens or credit cards. Digital reservation managers keep track of customers so that guests can be notified by text or email when the table is sanitized and ready, which prevents crowding and allows guests to maintain social distancing by waiting off-site for their reservation. Electronic menus allow customers to browse the menu on their smartphone, eliminating the need for high-touch or disposable hardcopy menus.

PHOTO BY VECTORMOON / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (BNSELLIT) AND YACOBCHUK / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (PIZZA)

Importance of communication

Transparency for health and safety measures has never been more critical in driving consumer trust back into your brand and overcoming the fear consumers have about getting sick from visiting your establishment. Klēn provides an accessible, AI-driven application, keeping businesses apprised of changes to CDC recommendations and industry regulations, making it easier for restaurants to stay on top of guidelines and demonstrate to consumers exactly how they’re prioritizing health and safety. To find out more, visit Klen.io. FRL A .org

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Tips for cleaning point-of-sale equipment from Heartland by MICHAEL YOUNG

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Create a safe environment for guests and employees

It’s not enough for your restaurant to be clean — disinfect in front of your guests throughout the day so they can relax with friends and family, knowing they’ve made the right decision to enjoy a meal at your establishment. Similarly, leave pump bottles or contactless hand sanitizer dispensers of at every stationary POS station. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using hand sanitizer containing 60-to-95% alcohol for effective germ-killing power after touching surfaces and between handwashing trips.

Use handheld POS devices to elevate safety measures

Uphold COVID-19 safety standards with handheld POS devices. They allow you to eliminate queues while maintaining safe distances between parties of guests and employees. Handheld POS devices also allow you to complete transactions tableside or in socially distant locations. Guests are overwhelmingly using credit and debit cards in lieu of cash to improve hygiene and reduce contact. The National Restaurant Association recommends the use of contactless payments during the pandemic. 36  WINTER

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Clean and disinfect POS equipment with care

Power down and unplug POS devices prior to cleaning or disinfecting. If you’re only cleaning the touchpads or touchscreens, you may be able to keep your device on — read your user’s manual for confirmation. Next, wash your hands or clean them thoroughly with hand sanitizer, waiting for them to dry completely before touching the equipment. Never use soap or other cleaners on POS equipment. However, do use a microfiber cloth or soft towel with water. Make the cloth slightly damp and carefully clean all surfaces, taking care not to shake or drop the device which could trigger your tampering sensors. While cleaning removes visible marks, disinfecting kills germs. Put a small amount of alcohol-based cleaner (min. 60% alcohol) onto a microfiber cloth or soft towel or use alcohol-based wipes. Never apply liquids directly to your equipment. Never squeeze a cloth or wipe on or over your POS devices — it could cause liquid damage. Some cleaners have the power to destroy plastic and rubber components, so avoid accidental contact. Never use ketone-based solvents, bleach, thinner or trichloroethylene. Reference your user manual for a list of approved cleaners for your POS devices. Clean and disinfect your equipment throughout the day. POS equipment — stationary or handheld — is among the most prominent high-touch surfaces in your restaurant. Aim for visible cleanliness to put guests at ease and thoroughly disinfect surfaces to stop the virus’ spread. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION

PHOTO BY VICTORIA HNATIUK / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

estaurateurs, guests may be able to safely eat away from home after months of staying in, but they’ll need to feel safe to make it a regular practice. While your restaurants operate according to state and local COVID-19 guidelines, everyone plays a role in maintaining public safety — including you, your employees and your guests. While social distancing is one task assigned to us all, regularly cleaning and disinfecting point-of-sale (POS) equipment and using handheld POS devices are some of the most effective, and prominent, contributions you can make.


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Want your guests to feel safe and secure in your hotel or restaurant? Want to demonstrate your commitment to rebuilding and restoring Florida’s hospitality and tourism industries? Want to have a market differentiator that ensures thousands of dollars in positive marketing? As we recover from COVID-19, make sure your establishment is inviting to guests. Demonstrate that your restaurant or hotel is dedicated to meeting safety and sanitation standards and ensuring staff are properly trained by earning the

Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association

SEAL OF COMMITMENT

Earn your Seal of Commitment today at https://frla.org/sealofcommitment/. Complete the online application, and an FRLA representative will contact you to confirm the information, schedule necessary training, and award your Seal of Commitment designation.

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CONGRATULATIONS

New FRLA Seal of Commitment Designees! SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Bascom's Steakhouse, Clearwater Blue Island Bistro, Venice Bob Heilman's Beachcomber, Clearwater Beach Bobby's Bistro and Wine Bar, Clearwater Beach Boca Bay Pass Club, Boca Grande Clear Sky Café, Clearwater Beach Clear Sky Draught Haus, Dunedin Clear Sky on Cleveland, Clearwater Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club, Sarasota Mattison's City Grille, Sarasota Mattison's Forty One, Sarasota Mattison's Riverwalk Grille, Bradenton Meat Market Tampa, Tampa Oxford Exchange, Tampa Pier 22, Bradenton Pop's Sunset Grill, Nokomis Rusty Pelican, Tampa The Grove Restaurant, Lakewood Ranch World of Beer, Brandon

NORTHEAST FLORIDA Blue Heron Inn, Fernandina Beach Beachside Motel, Fernandina Beach Café Karibo, Fernandina Beach Chase's on the Beach, New Smyrna Beach Club Continental River Suites, Orange Park Corkscrew Bar & Grille, New Smyrna Beach Fairfield Inn & Suites, Orange Park Farmhouse Chicken & Donuts, Middleburg Hampton Inn Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach Hampton Inn & Suites, Middleburg

Holiday Inn Express, Fleming Island Holiday Inn & Suites, Orange Park River Park Inn, Green Cove Springs Salt Life Food Shack, Fernandina Beach The Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA Bakan, Miami Bakers Cay Resort, Key Largo Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Marathon Latin Café 2000 Lejeune, Miami Meat Market Steakhouse, Palm Beach Palm Beach Country Club, Palm Beach Talavera, Coral Gables Tower Club, Ft. Lauderdale NORTHWEST FLORIDA 45 Central Wine & Sushi, Santa Rosa Beach Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village, Destin Great Southern Café, Santa Rosa Beach McDonald's 12312, Madison McDonald's 14489, Panama City Beach McDonald's 2403, Panama City McDonald's 34085, Madison McDonald's 38609, Freeport McDonald's 4155, Panama City McDonald's 4772, Callaway Meltdown on 30A, Santa Rosa Beach

CENTRAL FLORIDA Grandview Bed and Breakfast, Mount Dora World of Beer Lake Eola, Orlando

The Seal of Commitment listing is regularly updated. Visit FRLA.org/sealofcommitment to view all designees.

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Heartland: End of Year Is Best Time to Switch Payroll Providers

Thinking about switching payroll providers?

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quarter of small business owners are shopping for a payroll provider near the end of the year. Some are fed up with the bad service they’ve received. Others are frustrated by payroll platforms not integrated with their business’ software and hardware. Maybe a vendor’s lack of attention has resulted in costly errors and penalties. Or perhaps a business owner is just tired of doing payroll with everything else on his/her plate. Whatever your reason, the New Year is the best time to make a change. Why? At the start of the New Year, there’s no historical data to migrate from your old system into your new one. You also don’t have to go through the hassle of collecting all your year-to-date and quarter-to-date information from your old provider. Changing providers at the beginning of the year allows your new payroll company to hit the ground running with a clean slate. For a smooth transition, be sure your last pay date of the year is with your old provider, and your first pay date of the year is with your new provider. For example, if you have a pay period ending in December 2020, with a pay date in January 2021, that cycle should be with your new provider since it will be reported on your 2021 W-2s. Your previous provider will prepare the 2020 W-2s. Remember, payroll taxes

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are based on when wages are paid, not when employees work. Also, don’t forget to take care of a few vital tasks before you make the switch: Produce copies of all your financial records from your old payroll company such as employee information and tax records. Prepare tax filings from your previous provider that include Q4 2020 quarterly, 2020 annual and 2020 W-2s. Prepare basic business information for your new provider, such as your Federal and State Employer Identification Numbers and bank account details. You can certainly switch payroll providers after January, but you’ll have more information to transfer and the added complication of whether it’s the former or current payroll provider’s responsibility to perform certain tasks. That brings us to the most important question — what should you look for in a new payroll provider? Not all providers offer the same level of service. Before you officially make the switch, ask the following questions: What payroll features are provided? Go beyond processing payroll. Source a service that can help you with HR, recruiting and onboarding, time and attendance, and benefits administration — today and as your business grows. Is the payroll system easy to use? You want an intuitive platform that eliminates data

entry duplication. It should also be cloudbased, with a simple to navigate dashboard that allows you to view and automate activities, and generate pre-built reports. Is the payroll system integrated? Does it connect payroll, hiring, time and HR to streamline back-office operations? Is it able to exchange data with accounting services, worker’s compensation, 401k and more? Will the payroll service keep you compliant? Protect your business. Seek easy access to certified HR professionals who can provide personalized guidance on HR issues, labor laws and federal, state and industry regulations. Is the payroll provider experienced and reputable? Find out how long a provider has been serving the payroll/HR community, and how many active customers it has. Ensure you’ll have access to a dedicated service representative who understands your business, serves as an extension of your team, and is your single point of contact for all of your needs. Payroll is far too important to stay with an unsatisfactory provider. If you’ve been toying with the idea of outsourcing payroll or changing providers, now is a good time to pull the trigger. FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


ACTIVITIES CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS

members on all 67 counties' operating status; Regional Directors acrossCOVID the state with grassroots efforts 5 webpages created on FRLA.org assisted for resources, andsupplies, guidance.employee portal and member resources, COVID webinar pages; sent hundreds of emails andAssociation letters to Florida Restaurant & Lodging industry; held dozens of webinars; shared and advised FRLA Serves Florida's Hospitality 5 webpages created on FRLA.org forIndustry resources, COVID industry on Governor'smember Executive Orders; educated COVID-19 RESPONSE resources, COVID supplies, employee portal and members on all 67 counties' operating status; Regional Alcohol delivery/takeout; webinar pages; sent hundredsefforts of emails and lettersPPP to and PPP reforms as needed; Directors assisted across the state with grassroots ACTIVITIES participation Governor's Task Force and industry; held dozens of webinars; sharedonand advised Re-Opening FRLA Serves Florida's Hospitality Industry and guidance. Coalition; expansion industry on Governor'sRESET Executive Orders; educatedto outdoor dining; publication of 5 webpages created onmembers FRLA.org on forallresources, COVID re-openingstatus; guidance; co-hosted roundtable with Vice 67 counties' operating Regional member resources, COVID supplies, employee portal and President Pence; continually advocated for safe re-opening Directors across the stateHospitality with grassroots efforts FRLAassisted Serves Florida’s Industry webinar pages; sent hundreds of emails and letters to at incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to guidance. Alcohol delivery/takeout; PPP and PPP reforms as needed; industry; held dozens ofand webinars; shared and advised prevent further shutdowns/reversals; worked closely with 5 webpages created on FRLA.org for resources, COVID participation on Governor's Re-Opening Task Force and industry on Governor's Executive Orders; educated CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS DBPR on alcohol operations restaurant and lodging member resources, COVID supplies, employee portal andand RESET Coalition; expansion to outdoor dining; publication of members on all 67 counties' operating status; Regional 5 webpages created onwebinar FRLA.orgpages; for resources, COVID member resources, COVID supplies, issues arising from the pandemic. hundreds ofand emails andto industry; letters toheldVice guidance; co-hosted roundtable with Directors assisted across there-opening state withsent grassroots efforts employee portal and webinar pages; sent hundreds of emails letters Alcohol delivery/takeout; PPP and PPP reforms as needed; industry; held dozens ofonwebinars; shared and advised of webinars; shared and advised industry Governor's Executive Orders; educated President Pence; continually advocated for safe re-opening anddozens guidance. participation oneducated Governor's Re-Opening Task Force and members on all 67 counties' status; Regional Directors assisted across the state industry on Governor's Executive Orders; atoperating incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to with grassroots efforts and guidance. RESET Coalition; to outdoor dining; publication of membersfurther on all 67 counties' operating expansion status; Regional prevent shutdowns/reversals; worked closely with guidance; Directors there-opening state with grassroots efforts roundtable with Vice DBPRdistributed onassisted alcoholacross operations and restaurant andco-hosted lodging FRLA over 1,000,000 masks to industry President Pence; continually advocated andemployees guidance. Alcohol delivery/takeout; PPP numerous and PPPfrom reforms needed; issues arising the as pandemic. statewide; held feeding events for for safe re-opening incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to LOBBIED participation onACHIEVED Governor's Re-Opening Force and industry, the&public and atseniors through Task the Joint prevent further shutdowns/reversals; closely with Alcohol delivery/takeout; PPP and PPP reforms as needed; participation Governor’s RESET Coalition; expansion to outdoor publication of onworked Restaurant Meal Initiative with thedining; Department of Elder Re-Opening Task Force and RESET Coalition; expansion to outdoor dining; publication of DBPR on alcohol operations and restaurant and lodging re-opening roundtable withPence; Vice continually advocated Affairs, servingguidance; overAlcohol 2.5co-hosted million meals; distributed re-opening guidance; co-hosted roundtable with Vice President other delivery/takeout; PPP and PPP reforms as needed; issues arising from the pandemic. President Pence; continually advocated for safecommunities re-opening for1,000,000 safe re-opening at incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to further supplies tomasks industry members andDBPR assisted asprevent FRLA distributed over to industry shutdowns/reversals; worked closely with on alcohol operations and restaurant and participation on Governor's Re-Opening Task Force and at incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to needed. employees statewide; held numerous for lodging issues arisingfeeding from theevents pandemic. RESET expansion to outdoor further shutdowns/reversals; closely with dining; publication of industry, the publicprevent and seniors through the JointCoalition; worked guidance; DBPRwithonthe alcohol operations and restaurant and co-hosted lodging roundtable with Vice Restaurant Meal Initiative Department ofre-opening Elder President Pence; continually advocated for safe re-opening issues arising from theindustry pandemic. Affairs, serving over 2.5FRLA million meals; distributed other distributed over 1,000,000 masks to atEDUCATING incrementally increasing capacity while lobbying to supplies to members and assisted as feeding FOOD & industry SUPPLIES FOR ALL communities THE INDUSTRY/REBUILDING employees statewide; held numerous events for further shutdowns/reversals; worked closely with needed. FRLA distributed over 1,000,000 masksthe to industry employees statewide; held CONFIDENCE industry, public prevent and seniors through thenumerous Joint feeding events for industry, the public and seniors through the Joint Restaurant Meal DBPR alcohol operations and restaurant and lodging Restaurant Mealserving Initiative withon the Department of Elder Initiative with the Department of Elder Affairs, over 2.5 million meals; distributed FRLA launched the Seal of Commitment program tothe buildpandemic. consumer issues arising from FRLAsupplies distributed over members 1,000,000 masks toconfidence; industry other to industry assisted communities asmeals; needed.distributed other Affairs, and serving over 2.5 million created Florida Hospitality TV to share good news about employees statewide; held numerous feedingmembers events forand assisted supplies to industry the industry; held 1,600communities FREE trainingasprograms on re-opening EDUCATING THE INDUSTRY/REBUILDING industry, the public andneeded. seniors through the Joint guidance; hosted dozens of webinars and zoom meetings to educate CONFIDENCE Restaurant Meal Initiative with the Department of Elder theINDUSTRY/REBUILDING industry; interpreted and provided guidance on state and local EDUCATING THE CONFIDENCE Affairs, serving overFRLA 2.5FRLA million meals; distributed other Executive Orders. distributed over 1,000,000 masks to industry launched the Seal of Commitment program to build consumer FRLA launched the Seal of Commitment program to build consumer confidence; created supplies to industry members and assisted communities as confidence; createdTVFlorida Hospitality TV to sharefeeding good news aboutfor FREE training employees held news numerous events Florida Hospitalitystatewide; to share good about the industry; held 1,600 needed. the industry; held 1,600 FREE training programs on re-opening programs on re-opening guidance; hosted through dozens ofthe webinars and zoom meetings to educate industry, the public and seniors EDUCATING THEJoint INDUSTRY/REBUILDING the industry; interpreted provided guidance on state and local Executive Orders. guidance; hosted dozens ofand webinars and zoom meetings to educate Restaurant Meal Initiative with the Department of Elder CONFIDENCE the industry; interpreted and2.5provided guidance on state and other local Affairs, serving overFRLA million meals; distributed Orders. program launchedandtheassisted SealExecutive of Commitment build consumer supplies to industry members communities assharetogood confidence; created Florida Hospitality TV to news about EDUCATING THE INDUSTRY/REBUILDING needed. FRLA worked with industry partners to provide $75,000 the industry; held 1,600 FREE training programs on re-opening DOLLARS AND CENTS CONFIDENCE guidance; hosted ofdozens of webinars and zoom meetings to educate Children ofSeal Restaurant (CORE); worked FRLA worked with industryto partners to provide $75,000 toEmployees Children Restaurant Employees FRLAHospitality launched the of Commitment program to build consumer the industry; interpreted and provided guidance on state and local (CORE); worked with FTR to inform the industry of available small business loans with FTR Hospitality to inform the industry oftonews available confidence; created Florida Hospitality TV to share good and PPP; worked tirelessly with the National Restaurant Association and AHLA lobbyabout Executive Orders. business worked tirelessly with Congress for industry reliefsmall and industry; liability protection. the heldloans 1,600and FREEPPP; training programs on re-opening EDUCATING THEtotoeducate INDUSTRY/REBUILDING the National Restaurant Association AHLA lobby guidance; hosted dozens of webinars and zoomand meetings FRLA worked with industry partners to provide $75,000 CONFIDENCE for industry relief andguidance liability onprotection. theCongress industry; interpreted provided state and local to Children of Restaurant Employees (CORE);andworked Executive Orders. program to build consumer launched the Seal of Commitment with FTR Hospitality to inform the industryMORE ofFRLA available LEARN AT FRLA.ORG confidence; small business loans and PPP; worked tirelessly with created Florida Hospitality TV to share good news about industry; held 1,600 FREE training programs on re-opening the National Restaurant Association and AHLA tothelobby LEARN MORE AT FRLA.ORG guidance; hosted dozens of webinars and zoom meetings to educate Congress for industry relief liability FRLAand worked withprotection. industry partners to provide the industry; interpreted and$75,000 provided guidance on state and local

LOBBIED & ACHIEVED

CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS

LOBBIED & ACHIEVED CONSTANT COMMUNICATIONS

LOBBIED & ACHIEVED FOOD & SUPPLIES ALL LOBBIEDFOR& ACHIEVED

FOOD & SUPPLIES FOR ALL

LOBBIED & ACHIEVED

FOOD & SUPPLIES FOR ALL

FOOD & SUPPLIES FOR ALL

FOOD & SUPPLIES FOR ALL

DOLLARS AND CENTS

DOLLARS AND CENTS

FRL A .org

DOLLARS AND CENTS

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

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H O S P I TA L I T Y H A P P E N I N G S

We are proud to highlight the latest happenings in hospitality. This section is designed to serve as an update on our industry and provide a snapshot of what we’re accomplishing together. If you would like to share something significant that’s happening in your area, feel free to submit your story to editor@frla.org.

1

3

2

4

5

6

1. The Monroe Chapter held a mask giveaway in Marathon. 2. Thanks to the Broward Chapter for volunteering with Feed the Need. 3. Mayor Dave Kerner and City Manager Verdenia Baker work with FRLA Palm Beach to hand out masks to restaurant workers. 4. Servers against Amendment 2 worked the polls with Dannette Lynch. 5. The Lee Chapter hosted Representative Spencer Roach this Fall. 6. Left to Right: Jacksonville Mask distribution held at Sight & Sound Productions. Board members assisting: Nicole Chapman, Northeast Chapter Director, Lisa Eveson, Pinnacle Hospitality Systems, Michael Corrigan, Visit Jacksonville, Scott Wellington, Aloft Tapestry Park, Alfredo Garcia, Sight & Sound Productions. 7. Eric Potts, Bella's, Mary Beth Hansen, Paradise Grill, JT Corrales, Crabby Bill's, and FRLA Regional Director Dannette Lynch spent some time with Senate President Bill Galvano at one of the Governor's news conferences. 42  WINTER

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7

FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION


XXXX XXXX

THANK YOU SPONSORS! PLATINUM GOLD SILVER BRONZE PROMOTIONAL FRL A .org

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Guidance for Restaurants: Guests’ Face Covering Use* August 20, 2020

1. Are guests required to wear face masks when coming into a restaurant? A: Many jurisdictions require individuals to wear face coverings in public spaces, including restaurants, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Association has a comprehensive list of “Facial Covering & Health Screening Requirements.” For questions regarding whether employers may require employees to wear face coverings while working, please see the Restaurant Law Center’s guidance on employee mask use and temperature checks.” 2. What if a guest refuses to wear a mask on Constitutional grounds? A: Guests and employees have no constitutional free speech rights in a private business or workplace. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects an individual’s right to free speech from infringement by the U.S. Government — not a private business. Similarly, state constitutions do not create such rights. Thus, a restaurant can legally deny service to individuals that refuse to wear a mask for alleged Constitutional reasons. 3. What if a guest refuses to comply because of a disability? A: Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires restaurants to provide equal enjoyment of goods and services to individuals with disabilities. If a guest has a medical or disability-related condition that may require an accommodation, then the restaurant must consider the reasonable accommodation it can offer the guest. A guest must advise the business he/she needs an accommodation if the need for one is not obvious. A restaurant should not request medical documentation when a guest requests a public accommodation. However, a restaurant need not accommodate a guest if doing so would impede the business’s ability to safely provide its goods and services. Under current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, allowing unmasked members of the public into business establishments creates a health and safety risk. Moreover, COVID-19 is spread by persons who may be asymptomatic, and who possibly have no idea whether they carry the virus. As a result, guests are required to wear masks or other suitable face coverings (e.g., bandana, face shield, and the like) under state and local ordinances mandating masks. Under these circumstances, businesses have a good faith basis to not accommodate an unmasked member of the public. Although, no-contact shopping alternatives should be considered and communicated to the guest where a disability is involved, such as allowing for a curbside order. * This material is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute legal advice nor does it create a client-lawyer relationship between the Restaurant Law Center and any recipient. Recipients should consult with counsel before taking any actions based on the information contained within this material.

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4. What if I am concerned about a violent confrontation? A: Reports abound of restaurant workers confronted with increasing violence when asking patrons to wear a mask. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace for employees. Businesses should consider the impact threatening guest encounters on their premises could have on the safety of their employees and guests, as well as business operations. Some practical steps businesses can take include the following: • Make signage abundant and clear. The CDC recommends using verbal announcements, signs, and visual cues to promote social distancing and safety initiatives even before guests enter the building. Many businesses use humor to communicate the necessary message (the internet provides many examples). Another approach is to focus on employee safety and the mandate on the company to provide a safe work environment (i.e., “We want our associates to remain healthy and available to provide you the guest service you deserve, so please wear your mask.”). • Provide no-contact service delivery where possible. Restaurants should consider providing no-contact service alternatives and including the phone number for curbside pickup or delivery options on mask signage for guests not wishing to comply with the public health requirements. • When possible, give masks away for free. When a guest attempts to enter a business without a mask on, the business can offer one. This may defuse the situation if the person simply forgot their mask and feels frustrated that he/she needs to return home or their car to retrieve a mask before entering. • Train employees on mask policies and procedures. Employees should not argue with guests who refuse to wear a mask and potentially escalate the situation. Employees should not attempt to apprehend resistant guests, block guests from entering or exiting the store, or physically force guests to leave. Employees should remain calm, discreetly call security or local law enforcement and allow the police to handle it. • Assign the right person(s) to communicate the message. Staff have different skill sets; some are charming and disarming, while others are whizzes with numbers but have a gruff demeanor. The more pleasant the approach with non-compliant guests, the more likely of gaining compliance. Instead of being demanding with a guest who refuses to wear a mask, try a softer approach (e.g., “Wow, you must be having a tough day today. This whole COVID-19 situation has been hard on all of us. How can I convince you we all just want to get through the day healthy and ready for tomorrow?”). It may not always work, but this is about minimizing the issues when possible. For questions regarding this document, please contact Angelo Amador, Executive Director of the Restaurant Law Center, at 202-331-5913 or via email at aamador@restaurant.org. We would also like to thank Margaret (“Peggy”) Strange and Felice Ekelman with the firm of Jackson Lewis P.C. for their assistance in drafting this document.

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A LA CARTE

RESET Task Force Issues Liability Policy Recs Related to Future COVID-19 Related Lawsuits

T

he Florida RESET Task Force — which is comprised of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), Florida Retail Federation (FRF), the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and dozens of other business groups — released its liability protection policy recommendations aimed at protecting Florida businesses from future COVID-19-related lawsuits. These recommendations were developed by the RESET Task Force’s Legal Reform Working Group.

The RESET Task Force’s liability protection policy recommendations include:

• Exempting essential businesses entirely from COVID-19 liability • A heightened culpability standard: to establish liability, the defendant must have acted with gross negligence or intentional conduct • A heightened evidentiary standard: clear and convincing evidence is required to establish liability, rather than a mere preponderance of the evidence • A shortened statute of limitations so that businesses will not face COVID-19 liability years after the pandemic has passed • Protections for employers from employees’ COVID-19 related claims, including any enforcement actions brought under state law, so long as the employer complied with applicable guidelines The RESET Task Force was formed to focus on providing industry-specific policy recommendations to the Florida Legislature and bringing forth initiatives that will seek to help all of Florida’s economy rebound from the effects of COVID-19 and future economic slowdowns.

Estimated Hotel Jobs Lost and Closures Post COVID

T

he American Hotel and Lodging Association released a study this fall that reveals the serious impact COVID-19 has had on the industry. The industry has been working to urge Congress to pass another COVID-19 stimulus bill to assist operators through this turbulent time. The following are predictions should nothing be implemented.

Florida Breakdown Pre-COVID Hotel Jobs

201,433

Jobs Lost September 2020

-76,746

Total Pre-COVID Supported Jobs Direct hotel jobs + jobs supported by hotels

747,705

Jobs Lost September 2020 Direct hotel jobs + jobs supported by hotels

-172,720

Total Hotel Closures Forced foreclosure or closure due to low current/projected demand

3,861

Hawk’s Cay Salutes Health Care Workers

H

awks Cay honored 50 frontline health care workers this fall by surprising them with a no-cost, two-night stay at the Florida Keys resort. Chosen by their supervisors, the workers demonstrated their commitment to service and went above and beyond what was required of their roles during this global pandemic. Hawks Cay’s Heroes Salute program celebrates America’s heroes, including the military, first responders and health care workers. Thank you to Hawks Cay for your recognition of our heroes! 46  WINTER

2020

Sen. Rubio Names Anna Maria Oyster Bar as Senate Small Business of the Week

U.S.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, named Anna Maria Oyster Bar of Bradenton as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week.
Rubio released the following video message to congratulate Anna Maria Oyster Bar on the honor. Congratulations to the AMOB crew! FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION

PHOTO BY YAKOBCHUKOLENA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (HOTELS) AND MASAOTAIRA / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS (RESET)

Want to know more about the state-by-state breakdown? Click here.


A LA CARTE

Seminole Hard Rock and Its Guitar Hotel Win Top Global Gaming Awards

S

eminole Hard Rock and its Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood won two top honors at the Global Gaming Awards 2020, which were held in conjunction with G2E in Las Vegas. Seminole Hard Rock scored top honors as Land-Based Operator of the Year, winning the first-place award over nine other finalists, all leading casino operators from around the world. In addition, the Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood won first place as Property of the Year. A little more than one year ago, Seminole Hard Rock opened the $1.5 billion Guitar Hotel, an expansion of its flagship Hard Rock-branded integrated resort. Commenting on the awards, Chairman of Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming CEO Jim Allen said, “We’re excited about the acknowledgement, and on behalf of our 50,000 employees around the world, we sincerely appreciate it, especially with so many great companies being considered.”COVID-19 and future economic slowdowns.

Teri Green Luebkemann

W

ith sadness, we want to let our FRLA family and members know that our dear friend and colleague, Geoff Luebkemann, lost his beloved wife Teri, after a long battle with cancer. Geoff and Teri met each other many years ago, while both working at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Geoff left DBPR in 2006 to join the team at FRLA while Teri continued her service for some years at DBPR. Teri retired from the agency several years ago and shortly after her retirement, in June of 2016, Geoff and Teri were married. They have always been an inspiration to those who know and work with them. We have all been touched by their steadfast love and dedication to one another. A service will be planned at a later date when it is safer to gather together. Please keep Geoff and their family in your thoughts and prayers. FRL A .org

Dover Named Influential in Florida Politics

F

RLA President and CEO Carol Dover was named part of “2020 The Influence 100: The most influential people in Florida politics” by INFLUENCE Magazine. This list recognizes folks that are influential in the political process. Congratulations, Carol!

Motion Picture Licensing Corporation Offers Discount to FRLA Members

D

o you play movies, TV or other audiovisual content in your bar, restaurant or hotel? Did you know that playing movies or TV in public requires a public performance license? MPLC is authorized by more than 1,000 motion picture rights holders to grant the Umbrella License®, an affordable copyright compliance solution. Get your FRLA member discount at mplc.com, emailing info@mplc.com or calling (800) 462-8855.

Superior Small Lodging Joins FRLA’s Florida Inns Chapter

F

RLA wants to welcome new members from Superior Small Lodging (SSL) to the Florida Inns Chapter. SSL recently agreed to become a part of this growing chapter that addresses the needs of Florida inns and small hotel properties with under 49 units. Nicole Chapman is the Florida Inns Chapter Director, and she looks forward to working with SSL as they transition into FRLA. For more information, please contact her at (904) 574-2259 (call or text anytime) or at nchapman@frla.org. Thank you to Hawks Cay for your recognition of our heroes! FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

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E D U C AT I O N A L F O U N D AT I O N

FRLA Educational Foundation

UNIVERSAL SPONSOR

T

he FRLA Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) celebrated 20 years of mini grant awards by once again awarding over $80,000 in mini grants to Florida’s ProStart and HTMP programs! The mini grant program began in 2000 due to the needs of the ProStart programs, which were created for students who did not have access to the industry equipment needed to prepare for careers in the foodservice industry. Over the years, the items awarded have ranged from an ice machine and three compartment sinks to panini grills and induction ranges — along with everything in between. While the instructors have changed over the years and new schools have been added, the need is still great. As anyone who works in the industry knows, the equipment does not last forever, and that is only compounded when used daily by high school students. The FRLAEF is proud to be able to help supply the programs with the essential items needed to train high school students for careers in the foodservice and lodging industry. For the third year in a row, the FRLAEF awarded an Extreme Kitchen Makeover Grant. This grant will provide a much-needed $50,000 kitchen equipment update for one of our ProStart programs.

2020 ProStart Teacher of the Year

C

arl Stanton, from Marathon High School in the Keys, is the FRLAEF’s 2020 ProStart Teacher of the Year. Prior to teaching, Carl worked in the foodservice industry and visited the Keys to participate in an event on behalf of his employer. While at the event, he was approached about a future opening at Marathon High School. Eight year later, Carl is still teaching ProStart at Marathon High. His culinary team competes in area competitions where they regularly beat restaurants. He claims his success stories are the students who have gone into the industry and keep in touch with him. Carl’s students brag about the training they receive that allows them to be successful in the foodservice industry. His administrators speak of how he instills discipline, value and respect. GLOBAL SPONSORS

UNIVERSAL SPONSOR

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING FRLA’s course will help you and your staff: • Recognize the signs of human trafficking • Learn best practices to protect victims and businesses • Promote anti-trafficking awareness

Order online at StopHumanTraffickingFL.com | Call today 888-524-2118

FRL A .org

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING

INDUSTRY BULLETIN

for Florida’s Lodging Industry SUBJECT: Human Trafficking

Bulletin 2020-01

October 1, 2020

Effective January 1, 2021, all public lodging establishments regulated by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants must comply with the requirements of section 509.096, Florida Statutes. This section requires all public lodging establishments to provide annual training on human trafficking awareness to employees of the establishment who perform housekeeping duties in the rental units or who work at the front desk or reception area where guests check in or check out. The training must be provided for new employees within 60 days after they begin employment in a housekeeping or reception area role, or by January 1, 2021, whichever occurs later. The establishment must maintain a signed and dated acknowledgment of having received the training for each employee and the acknowledgement must be made available to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation upon request. The establishments may keep the acknowledgement electronically. The human trafficking awareness training used by the establishment must be submitted to and approved by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and must include all of the following: 1) The definition of human trafficking and the difference between the two forms of human trafficking: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. 2) Guidance specific to the public lodging sector concerning how to identify individuals who may be victims of human trafficking. 3) Guidance concerning the role of the employees of a public lodging establishment in reporting and responding to suspected human trafficking. By January 1, 2021, public lodging establishments must also do the following: 1) Implement a procedure for the reporting of suspected human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline or to a local law enforcement agency. 2) Post in a conspicuous location in the establishment that is accessible to employees a human trafficking public awareness sign at least 11 inches by 15 inches in size, printed in an easily legible font and in at least 32-point type, which states in English and Spanish and any other language predominantly spoken in the area which the department deems appropriate substantially the following: “If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in an activity and cannot leave, whether it is prostitution, housework, farm work, retail work, restaurant work, or any other activity, call the National Human Trafficking Rescue Center at 888-373-7888 or text INFO or HELP to 233-733 to access help and services. Victims of slavery and human trafficking are protected under United States and Florida law.” The Division shall impose an administrative fine of $2,000 per day on a public lodging establishment that is not in compliance with this section and remit the fines to the direct-support organization established under s. 16.618, unless the Division receives adequate written documentation from the public lodging establishment which provides assurance that each deficiency will be corrected within 90 days after the Division provided the public lodging establishment with notice of its violation. Detailed information on this subject is available at the Division’s human trafficking webpage at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/human-trafficking/ Operators may call the Customer Contact Center at 850-487-1395 or contact local District Offices for questions or additional information. Locate your District Office at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/division-offices/

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION Ron DeSantis, Governor

Division of Hotels and Restaurants

Halsey Beshears, Secretary

www.MyFloridaLicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/ ▬ Phone: 850.487.1395 50  WINTER

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CITY

Jan

Feb

Mar

E D U C AT I O N A N D T R A I N I N G

LOCATION

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS

6

10

10

Hampton Inn

BOCA RATON

21

25

25

Hilton Garden Inn

DAYTONA BEACH

14

11

11

The Shores Resort & Spa

FORT LAUDERDALE

14

18

18

Hyatt Place

FORT MYERS

12

18

4

Hilton Garden Inn

FORT PIERCE

7

11

11

UF Research & Education Center

FORT WALTON

12

9

9

Wyndham Garden

GAINESVILLE

28

25

25

Best Western Gateway Grand

JACKSONVILLE

19

23

24

Lexington Jacksonville Riverwalk

JACKSONVILLE BEACH

7

11

4

Four Points by Sheraton

KEY WEST

TBD

TBD

TBD

LAKELAND

11

22

15

Holiday Inn

MELBOURNE

21

18

23

Courtyard by Marriott

MIAMI ENGLISH

12

10

9

Holiday Inn Hotel & Conference Center

MIAMI SPANISH

20

23

24

Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami

NAPLES

21

25

11

Homewood Suites by Hilton Miami

OCALA

14

11

11

DoubleTree Suites

ORLANDO

7

4

4

Homewood Suites Ocala Heathbrooke

ORLANDO SPANISH

28

23

25

Embassy Suites

PANAMA CITY

26

25

23

Gulf Coast State College

PENSACOLA

26

23

23

Hampton Inn Pensacola Airport

PORT RICHEY

5

2

2

Homewood Suites

SARASOTA

7

11

11

EVEN Hotel

ST AUGUSTINE

27

24

24

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

ST PETERSBURG

4

1

1

Holiday Inn Express

TALLAHASSEE

21

18

18

Lively Technical Center

TAMPA

5

9

9

Holiday Inn Tampa Westshore

TAMPA SPANISH

12

11

9

WEST PALM BEACH

11

8

8

* Dates are tentative

FRL A .org

DoubleTree Grand Key Resort

Food Manager Training & Testing Schedule To register, call toll-free (866) 372-SAFE (7233) or visit safestaff.org. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: Register for training at least three business days prior to exam date or 10 business days prior for Test With Confidence Packages.

Dates subject to change without notice. Please see SafeStaff.org for current schedule.

Get ServSafe® Results Immediately ServSafe® offers eCertificates! All ServSafe Food Protection Managers Exam results include ServSafe® eCertificates. No need to wait for certificates in the mail. Log in and download your certificate as soon as your exam is graded! You can even share it electronically with your company via an email share link. Find out more: ServSafe.com.

Holiday Inn West Palm Beach Airport

safestaff.org FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING

51


A LA CARTE

REGIONAL REGIONAL DIRECTOR DIRECTOR REGIONAL DIRECTOR & CHAPTERMAP MAP &&CHAPTER CHAPTER MAP

GULF ISLAND COAST

ROZETA ROZETA MAHBOUBI MAHBOUBI

954.270.5814 954.270.5814 | rmahboubi@frla.org | rmahboubi@frla.org

KERI KERI BURNS BURNS

407.256.7660 407.256.7660 | kburns@frla.org | kburns@frla.org

LEE

GULF GULF ISLAND ISLAND COAST COAST COLLIER LEE LEE

FLORIDA FLORIDA INNS INNS Statewide Statewide Chapter Chapter

ROZETA MAHBOUBI

954.270.5814 | rmahboubi@frla.org

FLORIDA INNS Statewide Chapter

COLLIER COLLIER

KERI BURNS

407.256.7660 | kburns@frla.org

F R LA . O R G / M E M B E R S H I P

FR FR LA LA . ORG . O RG / ME / MEMB MB E RS E RS HIHI PP


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Business Matters Switching Payroll Providers from Heartland

10min
pages 40-41

Seal of Commitment Congrats to These Designees

1min
page 39

A La Carte Liability Protection from Future COVID-19-Related Lawsuits

5min
pages 46-47

Safety Tips for Cleaning Point-of-Sale Equipment

2min
pages 36-37

Apps New Apps That Can Help Move Business Forward

3min
page 34

Contact-Free Building a Better Normal with Customer-Centric Technology

1min
page 35

The Wow Factor QR Powered Contactless Menus

2min
page 33

Adapting to New Tech Making Food Safety Safer

4min
page 32

Withum High Touch to No Touch

1min
page 31

Dell Reimagining Digital Transformation in the New World

2min
page 30

The Technology Issue Innovations and the Effects of a Pandemic

0
pages 28-29

Path to Power Nick Sarra

3min
pages 10-12

Natural Gas Saving Money with Natural Gas

6min
pages 20-23

FRLA's Legislative 2021 Priorities Get to Know FRLA's Government

6min
pages 24-25

Get to Know FRLA’s 2021 Executive Committee

6min
pages 26-27

Membership Welcome FRLA’s Newest Members

10min
pages 14-17

Fiberbuilt Tips from an Old Professional

1min
page 13

United Healthcare Facing the Flu

5min
pages 6-9

Leadership Reports Letters from the CEO and Chairman

5min
pages 4-5
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