GRA Weekly

April 7, 2022

This week's newsletter is brought to you by GRA Corporate Partner, US Foods.

IMPORTANT RRF UPDATE

House Votes to Replenish RRF, Uncertain Path in Senate

The House of Representatives just approved a bill to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Dean Philips (D-MN) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) in bringing this bill to the House floor.

All eyes now turn to the Senate. This week, Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the Small Business COVID Relief Act, a measure that includes a provision replenishing the RRF. We believe this bill could be considered on the Senate floor later this month or in early May.

There was a spirited debate on the House floor on whether the RRF should be replenished by spending “new” federal dollars (thus increasing the federal budget deficit), or by reallocating existing federal dollars. As you’d expect, drawing money down from a different federal account creates winners and losers, and it has proven difficult for Congress to reach bipartisan agreement on how to approach this.

The pandemic-related shutdown of indoor dining was a natural disaster for our industry. The RRF was originally funded as emergency spending, no different from a hurricane or flood. We are not seeking a second round of RRF grants, we are simply seeking basic fairness for the 177,000 restaurants that are still waiting for relief.

We would not be at this point without your ongoing support and engagement, and the leadership of the National Restaurant Association and our state restaurant association partners.

The path to securing 60 votes in the Senate is very uncertain, and the debate on how to fund replenishment is the largest challenge we see.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

SIPPIN' LOCAL | VOTE NOW

Sippin' Local Polls Open

InsiderAdvantage Georgia/JAMES Magazine announces the 3rd annual SIPPIN' LOCAL poll highlighting a growing Georgia industry. Everyone is invited to vote for their favorite breweries, distilleries and wineries located across the state. The top 10 vote getters in each category will be listed in the May/June issue of JAMES Magazine, and the number one company in each category will be spotlighted in a feature article. Make sure to come back every day to vote for your favorites and share the poll with your followers, friends and family! If you don't see your favorite on the list, choose the "other" option and write it in. We will add it to the ballot.

*In partnership with the Georgia Restaurant Association, Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, Hospitality Business Network Foundation, Foodie Road Trip, Georgia Grown, Atlanta Beer and Wine Festivals and Georgia Distillers Association.

STATE OF THE PLATE

The 2022 Legislative Session is over. What passed? What didn't? What's next? Hear from GRA President + CEO Karen Bremer.

Bills Discussed: HB 961, HB 1376, HB 1443, SB 331, SB 578, SR 428, Legalization of Water Spinach

Watch Now.

ADIDAS X WAFFLE HOUSE

Adidas and Waffle House team up with special Tour360 22 golf shoes for Masters 2022

USA Today - Next up on the Waffle House menu: its own line of golf shoes. The popular breakfast chain is teaming up with Adidas on the Tour360 22 x Waffle House golf shoes, which will launch on the shoe maker's website Thursday, April 7. The shoes, which will be available the same day as the opening round of the 86th Masters golf tournament, boast an off-white color similar to waffle batter. The three stripes on the sides will sport a brown, checkered waffle pattern resembling the color of a cooked Waffle House waffle. Read more.

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW

National Restaurant Show May 2022

The National Restaurant Association Show is back—and are here to help. Join your peers from across the foodservice industry in Chicago on May 21-24, 2022, and discover exciting new products, interact with innovative new equipment, create business connections with key suppliers, access expert-led education sessions on today’s biggest topics, and make invaluable peer-to-peer networking connections.

For foodservice professionals seeking new and better ways to operate their establishments, grow their customer base, broaden their networks, and increase their success. With representation from all 50 states and 110 countries, there’s no other place to interact with the entire foodservice industry ecosystem.

GRA/National Restaurant Association members are eligible to receive one complimentary badge to the NRA Show. You are required to use your National Restaurant Association member ID and last name to access this complimentary badge. To obtain your NRA membership number, please contact us at info@garestaurants.org.