GRA Weekly

January 4, 2024

This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, TriMark

2024 TASTE OF GEORGIA

15th Annual Taste Of Georgia Legislative Reception

We are excited to announce the 15th Annual Taste of Georgia Legislative Reception on Wednesday, February 21, 2024! This annual event is an opportunity for GRA members to showcase their food to elected officials and for our legislators to network with our state’s second largest employer. The honorees of the 2024 Georgia Grown Executive Chef Program will also be recognized.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

5:00PM - 7:00PM

Georgia Freight Depot

65 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr

Atlanta, GA 30312

GRA Restaurant Members: If you are interested in participating and showcasing your restaurant, contact us. Attendance is complimentary for lobbyists, dignitaries, legislators, and staff, however registration is required. Discounted registration is available for GRA Restaurant Members.

GRA MEETING WITH GOVERNOR KEMP

GRA Meeting with Governor Kemp

Earlier this week, the GRA Advocacy team had the opportunity to meet with Governor Brian Kemp ahead of the 2024 state legislative session. During the meeting, GRA President + CEO, Karen Bremer, was presented with a proclamation signed by Governor Kemp honoring her years of service at the state Capitol and to Georgia's restaurant industry.

Pictured left to right: Scott Bierman, Stephanie Fischer, Karen Bremer, Governor Brian Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp.

2024 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONFERENCE

2024 Public Affairs Conference - Save the Date!

The National Restaurant Association has opened registration for the 2024 Public Affairs Conference. The conference will be from April 15-17 at the Westin Downtown in Washington, D.C. If you are interested in attending, be sure to save the date with more details to come soon!

GRA ADVOCACY UPDATE

2024 State Legislative Session Kicks Off

Monday, January 8th marks the start of the 2024 Legislative Session of the Georgia General Assembly. Legislators from across the state will travel to Atlanta to gavel in the new year. Notable issues being taken up this year include budget appropriations, tort reform, housing reform, access to healthcare, and labor regulations. We will be sure to keep you up to date on any issues affecting the restaurant industry as we embark on yet another 40-day session.

Georgia DOR | Quarterly Sales & Use Tax Rate Updates

Effective January 1, 2024, Georgia Department of Revenue has published the new quarterly sales and use tax rates. Historical, current and upcoming sales and use tax rates changes may be viewed here.

Savannah Alcohol Update

The Savannah Department of Revenue has provided updates on the license renewal process, dates for Sunday sales, and the Server Training Program. The submission deadline for the Alcoholic Beverage License (ABL) renewal packages was on December 31, 2023. However, the Savannah DOR has extended a grace period, with a final application date of January 28, 2024. For more information regarding the Server Training Permit Card click here.

2024 GEORGIA GROWN EXECUTIVE CHEF PROGRAM

2024 Georgia Grown Executive Chef Program

The Georgia Department of Agriculture's Georgia Grown campaign has partnered with the Georgia Restaurant Association for a statewide Georgia Grown Executive Chef program. The following terms outline the commitment to the Georgia Grown Executive Chef program.

Participant Requirements:

Incorporates locally grown product into your menu, educating patrons about foods that came from local farms and generating awareness about the product and their producers.
Promotes and fosters a relationship between chefs and farmers, while creating a greater awareness among both restaurateurs and consumers about the availability of quality, local products in Georgia.
Demonstrates knowledge about which local Georgia products are available for the cooking season.
Assists local chefs on a strategy to incorporate locally grown produce into their menu.
Aims to provide public school culinary education and school food nutrition by educating, training, or developing recipes.
Provide a list of products you source locally and farms you work with and/or the approximate percentage of your menu that is sourced locally.
Available these dates:
Taste of Georgia Legislative Reception on February 21, 2024 from 5:00PM - 7:00PM.
Georgia ProStart Invitational on February 29, 2024 from 8:00AM - 4:00PM to judge.
One full day on March 23 or 24, 2024 to do 1-2 live demos at the Georgia Food and Wine Festival (date TBD).
Available for at least one other Georgia Grown event or outreach during the year.

The Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Restaurant Association appreciate your support and participation in the Georgia Grown program. Your involvement in this program contributes to our mission to create a greater awareness both among restaurateurs and consumers about the importance of buying and eating local. Apply by January 31, 2024. For information on how to apply, click here.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATLANTA RESTAURANTS

City of Atlanta Offers Opportunities for Restaurants

The City of Atlanta's Office of Procurement has 3 main concepts they are looking to fill -

Grant Park
Cafeteria Operator for City Hall
Cafeteria Operator for Municipal Courts

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please check out the Projects Out for Bid page of ATLSuppliers.com information hub.

GRA FOUNDATION UPDATE

Volunteers Needed: Help Our Industry Grow

The Georgia Restaurant Association Foundation (GRAF) is currently recruiting industry leaders to mentor ProStart Students and serve as judges at the 2024 Georgia ProStart Invitational - which will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 8:00AM - 4:00PM at Gas South Arena. The GRAF is seeking volunteers with experience in the Hospitality industry and a passion for service. Read the full flyer here.

To register as a mentor or judge, contact Katie Ashley, GRAF Programs Manager, for more information.

2024 MENU TRENDS TO WATCH

2024 Menu Trends To Watch

End-of-year menu trend predictions started flowing in from industry forecasters as early as October. The reports, which were gathered from restaurants, food manufacturers, trade associations and market research companies, had some surprising findings. From influencers, solo dining, to the hottest new ingredients, here’s what the forecasters say will most impact menus and operations in the year ahead - keep reading.

FEDERAL UPDATE

IRS | ERC Voluntary Disclosure Program Launched

Businesses who received Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claim funding in error may now repay these funds through the IRS’s new Voluntary Disclosure Program. Deadline to apply is March 22, 2024.

Employers who also wish to explore withdrawing a previously submitted ERC claim due to questions of accuracy/possible fraud now have the ability to do. Employers should carefully review the withdrawal process instructions as well as the Employee Retention Credit Eligibility Checklist to determine eligibility.

Operators Can Claim Their Share of Payment Card Settlement

A class-action lawsuit against the credit card duopoly recently reached a settlement. The Payment Card Settlement is the biggest antitrust class-action settlement in history. It sets aside at least $5.54B and a maximum of approximately $6.24B for millions of U.S. merchants who, for years, paid artificially inflated Visa and Mastercard interchange fees, which are also called swipe fees.

Why it matters: If a restaurant operator accepted Visa and/or Mastercard at any time between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 25, 2019, they are likely a member of the class settlement and entitled to a share of the settlement.

Go deeper: The settlement ends a 2013 lawsuit in which the National Restaurant Association and the Restaurant Law Center played leading roles. The lawsuit alleged merchants paid excessive fees to accept Visa and Mastercard, while these two companies violated antitrust laws by price-fixing interchange fees.

How to claim your share: You can submit a claim through the official court-authorized Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement website. The fastest and easiest way to submit a claim is to wait for the claim form to arrive in the mail and use the Claimant ID and Control Number provided to log in.

Claim forms began mailing on Dec. 1, 2023. Because of the large number of claim forms being sent, you may not receive yours until Jan. 2024.
If you received a Claim Form in the mail and want to file a claim online using the Claimant ID provided, you can click the “Submit a Claim” button found on the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement website.
If you do not receive a claim form and are uncertain as to whether you are a merchant that is eligible to file a claim in this settlement, also click the “Submit a Claim” button found on the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement website and after providing your Taxpayer Identification Number along with some additional information, the Class Administrator will attempt to determine whether you qualify.

Need to know: Operators can file claims on their own, free of charge, by following the instructions above.

PREPARING FOR WINTER CONDITIONS

Preparing For Winter Conditions

As temperatures continue to drop, now is the time for restaurants to prepare! Emergencies can happen with extreme weather conditions like sudden temperature drops, snow, and ice - all of which can cause power outages. Some tips to get winter ready:

Letting cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes, even at a trickle, can help prevent pipes from freezing and potentially flooding.
Make sure you have appliance thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer.
Check to ensure that the freezer temperature is at or below 0° F, and the refrigerator is at or below 41° F.
In case of a power outage, the appliance thermometers will indicate the temperatures in the refrigerator and freezer to help you determine if the food is safe.
Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers in case the power goes out. If your normal water supply is contaminated or unavailable, the melting ice will also supply drinking water.
Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk, and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately. This helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
Group food together in the freezer. This helps the food stay cold longer.
Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
Purchase or make ice cubes in advance, and freeze gel packs ahead of time. Store all of these in the freezer for future use in the refrigerator or in coolers.
Check out local sources to know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased, in case it should be needed.
Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.
Make sure to have a supply of bottled water stored where it will be as safe as possible from flooding. If your bottled water has an odor, do not drink or use it. Instead, dispose of it, or if applicable, call your bottled water provider to make arrangements to get a replacement.
How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing
Food and Water Safety During Power Outages (FDA)
Winter Weather Preparedness (GEMA)