The Working Lunch

The MAHA movement continues to grow and with it, so does the potential threat to the industry. Last week, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. blamed the tobacco companies for getting kids addicted to ultra-processed food. You heard that right. Food. In the ‘90s, many tobacco companies diversified after the big tobacco settlement and bought up controlling interests in many other industries, including food companies. Some of that ownership still remains. Are some of our key menu offerings about to be viewed in the same light as tobacco? We’ll discuss. And we will update you on the latest developments in Minneapolis and how many restaurants and employees may be intentionally entering the fray. We’ll talk about that issue and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The situation in Minneapolis has taken a sharp turn for the worse and business owners, their customers, and perhaps most importantly, their employees are right in the middle of it. We’ll discuss the challenges operators are having in navigating this space and protecting their interests while avoiding the politics. 
We’ll talk about that issue and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

The Disruptor in Chief has struck again - this time completely rearranging the proverbial furniture regarding the decades-long war between retailers and the banks over swipe fees. This week, the President endorsed the Credit Card Competition Act cutting the knees out of the credit card companies as part of his ongoing battle against the banking industry. How will this change the game? We’ll take a look at where we go from here. It was a busy week for the Industry on Capitol Hill this week as a number of Labor- related bills were poised for passage on the House floor - right up until they weren’t. Legislation on overtime expansion, on-the-job training, and joint employer hit a bit of a snag. We’ll talk with Matt Haller, the CEO of the International Franchise Association to help us sort it out and better understand the path forward on these important legislative proposals. We’ll talk about those issues and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.

We take a look at the key issue and reputational threats the industry faced in 2025 and discuss what the current state of play is and most importantly, what we should expect in 2026. Take a listen.

In a historic first, San Francisco's city attorney has filed a lawsuit against some of the largest U.S. manufacturers of ultra-processed foods that he says have made Americans sick. Chiu argued the foods have created a health care crisis that has led to serious chronic diseases, which ultimately places a burden on U.S. cities. Chiu claimed the companies have copied the "addiction science and marketing techniques that filled the big tobacco playbook. Is this a harbinger of other lawsuits to come? We’ll take a look.

We are joined by Mike Whatley, Vice President of State Affairs & Grassroots Advocacy at the National Restaurant Association to analyze this week’s election results, what they mean for the industry, and what they mean for next year’s legislative agenda.

And Big Food is in the news this week as a new coalition has been organized to push back against-state level MAHA copycat legislation and push the federal government for preemption over ingredient laws for manufacturers.

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

Robby Starbuck - yes the very same Robby Starbuck that goes after corporate DEI programs -  is on the agenda this week at the Society of Human Resource Management’s big pow wow in Louisville and numerous corporate HR execs are boycotting the meeting all together. Is this an acquiescing to the MAGA universe or an opportunity for HR professionals to get it all out in the open. We’ll discuss. And this week, New Mexico will become the first state in the country to offer free universal child care. Will this impact the ability for new parents, particularly women to either stay or re-enter the workforce and reverse significant COVID-era losses? We’ll take a look. We’ll talk about those issues and wrap it up with the legislative scorecard.