The Department of Agriculture released a new set of dietary guidelines championing protein and healthy fats while minimizing grains. The new recommendations essentially turn the old food pyramid upside down, encouraging Americans to eat whole foods like fruits and vegetables, to incorporate healthy fats, to prioritize protein-rich meals including red meat and to consume full-fat dairy and whole grains with no added sugars. So how will consumers view these guidelines and more importantly, what impact will this have on the restaurants they patronize. We are joined one again by our resident expert on all things food, Maggie Gentile, a partner at Food Directions and a consultant to the National Restaurant Association, to help us sort out what all this means to the way we eat and also, to where we eat.

And 2026 is an election year and there are 36  - count them 36 - governor’s races at stake. We’ll take a look at the political landscape and discuss which races may have the most impact on the industry.

We’ll talk about those issues and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.