National Restaurant Association
A Hardy Breed (Editorial)
Four years after the pandemic, we see optimism in the food service industry. read more >
Swiped Out: Card Fees Cost Arkansas Businesses $600M in 2022
The National Retail Federation said current swipe fee rates are about 2.26% of the transaction cost, which adds up over the course of a year and thousands of sales. read more >
Arkansas Sees Surge in Alcoholic Beverage Sales and Taxes in 2023
Excise tax collections for mixed drinks reached $20.88 million last year, a 7% increase over collections in 2022 and a whopping 120% increase over the pandemic year of 2020. read more >
Costs for Food, Labor Drive Up Menu Prices
With inflation remaining near 40-year highs, menu prices could continue to rise. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Big Trouble at Little Italy: Short Staffing
At 4 p.m. or so every day that Bruno’s Little Italy is scheduled to be open, the Bruno family has to make a call: Do we have enough staff to serve customers? read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
U.S. Restaurant Sales Continue to Rise
Sales in eating and drinking establishments in the United States continue to trend upward as pandemic capacity restrictions are eased and more Americans are vaccinated. read more >
Restaurants Are Big Beneficiaries of COVID-19 Relief Bill
Restaurants devastated by the coronavirus outbreak are getting a lifeline from the pandemic relief package that’s awaiting final approval in the House. read more >
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Timing of Plans to Boost Pay Spurs Concern Among Restaurateurs
Mark Abernathy has been in the restaurant business for 50 years but never, he says, has he faced a time like the present: “This is the most unstable, unpredictable situation I’ve ever seen.” read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Survey Shows Arkansas Restaurants Still Hurting
A new survey by Arkansas Hospitality Association finds restaurants in the state making dramatically less money than in the same time last year, and more than a third are considering closing until the pandemic passes. read more >
by Lance Turner -
Keep Eateries In Mind During The Holidays
Here is my idiosyncratic list of a few Arkansas-centric food-related books that would be good holiday gifts and a nod to one of our craft breweries. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Update: Restaurant Operators Don’t See Business Improving In Next Six Months
The National Restaurant Association recently surveyed thousands of restaurant operators from across the country about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their businesses, and the results from Arkansas' operators were anything but promising. read more >
Little Rock A&P Tax Collections Plunge
By now you’ve heard that the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau has cut 39 positions — 35 full time and four part time. A look at the accompanying chart will give you a good idea why. read more >
Restaurateurs Differ on Plans For Reopening
While restaurant dining rooms in Arkansas will be allowed to reopen today, being allowed to reopen and actually reopening are two different things. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Staying Alive: Restaurateurs Trim & Retool
The coronavirus pandemic is hitting most business sectors hard, but few have been hit harder than the restaurant industry. A disease best fought by isolating people is antithetical to a business model based on breaking bread together. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Local Chefs Prognosticate Food Trends
One food and dining trend on which almost all agree is plant-based proteins and plant-based menus in general, including vegan dishes. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Cajun’s Owner Mary Beth Ringgold Dishes on Restaurant’s Closing
The last day of business for Cajun’s Wharf will be June 1, after 44 years. It’s an event frequently, but correctly, described as the end of an era. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Northwest Arkansas Eateries Enjoying Growth
Northwest Arkansas’ population is becoming more diverse as it grows, and the area’s restaurant industry is hitching along for the ride. "That is one of the things Arkansas brings to the table: There are unique experiences in every area," said Kalene Griffith, CEO of Visit Bentonville. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Restaurants in Arkansas Fight to Keep Good Workers
Finding and keeping good restaurant workers in the current tight labor market is a big problem in Arkansas as well as nationwide. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Restaurant Sales in Arkansas To Top $4 Billion
Restaurant industry sales nationwide were expected to reach almost $783 billion in 2016, while restaurant sales in Arkansas last year were projected at $4.3 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association. read more >
Restaurant Industry Growing in U.S., Arkansas
U.S. restaurants will record sales of $782.7 billion in 2016 and employ 14.4 million, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2016 Restaurant Industry Forecast, released late last month. read more >
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