Restaurateurs Return to D.C.

The NRA Public Affairs Conference welcomes back State Restaurant Associations

After a two-year hiatus of the in-person National Restaurant Association (NRA) Public Affairs Conference, the return of restaurateurs to the U.S. Capitol was overdue. Hundreds of restaurateurs, 25 from Louisiana, flew in to D.C. April 25-27 for the two-day event. The first day featured guest speakers and policy briefing designed to educate restaurateurs for day two of the conference, which was Capitol Hill Visits with their Congressional Delegations.

“Throughout the last two years, we’ve experienced the powerful results of what can happen when Restaurants Act,” said Scott Redler, Chair of the 2022 conference. “Together with restaurant owners and operators, employees, state associations, and our industry partners, we came together to affect change at every level of government.”

LRA Members are all smiles as Day 1 of the NRA Public Affairs Conference gets underway. From left to right, Jeff Conaway of Beausoleil, Scott Taylor of Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, 2022 LRA Chair Michael Boudreaux with wife Laura of Juban’s and SoLou, Chris Esteve of Domenica, Stephen Hightower of City Group Hospitality, Octavio Mantilla of BRG Hospitality, Emery Whalen of QED Hospitality, Tommy Cvitanovich of Drago’s, Scott Ricci of Drago’s, Michael Maenza of MMI Culinary and SWEGS and John Eastman of Auto-Chlor.

The pandemic dealt a series of blows to restaurants that have only been compounded by variants like Delta and Omicron, supply chain disruptions, waffling consumer demand and slowing government response. At the top of the list for the 35th Annual Public Affairs Conference, the NRA lasered in on issues that would help ease the workforce woes plaguing restaurants of all sizes in communities near and far.

LRA Director Emery Whalen speaks to Congressman Steve Scalise about the risks of removing the tip credit and tipping system and reinstating the Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act for the fourth quarter of 2021. To Whalen’s right is QED Hospitality’s Brian Landry.

Redler continued, “Today, as the dark veil of the pandemic begins to lift, we know there is still much more to do before the industry can fully recover. Our Association’s mission, ‘To serve our industry and impact its success,’ has never been more relevant, and we look forward to continuing to work together to serve every restaurant.”

Congressman Troy Carter stops in to address LRA members at the association’s hosted dinner at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, April 27, 2022.