Credit card rule changes: More to surcharging than meets the eye

Visa and MasterCard are sounding the alarm that America’s businesses are going to start tacking on millions of dollars in surcharges in coming months for guests who pay by credit card.

But the National Restaurant Association thinks that’s a tactic to draw attention away from the real issue: The fact that card companies have a stranglehold on merchant swipe fees and don’t want American consumers to know that they’re already paying billions of dollars in hidden swipe fees. These are fees that America’s small businesses can’t control or negotiate, and that keep climbing year after year.

In a narrow-margin business like restaurants, every penny counts. America’s nearly 1 million operators do their best every day to keep prices low and value high for their guests.

Few restaurant guests know that card fees are one of the five fastest-growing expenses for restaurants, even as technology brings down the costs of processing. These costs get passed along to everyone who dines at a restaurant.

The NRA hasn't seen signs that many restaurants are looking at surcharges in the wake of recent rule changes from Visa and MasterCard allowing such charges. (But if you’re a restaurateur thinking about surcharges, here’s a caution: The card companies’ new rules that took effect Jan. 27 are complicated. Know the fine print before you move forward.)

LRA Education Foundation Announces 2013 Leadership

Board of Directors to guide Foundation’s mission in the new year

The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) is pleased to announce its 2013 Board of Directors, which will oversee the goals and mission of the LRAEF.

The LRAEF, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is the philanthropic arm of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and exists to enhance our community through expanded educational and career opportunities, the formation of strategic partnerships and the elevation of the restaurant industry’s professional standards and practices.

The Board of Directors is also responsible for distributing the LRAEF’s scholarship funds that it gifts annually to students pursuing a culinary education. Since 2011, the LRAEF Scholarship Fund has awarded $80,000.

The new members 2013 LRAEF Board of Directors are:

• Dwight Barnes is the Director of Public Relations at Crescent Crown Distributing in New Orleans. The company has been a member of the LRA more than 10 years and Barnes is a very active member of the Greater New Orleans Chapter.
• Lucien Gunter is CEO of Acme Oyster House, with locations in Louisiana and Florida. The restaurant has been a member since 1987 and its employees, including Gunter, have volunteered countless hours to many LRA chapters, while serving in leadership roles.
• Octavio Mantilla is a co-owner of the establishments within the Besh Restaurant Group, based in New Orleans, the oldest being Restaurant August, which has been an LRA member since it opened in 2001. Mantilla is also a GNO Board member and the chapter’s 2^nd Vice President.
• Peter Sclafani is Chef and owner of Ruffino’s Italian Restaurant in Baton Rouge. His restaurant has been an LRA member for three years and in that time, he has been a tireless mentor to ProStart^® students in the Baton Rouge area. Sclafani is also a Greater Baton Rouge Chapter Board member and is currently serving as its Vice President.

They are joining current members:

• Fabian Castillo, Chair- La Casa del Sol, Houma
• Helen LeBourgeois, Vice Chair- TLC Linen Services, New Orleans
• Lenny Raymond, Secretary/Treasurer- Reinhart Foodservice, Harahan
• John Eastman, Past Chair- Auto-Chlor Services, Jefferson
• David Hearn, LRA Chair- Catfish Cabin, Monroe
• Donna Stephenson- ATMOS Energy, Monroe
• Dr. Yvette Green, University of New Orleans (Industry Representative)

“The LRAEF is excited to begin another great year with our dedicated board members,” said LRAEF Executive Director Alice Glenn. “Our directors volunteer countless hours throughout their tenure to the advancement of the Foundation and we are so very grateful.”

The Louisiana ProStart program is grateful to its partners: Diamond- Auto-Chlor Services and the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation; Platinum- Performance Foodservice Caro; and Gold- Louisiana Culinary Institute, Ocean Conservancy and Atmos Energy.

Putting our best foot forward for Super Bowl in New Orleans

By Wendy Waren, VP of Communications, Louisiana Restaurant Association

We are just a few weeks out from hosting our 10^th NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans in between two weeks of Mardi Gras—the largest free show in the world! The best that New Orleans has to offer—cuisine, music, food and fun—will be on the world stage, which is priceless exposure for our industry. 

The economic impact of 2013 Mardi Gras and Super Bowl XLVII is projected to near $1 billion. In short order, the City of New Orleans will host more than 1 million visitors giving us the opportunity to overwhelm them with the southern hospitality we are known for the world over.

Another benefit to hosting the Super Bowl is the $1 billion in capital improvements that have been made which include necessary repairs to streets, sidewalks and lighting, among others. The Disney Institute will hold Customer Service Training Sessions for front line staff and managers and supervisors on Jan. 22 and 23 in preparation of the onslaught of Super Bowl visitors.

There are more credentialed media coming to New Orleans for the Super Bowl than any other in history—nearly 6,000. The media will be dining in our restaurants, exploring our famous streets and attractions while here to cover the big game, but also looking for those stories that make New Orleans unique and authentic.

 

Coverage is already kicking up that some restaurants have signs posted in their windows with a photo of the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with the text, Do Not Serve This Man. The Commissioner is extremely influential in the selection of future host cities for the Super Bowl. Regardless of how you feel, the city’s reputation is so much more important. If you have one of these signs in the window, please consider removing it. There’s always next season to settle our differences and we’ll do it on the field.

This morning I was interviewed by WWL Radio's Tommy Tucker about the negativity surrounding the Saints' assessed penalties by the NFL and Commissioner Goodell's role in them and the possibility of the Atlanta Falcons playing in the big game.

We need to be the people we were when the Saints won the Super Bowl, when Drew Brees held his son in the air as the confetti fell and many of us cried tears of joy. It's important to show our pride, our resilency and our joie de vive for the whole world to see.

 

This is an opportunity of a lifetime for our industry to throw the biggest party paired with the one of the largest sporting events in the world! It’s important to our growth, future and our bottom lines that we put our best foot forward.

Customers still seek value when dining out

When dining out, budget-conscious consumers continue to expect the best value for their money, the National Restaurant Association's 2013 Restaurant Industry Forecast has found.

Among operators polled, nine out of 10 said their customers were more value-conscious today than they were two years ago.

Hudson Riehle, Sr. VP
of the NRA's Research
& Knowledge Center

Furthermore, 79 percent of consumers questioned for the report's 2012 National Household Survey said they would consider dining out more often if menu prices were lower during off-peak times. In addition, a slightly higher proportion of frequent quick-service users and takeout dinner customers also said they might go out more often if prices were lower during off-peak periods.

"Offering reduced prices during off-peak meal times is potentially a good way to offer additional value to existing and new customers," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the NRA's Research & Knowledge Center. "The ability for restaurant operators to shift some current as well as new customers to slower times of the day and week is a well-established practice in other consumer driven industries. In the years ahead, and aided by new technologies, more restaurateurs will consider and offer enhanced value propositions at nontraditional times."

Still, the operators surveyed had mixed opinions regarding whether off-peak dining at lower prices would become a trend. Approximately 60 percent of full-service operators said they thought it would, while just 39 percent of fast-casual and 33 percent of quick-service operators thought the trend would gain in popularity.

LRA announces its 2013 Chapter Leaders

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) is proud to announce the presidents that will lead its membership in 2013. The LRA is comprised of nine chapters across the state, each representing a Major Metropolitan Area (MMA). Every year, the chapters’ board of directors elects a restaurant owner in its ranks to serve as president. This year’s leaders, who volunteer their time and efforts at the highest level, are charged with localizing the overall LRA member experience and cultivating opportunities for growth within the association.

Each chapter is responsible for at least one major fundraiser to contribute to two of the LRA’s most important initiatives: HospitalityPAC, the association’s political action committee that supports those Louisiana-elected officials who understand the importance of the restaurant industry and the LRA Education Foundation, the philanthropic arm that exists to enhance the community through expanded educational and career opportunities.

The 2013 LRA Chapter Presidents are:

Acadiana Chapter (MMA-Lafayette): Gerard Baudoin of Mr. Keet’s in Maurice. Baudoin has been an LRA member since 2003; an Acadiana Chapter board member since 2008. This is his second consecutive term as chapter president. Major fundraiser: 52 Weeks of Dining

Bayou Chapter (MMA-Houma/Thibodaux): Randy Barrios of Flanagan’s Creative Food & Drink in Thibodaux. Barrios has been an LRA member since 1993. Major fundraiser: Dine Around Raffle

Cenla Chapter (MMA-Alexandria): Johnny Scalisi of Texas Roadhouse in Alexandria. Scalisi has been an LRA member since 2009, and joined the Cenla board that same year. This is his second consecutive term as chapter president. Major fundraiser: Taste of Mardi Gras

 

Greater Baton Rouge Chapter: Ryan Nizzo of Last In Concepts/Walk-On’s Bistreaux in Baton Rouge. Nizzo has been an LRA member since 2008 and a Greater Baton Rouge board member since 2009. This is his second consecutive term as chapter president. Major fundraisers: Annual Silent Auction and Capitol City Classic Golf Tournament

 

Greater New Orleans Chapter: Paul Rotner of Acme Oyster House in Metairie. Rotner has been a LRA member for eight years. He previously served on the Greater New Orleans board in the 1990s and began his second stint in 2008. In 2011, Rotner was elected to the LRA State Board of Directors. Major fundraiser: GNO Chapter Golf Tournament

 

Northeast Chapter (MMA-Monroe): Robert Wilson of Tummy Yummy Creations in West Monroe. Wilson has been an LRA member since 2005 and a Northeast board member since 2009. This is his second consecutive term as chapter president. Major fundraiser: Culinary Tour of Northeast Louisiana Coupon Booklets

 

Northshore Chapter (MMA-Mandeville/Covington): Jake Palmer of Acme Oyster House in Covington. He has been an LRA member for five years and has served on the Northshore board since 2009. Palmer previously served as chapter president in 2011. Major fundraiser: Ultimate Dining Experience

 

Northwest Chapter (MMA-Shreveport): Emily Murrell Gates of Monjunis in Shreveport. Gates has been an LRA member since 1998 and has served on the Northwest board since 2010. Major fundraisers: Northwest Chapter Golf Tournament and Annual Clay Shoot

 

Southwest Chapter (MMA-Lake Charles): Dave Evans of Luna Bar and Grill in Lake Charles. He has been an LRA member since 2006 and has served on the chapter’s board since 2010. Major fundraiser: Southwest Chapter Golf Tournament

“The LRA is only as strong as its volunteer leaders,” said LRA President & CEO Stan Harris. “This group of restaurateurs will do a great job representing their regions and the restaurant industry in the coming year.”

Do you have a mentor? Are you a mentor?

By Wendy Waren, VP of Communications, Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA)

Wouldn’t it be an absolute dream if every LRA member had a mentor and was a mentor? Think of what we would learn about others, ourselves and our business. Consider how your outlook on your career, relationships and the world around might improve and evolve.

We have so much to learn from each other and so much wisdom to impart on someone else—no matter our experience.

I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather owned a small business and my grandmother did his books. He was always working, even on the weekends. He was compassionate and always helped others. That work ethic and tireless commitment to being the best person he could be really set a strong example which has shaped my entire life. He was my first mentor.

Michael Gulotta is chef de cuisine at August Restaurant.
 

This morning, I read an interview on Swallowfood.com with New Orleans Michael Gulotta, chef de cuisine at August Restaurant. Gulotta shared how working for celebrity chef John Besh has really shaped his career and outlook on the culinary profession. The following statement really stood out to me:

“The difference between a kitchen manager and a true Chef mentor is that the latter challenges his employees to be better people, to read voraciously, to take the menu home and look up everything they don’t know, to exercise and stay healthy, to treat their teammates with respect and act with professionalism at every moment of the day, even when they are not on the clock.”

Holly Goetting is Executive
Chef at Charley G's in Lafayette.

The LRA has been telling the story of individual transformation through mentorship for a couple of years now. The cover of the Spring 2012 A La Carte magazine featured Holly Goetting who attributes her success to the power of mentorship. Many of our members like Nina Camacho with Jazzmen Rice and Tom Pyburn with Emeril’s Home Base mentor students in the LRA Education Foundation administered ProStart Program.

As we roll into 2013, surely the majority of us have let those resolutions fall away for the most part. But every day is an opportunity for us to be better than we were yesterday. Are you surrounding yourself with positive and supportive individuals? Do you foster those individuals? Do you share what you’ve learned with others who may benefit from your experiences?

Got an hour a month? Mentor a ProStart class in your area. Need a mentor? Check out a LRA Chapter meeting.

LRA Cenla Chapter presents "Taste of Mardi Gras"

Tickets on sale beginning tomorrow, January 8, 2013

The Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) Cenla Chapter’s annual Carnival party, “Taste of Mardi Gras,” will be held Friday, February 8, 2013 at the Alexandria Riverfront Center, 7-9 p.m. (Special VIP seating, with reserved tables of eight available, is at 6 p.m.)

A party not to be missed, it will feature “tastes” of the best restaurants in central Louisiana, a silent auction of more than 20 packages and entertainment by the band, “Stormy,” which will perform 9-11 p.m. A cash bar will be available all evening.

“Taste of Mardi Gras has become one of Alexandria’s most anticipated events,” said LRA Cenla Chapter President Johnny Scalisi, managing partner of Texas Roadhouse in Alexandria. “It is a wonderful party the whole family can enjoy, with fantastic food and entertainment, all for great causes.”

Last year’s event boasted 40 restaurants and vendors and more than 2,000 revelers in attendance. This year, enjoy tasty creations from Texas Roadhouse, Mi Tierra, Outlaw’s and 35 other restaurants.

A portion of the proceeds from “Taste of Mardi Gras” go toward the LRA Cenla Chapter’s annual LRA Education Foundation (LRAEF) goal. The LRAEF, in turn, will use monies raised to further promote the restaurant industry as a career choice through its ProStart^® program and enhance the restaurant community through expanded educational and career opportunities. The Children’s Miracle Network will also receive a portion of the proceeds.

The LRA Cenla Chapter would like to thank its generous sponsors for this year’s event: Southwest Beverage Company, Progressive Waste and GAEDA.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, January 8, 2013, and can be purchased in advance at $20 for adults and $10 for children 10 years and younger. They can be purchased at the following locations in Alexandria:

·         Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 707 Second Street

·         Atwood’s Bakery, 1125 MacArthur Drive

·         Critic’s Choice, 415 Murray Street and 5208 Rue Verdun

·         Greg Baker State Farm, 3203 Masonic Drive

·         Texas Roadhouse, 1464 MacArthur Drive

 
At the door the night of the event, tickets increase to $25 for adults and $15 for children.

Reserved VIP Tables are also available in advance for $400, which includes reserved seating for eight, a complimentary bottle of champagne and early admittance at 6 p.m. and can be purchased at the Alexandria/Pineville Area CVB. Call (318) 442-9546 or e-mail inquire@apacvb.org. For forms to reserve your table(s), be a sponsor and/or be a vendor, visit www.LRA.org, or contact LRA Member Services Coordinator Patsy Rials at patsyr@lra.org or (318) 355-5301.

For other Alexandria Mardi Gras events, visit www.alexmardigras.com.