We’re going to talk Corona - what’s going on at the state and federal level, what’s going on with major operators, and more importantly, what we think is coming next with this very serious national challenge. And Lynn Minges, the head of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association stops by the pod to talk about how her state is navigating the corona waters as well as some other legislative challenges heading her way. We’ll kick that around as well. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

Well, it’s official now. We are all freaking out about the Coronavirus - and rightfully so. Consumers, employers, employees and markets are getting extremely nervous and trying to figure out what they should be doing next and, of course, not doing. We’ll talk about the challenges to operators as they try to navigate some increasingly dangerous waters. And a new study is out from the Pew Research Center that says the vast majority of young people - our employees in other words - think the economic system is rigged for the wealthy few. How can we be an “industry of opportunity” if the vast majority of our workforce doesn’t see it the same way. We’ll talk about that. And Super Tuesday is over - and so are the candidacies of Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren. How will a two-man race between Biden and Sanders impact operators and the stock market? We’ll kick that around as well. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The labor community has intensified its efforts to get a foothold in the restaurant industry. The target? Airports and the concessionaires who operate there. We’ll discuss the status of their campaign and how brands need to prepare. And big companies across the business spectrum are pulling out of longtime trade association relationships over disputes in issue management strategies. How can traditional trade associations address the changing marketplace of public affairs issue management? And non-disclosure agreements with regard to sexual harassment are at the center of the Democratic primary contest. What does the escalation of the conversation mean to large employers and how they should prepare. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

California is leading the way on property tax reform but not in a way that will make operators happy. An initiative is on the November ballot that could significantly increase corporate property taxes and it may be impossible to stop. We’ll take a look at that. And, as we know, the recycling industry is in big trouble. As cities have less flexibility on what to do with the waste, they have increasing flexibility on how to curb it in the first place - and targeting the restaurant industry is becoming their favorite tool. We’ll discuss what's going on in that space and how operators should be prepared. And Philadelphia has followed some west coast cities and essentially established a local department of labor to handle all manor of workplace issues usually handled at the federal level. We’ll take a look at that trendline and why it matters. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

There is legislation pending in both Rhode Island and California regarding third-party delivery that would place new requirements on delivery platforms to protect operators. Dale Venturini, the President & CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association and Sarah Bratko, the Association’s Vice President of Advocacy & General Counsel drop by the pod to talk about their bill and how the issue is affecting the industry both in Rhode Island and elsewhere. And the SEIU is ratcheting up their corporate campaign in New York City against Chipotle. We’ll discuss why companies with operations in the city need to pay close attention. And the Democratic primary continues to surprise the pundits and we’ll update you on the events of this week, forecast next week, and discuss why it matters to operators. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

It was a political week for the ages - the Iowa Caucuses, the State of the Union and an impeachment acquittal all at once. We’ll talk about each of them and their impact on 2020. And speaking of the State of the Union, the President used his speech to highlight the issue of federal paid leave. But he also went further than he ever has on the issue, openly endorsing bi-partisan legislation currently before the senate. We’ll talk about that and discuss what might happen next. And its not like restaurants needed any additional competitive challenges but here come a couple more. The rapid expansion of recreational marijuana and online sports betting are poised to take a big bite out of the disposable income pie, further tightening an already tough market. We’ll kick that around as well. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The Iowa caucuses are just a few days away and we’ll take a look at what’s likely to happen there and how it will affect the process going forward. And another old friend drops by from the DC bubble. This week, Jason Straczewski, the Vice President of Government Relations & Political Affairs for the National Retail Federation stops by to talk about 2020 and his organization's priorities for the year. And this week we got to meet Therese Gearhart, the new President & CEO of the Women’s FoodService Forum. She stopped by our pod booth and we talked about her new role and her plans for the organization going forward. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

In response to their growing pollution problems, China announced this week aggressive steps to crackdown on single-use utensils, straws and packaging. By next year, most of those products will be either heavily restricted or banned outright. Why does that matter here? Because many domestic policy makers will say to the multinational brands - particularly QSR brands with a large footprint in China - “if you can do it there, then you can do it here”. We’ll discuss the ramifications. And Edelman unveiled their annual Trust Barometer and the business community fared very well. But with those high marks come high expectations. We’ll explain. And Starbucks is at it again, redefining the conversation around their brand and the role they play in communities. We’ll see what they’re up to now. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

We are joined by Troy Flanagan, the Senior Vice President for Government Affairs & Industry Relations for the American Hotel & Lodging Association who will share with us how his team at the AHLA is approaching 2020 and the legislative and regulatory challenges coming at us this year. And as legislatures are convening, governors are delivering their annual State of the State addresses and one issue close to our industry is at the top of each of their priority lists - workforce development. Whether it's a blue state or red state, governors are desperately trying to upskill their workers and the restaurant industry is uniquely positioned to jump in and help. We’ll discuss those opportunities. And New Jersey has passed a significant piece of legislation that would compel employers to give more notice and pay severance to laid-off workers. The so-called “Toys R Us” bill comes after a public backlash against the treatment of workers who lost their jobs in the retail apocalypse. We’ll examine the ramifications for all employers. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The Align Public Strategies team is joined by Mike Whatley, Vice President of State & Local Affairs for the National Restaurant Association who will share with us how his team at the NRA is approaching 2020 and the legislative and regulatory challenges coming at us this year. And the industry had a really great run in the news cycle this week with numerous national stories highlighting some important wage and benefit initiatives currently underway, essentially underscoring the message that this is in fact, an industry of opportunity. We’ll discuss how we can translate those headlines into meaningful political capital. We’ll talk about those stories and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.