"Hot Off the Grill" - Edition #2

Introducing our sizzling new edition of newsletters: "Hot off the Grill"! We're fired up to bring you the latest and greatest industry updates, straight from the grill to your inbox. Curated by the National Restaurant Association and industry leaders, "Hot off the Grill" is your go-to source for the hottest industry topics happening across the county. So, sit back, relax, and let us serve you the freshest updates straight from the grill!

800,000 Immigrants Could Benefit from Work Permit Extensions

The News: The Department of Homeland Security’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a temporary final rule yesterday, extending work permits for 540 days for immigrants whose work permit renewal applications are stuck in processing backlogs.

Why it Matters: Nearly 800K immigrants would lose their work authorization without this new extension. This includes asylum seekers, immigrants with pending green card applications, refugees, some TPS holders and more. The rule benefits individuals who applied for their work permit renewal any time on or after Oct.27, 2023. Immigrants will benefit from this rule if USCIS receives the work permit renewal application on or before Sept. 30, 2025.

New Data Privacy Bill Raises Concerns

What Happened: New legislation, called the American Privacy Rights Act of 2024 (APRA), aims to establish a comprehensive national framework for consumer data privacy and security.

More: The bill, introduced by a bipartisan, bicameral team—Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Cantwell (D-WA) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers(R-WA)—would establish national consumer data privacy rights and set standards for data security for qualifying organizations.

Where We Stand: The Association continues to be in favor of a reasonable data privacy bill that would preempt the existing patchwork of state laws, but APRA contains several poison pills.

• Specifically, the bill would threaten a restaurant’s ability to maintain loyalty programs and reach its customers through targeted advertising.

• Additionally, the bill does not go far enough to ensure this federal law would preempt state laws, and it unfortunately includes a private right of action as a key enforcement mechanism.

What’s Next: The legislation is being referred to by some as a “discussion draft,” and its path forward in this Congress is uncertain. However, the Association will continue to work with like-minded trade organizations and stakeholders on Capitol Hill to convey concerns with the bill and educate members on its potential impact.

Association Backs Bill to Increase Transparency During Union Organizing Campaigns

What’s Happening: The Association is urging Representatives to support the Start Applying Labor Transparency (SALT) Act, legislation to establish reporting requirements on union “salting,” a tactic often used during union organizing campaigns.

What That Means: Salts are individuals paid by unions to get jobs at non-unionized workplaces with the intention of persuading workers to organize.

Why It Matters: The SALT Act would provide much-needed transparency for workers by requiring unions and salts to disclose their actions to the Department of Labor.

Learn more: The SALT Act addresses salting through the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA).

• Right now, LMRDA does not mandate reporting from labor unions concerning their use of salts, and there is no reporting requirement for salts themselves.

• Employers and labor relations consultants must file reports on their agreements or arrangements.

Restaurants Keep Pushing Congress for Tax Relief

What’s Happening: Restaurant operators both small and large continue to urge the Senate to advance bipartisan tax relief this month.

How We Got Here: The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, H.R.7024, passed the House by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, 357-70 in January. The Senate has yet to act.

Why It Matters: The bill would temporarily bring back 100% bonus depreciation on capital expenses and restore the business interest expense standard. This would help many restaurant operators lower their tax burden when investing in restaurant updates.

What You Can Do: Continue outreach to your senators. If you would like a state-specific fact sheet on this legislation, please contact @HNichols. Add your voice here and share it with other operators.

Less Than a Week Until #PAFC24!

Don’t Miss Out: The restaurant industry’s largest grassroots event is just days away! Follow @RestaurantsAct for highlights and updates from #PAFC24.  

• It's not too late to be a part of the industry's largest advocacy event! Register here: restaurant.org/publicaffairsconference.

Issues For Action: Our message to policymakers this year is clear. For restaurants to continue being a growth engine in every community, we need Congress to take action in 3key areas:

• Lowering swipe fees through the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA)

• Protecting the tip credit

• Helping to block the FTC’s proposed surcharge ban.  

Learn More: Watch this short video to learn more about these key issues and what we’re asking of Congress.

Check out the agenda: See what to expect at the 38th annual Public Affairs Conference.

Speakers: Co-hosts of Fox NewsChannel’s the Five, Dana Perino and former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., will be the keynote speakers. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, and Rep. María Salazar (FL-27), member of the Caucus, will participate in a fireside chat. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), lead co-sponsor of the CCCA, will also speak at the event.

In the news...

Despite last week's reduction offer, Mastercard is increasing some credit-card fees 

Despite Mastercard's recent offer to reduce transaction fees for restaurants and retailers, a group representing these merchants has revealed that the company plans to raise assessment fees, which would result in additional expenses for businesses, prompting criticism from business advocates who argue that recent settlement proposals offer only minimal relief from high credit card transaction costs.

Looking for a late-night meal? America’s closed 

The decline in late-night dining options, from restaurants to retailers like Walmart, reflects changing consumer habits and industry dynamics exacerbated by the pandemic… “Operationally, the industry is in a different place than it was pre-pandemic,” said Hudson Riehle, the senior vice president of Research at the National Restaurant Association. “It doesn’t make sense for some of these operators to incur higher costs in traditionally lower sales periods.”

The restaurant industry added over 28K jobs in March 

The U.S. economy showed continued growth in March, with 303K jobs added and unemployment dropping to 3.8%., yet despite overall industry recovery, disparities persist in the restaurant sector, with some segments lagging behind pre-pandemic levels while others thrive, signaling a more modest but positive growth trajectory for the industry moving forward.