Speakers of a distinctly political hue are in the spotlight at the National Restaurant Association’s 27th annual Public Affairs Conference in two weeks. The April 17-18 conference in Washington, D.C., will see more than 500 restaurateurs from across the country convene for presentations from U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy, majority whip of the U.S. House, as…

Operators in the country’s most populous state can get a close-up look this month at implementing the nation’s ongoing healthcare reform. “Health Care 201: Implementing the Affordable Care Act,” is going on the road this month, courtesy of the California Restaurant Association Legal Center. The CRA presentation will tour California with a line-up of national,…

More comprehensive menu labeling is on the legislative docket in Nevada. A bill has been introduced in the state legislature that would require eateries with 10 or more locations to post nutritional information in a conspicuous place. Under the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration already is crafting regulations requiring restaurant chains…

It looks like it’s going to be a while until chain operators have to follow the mandate to post calorie counts on their menus. The Food and Drug Administration says it’s finding the task of writing up menu-labeling regulations to be a very tricky one. The requirement to include calorie counts on menus and in…

The New York City bill banning supersized sugary drinks might have gone down to judicial defeat last week, but the state court ruling was only the tip of the iceberg in an attempt at reining in government interference in the foodservice industry. The Mississippi Legislature has passed a bill stating any law that might restrict…

Menu labeling, healthcare regulations and food costs are among the top issues that the National Restaurant Association’s newly launched Pizzeria Industry Council will bring to the discussion table. The group is modeled after the association’s Fast Casual Industry Council, established in 2009. Both councils address priority issues for their specific industry segments and underscore the…

On the last day of January, six months after the Chicago City Council legalized cooking onboard food trucks, the city issued its first license for on-site food prep and cooking. The city has been under fire from food truck operators and prospective customers for its lengthy and contentious approach to curbside, mobile foodservice. It took…

Accommodation without major alteration to a foodservice operation appears to be the stance taken by the U.S. Department of Justice with regard to how the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to food-allergic customers. The department has just published a Q&A reaffirming that the ADA does not require all restaurants to provide gluten-free or allergen-free foods.…

The National Restaurant Association’s 2013 Public Affairs Conference is set for April 17-18 in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, “Carry the Message—America Works Here,” is part of the NRA’s ongoing campaign to communicate to opinion leaders and government agencies the foodservice industry’s story as a leading job creator. The restaurant industry employs more than 13…

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has already battled trans fats, smoking and supersized sodas during his 11 years in office, has now proposed a citywide ban on “foam-based foodservice products,” including coffee cups, trays and clamshell containers. “We have unfinished business and only 320 days to complete it,” said the mayor in his final…