Since the pandemic started, the hospitality industry has lost a staggering amount businesses, jobs and revenue. Facing supply chain issues, ongoing staff shortages and devastating economic losses over the last two years, many restaurants and bars – as well as distilleries, breweries, wineries, cideries, meaderies and other hospitality industry businesses – continue to struggle to recover from the pandemic.
How can you help?
You can tell congress to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and #HelpHospitality. Congress should vote next week, potentially finalizing a $48 billion bill to fund the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (this includes $40 billion for restaurants and $8 billion for others who were impacted).
You can take action here to urge your legislators to replenish the fund, which has provided critical relief for hard-hit businesses. You can also share this page with your network and urge congress to #HelpHospitality and #ReplenishRRF on social media (taking action takes less than three minutes).
Below you’ll find some suggested social media posts that you can re-purpose as you like, courtesy of Spirits United. Spirits United is a community of advocates from all parts of the distilled spirits industry – including producers, retailers, mixologists, servers, bartenders and everyday consumers – who focus on issues most important to them.
RRF Advocacy Suggestions for Twitter (as suggested by Spirits United):
- The #senate is expected to vote next week on replenishing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), so NOW is the time to tell Congress to #HelpHospitality! Support the hospitality industry by taking action here: https://bit.ly/RRFactio
- After Congress established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) last spring, the initial round of funding left 177k eligible businesses without a penny of relief. Join us in urging the Senate to replenish the RRF. https://bit.ly/RRFactio
- Bartenders play a major role in bars, restaurants and distilleries. Hospitality businesses and their employees need further economic relief in order to recover from the devastating effects of the #pandemic. Ask the Senate to #ReplenishRRF TODAY! https://bit.ly/RRFaction
Suggestions for Facebook / LinkedIn / Instagram (as suggested by Spirits United):
- We’re asking Congress to provide relief to hospitality businesses still struggling with the harsh economic impacts of the pandemic, and we need your help! After Congress established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) last spring, the initial round of funding left 177k eligible businesses without a penny of relief. Join us in urging the Senate to replenish the RRF #HelpHospitality https://bit.ly/RRFaction
- #DYK that since the pandemic started, the hospitality industry has lost nearly one million jobs and close to $300 billion in sales? We’re asking Congress to provide relief to hospitality businesses still struggling, and we need your help. Take action NOW to urge the senate to #ReplenishRRF and #HelpHospitality https://bit.ly/RRFaction
Economic Conditions Threaten Nearly 20 Percent of Restaurants
On April 4, the National Restaurant Association sent a letter to Congressional leadership encouraging passage of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund Replenishment, if the program came up for a vote. It did, and on April 7, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022, which includes funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
If the legislation passes the Senate (possibly next week), it will be signed into law to help support the industry.
According to the letter the National Restaurant Association sent in April, the 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, in an April statement. “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 percent 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, per the National Restaurant Association.
An association survey of restaurant operators found that 96 percent of RRF recipients said the grant made it more likely that they would be able to stay in business; a total of 92 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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.
Take action here: SpiritsUnited.org/campaign/40369/
Plan to Attend or Participate in
Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn more about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello
(for companies A to G)
e: [email protected]
p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz
(for companies H to Q)
e: [email protected]
p: (917) 258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh
(for companies R to Z)
e: [email protected]
p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.