National Restaurant Association pushes for Congress to pass Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment this week

Washington, D.C. (April 4, 2022) – The National Restaurant Association today sent a letter to Congressional leadership encouraging passage of Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) Replenishment if the program comes up for a vote this week.

According to the letter, while the rest of the economy continues to quickly add jobs, restaurant industry job growth in the first quarter of 2022 was the smallest since 2020. On the business side, real sales at restaurants in January were lower than volumes posted in each of the 10 months leading up to the pandemic.

“With the looming threat of another variant and growing challenges of inflation for both operators and consumers, the economic boost RRF could provide for those 177,000 restaurants would reach far into our communities,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “This should be the driving factor in bipartisan support for replenishing the RRF. These restaurants fighting for survival cannot go it alone any longer and should not be treated as a spot in the rear-view mirror of Congress.”

For the 177,000 restaurants that are still awaiting RRF support — which represents nearly 20% of the restaurant industry — these challenges are compounded by more than six months of competitive disadvantages these restaurants face compared with those that received an RRF grant. An Association survey of restaurant operators found that 96% of RRF recipients said the grant made it more likely that they would be able to stay in business; 92% said the grant helped them pay expenses or debt that had accumulated since the beginning of the pandemic.

In addition, the survey found:

• Nearly 50% of restaurant operators that did not receive RRF grants feel it’s unlikely that they will stay in business beyond the pandemic without a grant.
• 94% of restaurant operators that applied for an RRF grant, but did not receive funding, said a future grant would enable them to retain or hire back employees.

Read the full letter to Congressional leaders here and find more data about the impact the original round of RRF funding had on the industry here.

Departments to add additional visas and significant worker protections 

WASHINGTON —The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) today announced the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule to make available an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2022. These visas will be set aside for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or after April 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2022.

“Informed by current demand in the labor market, today we are announcing the availability of an additional 35,000 H-2B visas that will help to support American businesses and expand legal pathways for workers seeking to come to the United States,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Recognizing the importance of strong worker protections, we will apply greater scrutiny to those employers who have a record of violating obligations to their workers and the H-2B program.”

The supplemental H-2B visa allocation consists of 23,500 visas available to returning workers, who received an H-2B visa or were otherwise granted H-2B status, during one of the last three fiscal years. The remaining 11,500 visas, which are exempt from the returning worker requirement, are reserved for nationals of Haiti, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

The H-2B program permits employers to temporarily hire noncitizens to perform nonagricultural labor or services in the United States. The employment must be for a limited period of time, such as a one-time occurrence, seasonal, or intermittent need. Employers seeking to hire H-2B workers must take a series of steps to test the U.S. labor market. They must provide certification from the Department of Labor that proves there are not enough U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified, and available to do the temporary work for which they seek a prospective foreign worker, and that employing the H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

In January 2022, the Departments announced the availability of 20,000 additional H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2022. Additional details about how the supplemental allocation will be implemented, including the worker protections, will be provided in the forthcoming temporary final rule.

ORLANDO – From March 2-6 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, more than 300 Florida high school students from 45 schools competed in the statewide annual Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) Hospitality & Tourism Management Program (HTMP) and ProStart Culinary Competition Events. This year marked the 21^st year for the ProStart competition and the 18^th year for the HTMP event; Florida is the only state to host a statewide competition for the HTMP program.

Throughout the weekend, ProStart students competed in categories including Culinary, Management, Edible Centerpiece, and Waiter’s Relay. At the the Salute to Excellence Award ceremony, students were awarded for their respective competition categories. They also received scholarships from the FRLAEF and event sponsors, including the World Equestrian Center, National Restaurant Association Education Foundation, Keiser University Center for Culinary Arts, University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management, American Culinary Federation, Ecolab, and Disney Culinary. Winners will advance to the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C., which is hosted by the National Restaurant Association in May. HTMP students competed in categories including Hotel Operations, Hospitality Project, and the Knowledge Bowl and were also awarded scholarships from the FRLA Educational Foundation.

“Despite not having these competitions last year due to COVID, this year’s junior and senior year students rose to the challenge, especially given the fact none had competed before,” said Laura Rumer, Director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “Both the HTMP and ProStart competitions featured opportunities for our students to demonstrate their talents for both the hotel and restaurant sides of the hospitality industry. It is such a thrill to watch them in action, and we cannot wait to do it again next year!”

“We are so proud of these talented high school students who show incredible promise for a future in the best industry in Florida – hospitality,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “While we have always encouraged participation in the HTMP and ProStart programs, now more than ever, it is critical that we support and invest in our youth who will be the future of this great industry. Congratulations to these outstanding young men and women and to their instructors who devote so much time to their training.”

21^st ANNUAL FLORIDA PROSTART COMPETITION WINNERS:

Overall Winners

1^st  Place         Strawberry Crest High School – Dover, FL
2^nd Place         Wekiva High School – Apopka, FL
3^rd  Place         JP Taravella High School – Coral Springs, FL
4^th Place          Steinbrenner High School – Lutz, FL
5^th Place          Hialeah High School – Hialeah, FL

Keiser University Culinary Competition

1^st Place          Strawberry Crest High School (Dover): Madison Jones, Jenna Mayo, Julian Alvarado, Eryhka Allbritton, Abigail Hemphill; Instructor Paul Bonanno

2^nd Place         Martin County High School (Stuart): Lily Tax, Paige Williams, Sophia Poirier, Georgia Poirier, Dominic Padovano; Instructor Shaun Southwick

3^rd Place          JP Taravella High School (Coral Springs): Lexi Gonzalez, Jordan Edwy, Gabriela Franco, Eric Lin; Instructor Scott Goodman

4^th Place          John A. Ferguson High School (Miami): Julio Gonzalez, Kayla Mejia, Andres Ramirez, Briana Font, Piero Callirgos; Instructors Janett Toledo, Jorge Garcia, Jebel Cordoba

5^th Place          Bethlehem High School (Bonifay): Avery Acreman, Zoie Miller, Jacob Tate, Jasmine Staggs, Journey Simpson; Instructor Chelsea Herndon

Rosen College at UCF Management Competition

1^st Place            Hialeah High School (Hialeah): Vanessa Martinez, Maylet Perez, Jaden Sandoval, Kiana Yee; Instructor Kathy Gonzalez

2^nd Place           Strawberry Crest High School (Dover): Emily Hobbs, Katie Benson, Hayden Hott, Caitlyn Allman, Emma Langston; Instructor Paul Bonanno

3^rd Place           JP Taravella High School (Coral Springs): Makayla Boudreau, Brian Huang; Instructor Scott Goodman

4^th Place           John A. Ferguson High School (Miami): Teresa Kinard, Genesis Romero, Kayla  Quintero; Instructors Janett Toledo, Jorge Garcia, Jebel Cordoba

5^th Place           Wekiva High School (Apopka): Kaamla Bernard, Jonah Thompson, Emily Esposito; Instructor Christopher Bates

World Equestrian Center Edible Centerpiece Competition

1^st Place            Isabel Nunez, Bayside High School (Palm Bay)
2^nd Place           Judah Meyers, Wekiva High School (Apopka)
3^rd Place           Payton Miller, Steinbrenner High School (Lutz)
4^th Place           Emilee Hill, Sandalwood High School (Jacksonville)
5^th Place           Valerie Barcenas, Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland)

Waiter’s Relay Competition

1^st Place            Wekiva High School (Apopka, FL): Danny Ha, Josean Vargas, Derrick Ramjit; Instructor Christopher Bates

2^nd Place           Steinbrenner High School (Lutz, FL): Miranda Drake, Isabella Goldstein, Sophie Lopez; Instructor Cheryl White

3^rd Place          St. Lucie West Centennial High School (Port St. Lucie): Joshua Curtis, Justin Meyer, Rodolpho Segura; Instructor Calvin Lewis

4^th Place           Northeast High School (St. Petersburg): Khalid Jackson, Jacob Williams, Curtis Johnson; Instructor Curtis Serata

5^th Place          Durant High School (Plant City): Audrey Nelson, Kate Hodnett, Gabrielle Eaton; Instructor Guy Hermis

ProStart is a nationwide high school career program educating nearly 150,000 Florida students in culinary arts and restaurant management skills. ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum provides real-world educational opportunities and sets a high standard of excellence for the industry’s next generation of leaders. Yearly, students compete on state and nation-wide levels to showcase skills learnt in their classroom kitchens.

18^th ANNUAL HTMP COMPETITION WINNERS:

Overall Winners

1^st  Place         Robert Morgan Educational Center (Miami)

2^nd Place         Forest Hill High School (West Palm Beach)

3^rd  Place         Cooper City High School (Cooper City)

Hotel Operations Competition

 1^st Place          Cooper City High School (Cooper City): Ashley Parrish, Adriana Correa, Mia Fraino; Instructor Vicky Gambino Edgcomb

2^nd Place         Robert Morgan Educational Center (Miami): Sophia Thach, Julie Erreguin, Niyah Reese, Giselle Abreu-Arcady; Instructor Alina Hughes

3^rd Place          Windermere High School (Windermere): Eugenia Marcano, Kayla West, Keegan McBride, Marie Delgado Gomez; Instructor Heather Kelly

Hospitality Project Competition

1^st Place          Forest Hill High School (West Palm Beach): Lisbeth Alonso, Juliana Angulo, Jordan Chavez, Anthony Salazar; Instructor Diana Sardina

2^nd Place         Robert Morgan Educational Center (Miami): Sophia Thach, Julie Erreguin, Niyah Reese, Giselle Abreu-Arcady; Instructor Alina Hughes

3^rd Place          Cooper City High School (Cooper City): Ashley Parrish, Adriana Correa, Mia Fraino; Instructor Vicky Gambino Edgcomb

Knowledge Bowl Competition

1^st Place          Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland): Morgan Fink, Alexis Presno, Geetanjali Srivastava, Samantha Ofstein; Instructor Mitchell Albert

2^nd Place         Oak Ridge High School (Orlando): Dahlia Wallace, Adrian Borges, Liliana Valdes, Yandiel Martinez; Instructor Vanessa Zameza

3^rd Place          Forest Hill High School (West Palm Beach): Lisbeth Alonso, Juliana Angulo, Jordan Chavez, Anthony Salazar; Instructor Diana Sardina

The Hospitality & Tourism Management Program (HTMP) is a nationwide high school curriculum that introduces over 2,000 students annually to the hospitality and tourism industry. HTMP presents the industry on a global scale with a large focus on diversity. Most importantly, this curriculum is industry driven as evidenced by the fact that more than 60 industry leaders served as subject matter experts, ensuring that today’s program matches the needs of hospitality employers across the world. Each year, Florida’s HTMP students compete at the state level to showcase their skills they have learned in the classroom.

**For more information about ProStart, HTMP, or FRLA’s Educational Foundation, visit our webpage or contact Director Laura Rumer at LRumer@frla.org.

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is Florida’s premier non-profit hospitality industry trade association. Founded in 1946 as the Florida Restaurant Association, FRLA merged with the Florida Hotel and Motel Association in 2006. FRLA’s more than 10,000 members include independent hoteliers and restaurateurs, household name franchises, theme parks and suppliers. The association’s mission is to protect, educate and promote Florida’s $111.7 billion hospitality industry which represents 1.5 million employees. Dedicated to safeguarding the needs of its membership, FRLA provides legislative advocacy to ensure the voices of its members are heard and their interests are protected. The association offers regulatory compliance and food safety training through SafeStaff® and FRLA’s subsidiary, RCS Training. The FRLA Educational Foundation provides industry-developed, career-building high school programs throughout the state.

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VISIT FLORIDA Reauthorization Passage

Statement of Carol Dover, President and CEO, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA)

“On behalf of Florida’s hospitality industry, I want to thank Senator Ed Hooper and Representative Linda Chaney for sponsoring SB 434 to reauthorize VISIT FLORIDA until 2028, as well as our Governor and Legislative leadership for their efforts to achieve its successful passage. We are so thankful to have such great advocates for Florida’s hospitality and tourism industry.

In Florida we are doing more than recovering from COVID-19; we are setting visitation new records and beating pre-pandemic numbers. However, hotels, restaurants, and attractions are facing rising costs due to inflation, supply chain shortages, rising fuel costs, and an historic labor crisis.

It’s critical that we continue to promote tourism to and within our great state through VISIT FLORIDA, FRLA, and our destination marketing partners to ensure a strong hospitality industry.  We look forward to continuing our great partnerships to welcome even more visitors to the Sunshine State and expect many great successes ahead!”

Release Number: 22-189, FL 17006

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding businesses in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier and Monroe counties in Florida that March 29 is the applications deadline for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and private nonprofit organizations affected by the Surfside Building Collapse on June 24, 2021.

“Businesses that suffered economic losses as a result of the disaster and want to apply for low-interest loans from the SBA are urged to do so before the March 29 deadline,” said Kem Fleming, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Working capital loans up to $2 million are available at 2.88 percent for small businesses and 2 percent for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. The loans are intended to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other expenses that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. To be considered for this assistance, eligible entities need to apply by the deadline.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s and should apply under SBA declaration # 17006, not for the COVID-19 incident.

Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services), or emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications may be downloaded at sba.gov/disaster Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to return economic injury loan applications is March 29, 2022.

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About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.

To learn more, visit sba.gov.

Pledge donations or request assistance here.

PRESS RELEASE FROM GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS’ OFFICE

• Pushing Back Against Corporate Masking for Employees
• Advising Health Care Practitioners and Facilities to Reevaluate Status Quo Protocols in Favor of Scientifically Based Treatment Options to Benefit Patients
• Updating Daycare Guidance to Limit Child Isolation to 5 Days
• Updating the School Rule to Limit Student Isolation to 5 Days
• Reducing Isolation for Floridians with COVID to 5 Days

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida welcomed 30.9 million visitors between October and December 2021, marking the second consecutive quarter that overall visitation has surpassed 2019, pre-pandemic levels. Overall in 2021, Florida had nearly 118 million domestic visitors, the highest level in state history, as residents of other states flocked to Florida as a refuge from lockdown policies. For more information, click here.

“In Florida, we put freedom first, and as a result people are choosing to vacation in our state from across the country and the world to escape lockdowns, including the politicians who advocated for those reckless policies and who are often spotted vacationing here,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “While tourism in other states is only just beginning to recover, Florida is at the front of the pack — now we are surpassing pre-pandemic levels and setting new visitation records. I’m thankful that VISIT FLORIDA continued to market our state throughout the past two years, and I am confident that 2022 will be another great year for Florida’s tourism industry.”

“We are thrilled to cap off an incredible year with more record-breaking success for Florida’s tourism industry,” said Dana Young, VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO. “Overall visitation not only exceeded 2019’s for the second quarter in a row, but domestically reached the highest point in our state’s history. We also saw a significant rebound in international travel, including record visitation from Colombia that has made it now Florida’s No. 1 international origin market. VISIT FLORIDA’s marketing continues to drive results on behalf of Florida’s tourism economy, and we are looking forward to taking this success to new heights in 2022 and beyond.”

More information about the newly released estimates can be found here. Highlights include:

• Preliminary estimates from VISIT FLORIDA show that 29 million domestic visitors traveled to Florida in the fourth quarter of 2021, reflecting a 57 percent increase from the same period in 2020, and a 7 percent increase from 2019.
• Approximately 1.5 million overseas visitors came to Florida in Q4 of 2021, an increase of 198 percent from 2020, and 43 percent from Q3 2021.
• In addition, 359,000 Canadian travelers visited Florida between October and December of 2021, nearly three times as many as in the previous quarter.
• For the year, Latin America was the driving force of overseas visitation in 2021, with Colombia becoming the state’s No. 1 international market with a record 710,000 visitors.
• In addition, Florida’s total hotel revenue reached its highest ever in 2021 at $17.3 billion, a 2 percent increase over 2019.

Florida’s tourism industry has rebounded exceptionally well from the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of Governor DeSantis’ leadership and VISIT FLORIDA’s efforts to draw visitors back to the state. Since launching its tourism recovery plan with Governor DeSantis in August 2020, VISIT FLORIDA has showcased Florida’s wealth of year-round vacation options that can be freely enjoyed by all types of travelers, helping to generate revenue for our communities, and equipping Florida with the competitive edge as a destination.

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Lakeland, FL: The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the annual SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, with events being held Tuesday, April 5th through Sunday, April 10th at the Lakeland Linder International Airport.

“The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is the proud title sponsor of the 2022 the SUN ‘n FUN AeroSpace Expo, ” said FRLA President & CEO Carol Dover. “This event brings over 200,000 visitors from across the nation to Central Florida’s Lakeland Linder International Airport, supporting local tourism and bringing new faces to the area’s restaurants and lodging establishments.”

FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry. As Florida’s largest convention and the second largest airshow in the country, the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo generates an average of $249 million in local economic impact each year.

Throughout the week, afternoon airshows will showcase aerobatics and precision flying as ground displays and guest speakers highlight the history of aviation. The event is designed to preserve and enhance the future of flight through world-class events, inspiring and educating people of all ages.

About: The mission of the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) is to “Engage, Educate, and Accelerate the Next Generation of Aerospace Professionals. The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo and dozens of other events year-round produce the majority of the revenue that goes into supporting this mission. By attending our events, you are helping us deliver top-quality, industry-leading STEM education and scholarship programs to thousands of young men and women each year. The opportunities that ACE provides give young people a competitive edge as they navigate their educational journey that can ultimately lead to a rewarding career in the world’s incredibly diverse and rapidly growing aerospace industry. You can help! Please click the links below to explore how you can share your knowledge and expertise as a volunteer in over 3500 available positions, become a patron of the Florida Air Museum, or donate to assist us financially. Regardless of how you assist, whether by attending our events, visiting the museum or donating financially, we sincerely appreciate your support!

New survey from National Restaurant Association shows 50,000 jobs saved with first round of RRF Funding

TALLAHASSEE, FL– The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) today released new survey data highlighting the devastating impact the omicron variant has had so far, and the positive impact the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) had on the Florida restaurant industry. According to National Restaurant Association analysis, the first round of RRF funding saved more than 50,000 jobs and helped 100% of recipients of a grant stay in business.

In addition, the survey found:

• Nearly 41% of restaurant operators that did not receive RRF grants feel it’s unlikely that they will stay in business beyond the pandemic without a grant.
• 100% of restaurant operators that applied for an RRF grant, but did not receive funding, said a future grant would enable them to retain or hire back employees.

“This highlights how impactful RRF replenishment would be. The National Restaurant Association estimates indicate that full replenishment of the RRF will save an additional 95,000 restaurant jobs,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The RRF was a critical lifeline to many, but far more remain on the sidelines, desperately looking for support amidst continued economic uncertainty. The decisions Congress could make in the coming weeks will be critical toward the future of the restaurants that are so proud to serve our communities.”

The restaurant industry was hit hard by the latest surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant. Forced to adapt to deteriorating consumer confidence, restaurants reduced hours/days of operation, cut seating capacity, and shutdown, pivoting to off-premises dining with the end result being lower sales volumes in 2021 than in 2019.

According to the survey, we know:

• 73% of restaurants experienced a decline in customer demand for indoor on-premises dining in because of the omicron variant.
• 51% of operators report that business conditions are worse now than three months ago.
• 60% say their restaurant is less profitable now than it was before the pandemic.

“The new data show that restaurant recovery is paralyzed and nowhere near complete. The restaurant industry is at an inflection point, and Congress must act now to replenish the RRF,” said Dover.

Businesses can tell Congress to replenish the RRF here.

The Florida findings were provided by the National Restaurant Association Research Group, which conducted a COVID-19 Restaurant Impact Survey of 4,200 restaurant operators Jan. 16-18, 2022. Read the report of key Florida findings here.

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About the National Restaurant Association

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.6 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry’s largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.