Top Legal News

ConAgra Potato Plant Earns Energy Star Certification

The ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston Boardman, Oregon, potato plant has earned for the first time an ENERGY STAR certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA awards the ENERGY STAR—one of the most recognized green marks in the world—to plants achieving best-in-class performance, based on the EPA’s Energy Performance Indicator (EPI). Additionally, the […]

Teamsters Strikes at US Foods Spread

US Foods Teamsters in New Jersey extended picket lines last night and early today, leading to more service disruptions for this company. The sympathy pickets were in response to a strike Sunday at a US Foods warehouse in Streator, Ill. More than 1,500 Teamsters have now honored picket lines this week at US Foods in […]

Santa Monica Seafood Receives Safety Certification

Santa Monica Seafood is pleased to announce the Company recently received Food Safety System Certification (FSSC 22000), making it the first seafood company in the United States to achieve this significant accomplishment. Det Norske Veritas (DNV), one of the leading internationally recognized ISO certifying bodies, granted the certification. "The FSSC 22000 system is our roadmap […]

HCFS Seeks Sustainability Program of the Year

The Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS), a nonprofit, industry-wide forum supporting the foodservice industry’s drive for sustainable equipment and design, is currently accepting applications for its annual $5,000 sustainability grant. The grant is going to be awarded to the individual or organization judged to have the best-executed foodservice or grocery sustainability project of the […]

No Slip and Fall Here: Keeping Floors Clean

Cintas Corporation launched its new comprehensive Safe Floor Program designed specifically for the foodservice industry. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, floor safety is a significant concern with more than three million foodservice employees and more than one million guests injured annually as a result of restaurant slips, falls, strains, and sprains. Developed to […]

Twin Peaks CEO Responds to Hooters Allegations

Twin Peaks co-founder and CEO Randy DeWitt responds to a federal lawsuit filed in Atlanta last week by the Hooters of America restaurant chain against new Twin Peaks franchisee La Cima. The lawsuit claims that former Hooters executive Joe Hummel, now a part of La Cima, took information that would provide Twin Peaks with trade […]

Council Recognizes Testa’s Sustainable Efforts

Testa Produce, Inc. has taken vast steps to become a sustainable and environmental leader in the foodservice industry. On Sept. 21, 2011, those efforts were recognized as Peter Testa, president, was one of three recipients of the Environmental Leadership Award at the Ninth Annual Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) Dinner. Several representatives from the city of […]

Keeping Unions Out of Your Restaurant

Since the recession hit at the end of 2007, and as people become more concerned with job security, the prospect of unionization in the restaurant industry has grown. “Only 22 percent of the disengaged employees [surveyed] said they would not vote for a union,” says Don MacPherson, president of Modern Survey. “If disengagement continues to […]

A Menu of Intellectual Property Strategies

There’s nothing like using your creative spark to grow your restaurant’s business. The problem, however, is that many restaurant operators often neglect their intellectual property and its legal power to develop their unique images and stave off competition. There are a plethora of intellectual property assets that are worthy of legal protection and restaurants can […]

Medical Insurance Rises in Hospitality Industry

Medical insurance costs are continuing to rise for hospitality industry employers across the country. The 2011 Compensation Data Hospitality survey results show companies reported an average premium increase of 9.3 percent. More than 45 percent of respondents indicated they pay more than $9,600 annually for an employee plus family plan. "The rising cost of insurance […]

Senator Discusses 2012 Farm Bill in D.C.

Sen. Pat Roberts, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, lends his seasoned perspective to a discussion of the 2012 Farm Bill at the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Public Policy Conference. Roberts will speak before the Luncheon General Session on Tuesday, October 4. “This is a great chance for leaders […]

Best Practices for Recycling Glass Containers

The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) announces the results of an in-depth survey of 10 bar, restaurant, and hotel glass container recycling programs in eight states. In addition to collecting data on containers and processes, economic details, and logistics, the survey also identifies eight best practices that have come out of these trail-blazing programs.   To […]

Darden Supports Michelle Obama, Cuts Calories

Darden Restaurants Inc., operator of the Olive Garden and Red Lobster dining chains, agreed to work with the Partnership for a Healthier America to cut calories and salt in its meals. Darden will reduce calories and sodium by 10 percent in the next five years at its six different restaurant chains, Rich Jeffers, a company […]

Texas Restaurants, UnitedHealthcare Form Alliance

More than 37,000 Texas restaurant owners and operators now have access to health insurance and related products and services through the Restaurant Health Care Alliance, a joint project of the National Restaurant Association and UnitedHealthcare. The Alliance, partnering with the Texas Restaurant Association, provides a suite of health care products that will help Texas restaurant […]

NRA Offers Sessions, Tips for Food Safety Month

The National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) today announced a month-long initiative to encourage restaurant and foodservice operators to participate in the 17th Annual National Food Safety Education Month (NFSEM) this September. The campaign focuses on the importance of food safety education and training, while continuing to raise awareness of the industry's commitment to food safety.   […]

Ctuit’s RADAR Improves Bagger Dave’s Operations

Ctuit Software, the leader in business intelligence software for restaurants, announced that Bagger Dave’s Legendary Burger Tavern, a full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar concept owned and operated by Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc., has deployed Ctuit RADAR into all of its locations. RADAR provides business intelligence for Bagger Dave’s operations in order for the company’s executive team […]

FDA Releases Employee Health, Hygiene Resource Disc

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is releasing the Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Interactive Resource Disc for use by foodservice establishments and retail food stores in preventing transmission of foodborne pathogens that are often transmitted by sick food employees. The disc includes an interactive tool to assist the persons in charge of these establishments […]

Customers Willing to Pay to Go Green

SCA, a sustainable, global personal hygiene products company, released survey results showing that restaurant patrons are strongly supporting environmentally and socially responsible restaurants. In the survey, respondents were asked to assume two restaurants were exactly the same, but with one exception – one establishment has a clear focus on environmental and social stewardship. Fifty-three percent […]

What’s In A Name? Just Ask the NRA

My digital, high-definition television does a lot more than broadcast daily headlines. It brings me the name of the caller on the other end of the telephone every time it rings, as long as the set is on at the time. You know the drill — if your phone and cable television provider are the […]

NRA Training Classes Reach Millionth Milestone

Underscoring that it is the restaurant industry’s leader in training and certification solutions, the National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) celebrated a milestone this month by providing its one millionth training class and exam administration. The Association has contributed to the success of the nation’s nearly one million restaurants and 13 million employees through its ServSafe Food Safety, ServSafe […]

Debit-Card Fees Disappoint NRA

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) expressed strong concern and disappointment following the Federal Reserve’s vote today to cap the “swipe fees” that merchants pay for debit-card transactions at 21 cents per transaction—less than the average 44 cents that merchants pay for debit-card transactions today, but a significant increase over the 12-cent swipe-fee cap that the […]

NRA Says No to Corn-Based Ethanol Subsidies

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) released the following statement after a June 16 bipartisan Senate vote to end billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies for corn-based ethanol: “Subsidies for corn-based ethanol for fuel distort the market and divert resources away from the food supply, which has a real impact on food prices. Coupled with the […]

NRA Protests DOL Tip Credit Rule

The National Restaurant Association (NRA), Council of State Restaurant Associations, and National Federation of Independent Business filed suit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) over an amended Fair Labor Standards Act regulation. The amended rule affects hundreds of thousands of businesses that employ tipped workers. The organizations are suing for declaratory and injunctive relief […]

Full-Service Restaurants Need to Differentiate

Full-service restaurants need to differentiate to keep business coming in. This is just one of the conclusions reached by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which today released its annual consumer report card, revealing how well restaurants are performing in the eyes of their customers, in terms of product quality, service quality, and value/price.   […]

In California, Safe Food Handling is a Must

The July 1 California Food Handler Card law compliance deadline is nearing, as more than 900,000 affected foodservice workers seek foundational food safety training. The law, SB 602, was authored by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) and enacted Jan. 1 to create a statewide standard for safe food handling practices in California’s restaurants. It requires food […]

One Week Left For Comment Period on FDA Menu Nutrition Labeling Requirements

Efforts by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement the restaurant menu labeling and vending machine labeling provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Act) took a major step forward with the publication of the FDA's proposed regulations on April 6, 2011.  The FDA previously issued a Draft Guidance for […]

Flexible Schedules are Key to Happy Employees

Offering a flexible schedule is an almost guaranteed way to keep your employees happy. This is according to comments made in a survey by Glassdoor.com, which recently released a list of the top 25 companies that offer the best balance between work and personal life. The company was propelled to create the list after a […]