This is your public notice disclaimer that the What’s with the Pineapple Podcast will now be charging a service fee to list to our episodes. Well, not really. But if you are an operator who has implemented or is considering implementing a service fee or surcharge, you do not want to skip over this episode. Helen “Lizzie” Mills, a partner at Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC, joins the podcast to break down the basics, deeper details and do’s and don’t of implementing these fees. And in the name of being completely on brand for the podcast, breaking news about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed rule on service fees came out during the recording of this episode so listeners will also get a brief update on those details. Justin and Emily also review the newly launched You Can in Michigan campaign (as well as its correct pronunciation), discuss the landscape in Lansing as this year’s session schedule potentially ends, Chicago’s tip credit changes, and a few personal jabs along the way. Luckily, the Lions won again this past weekend otherwise we might have had to quit the pod altogether.

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Let’s start with a warning: this episode was recorded last week when the Detroit Lions were still undefeated. Beyond the loudness of the roar, Justin and Emily aren’t just loyal to their NFL team, they also discuss loyalty programs changing across the restaurant sector along with their favorites to use and rack up points. Looking at you, Dominos. The duo also walk listeners through the details of upcoming excise tax bills that have the potential to impact hotels in many major cities before welcoming Mike Whatley, Vice President of State Affairs & Grassroots Advocacy at the National Restaurant Association. Whatley joins to talk about the FAST Act success in California, the implications of that success across the country, and real-life case study of Washington DC eliminating the tip credit. Hint: it’s not going well. Whether it’s sports or legislative threats, today’s episode is all about defending the den.

Justin and Emily spend a lot of time in the kitchen in today's episode…the one on the pickleball court, that is! They welcome guest George Aquino to talk about his journey in the industry from busser to Vice President and Managing Director of AHC Hospitality and Co-Founder of 20 x 44 Sports, a pickleball hospitality company focused on promoting the sport through camps, tournaments and travel. Spoiler alert: the long-time pickleball debate is settled and someone (Justin) accepts final defeat. Beyond the court, George also shares stories from his time as a food critic and travel writer, his time in the British Virgin Islands and his experience watching the growth of Grand Rapids from the mid-90's to now. Justin and Emily are also volleying topics from their brand new content studio! The two mash together a cold-cut combo of topics and cover the Subway purchase by Roark Capital plus their favorite sandwiches new data that sheds some light on the future for independent hotels in Michigan, a new collaboration with KitchenAid, the boost for lodging per diems for government travel, potential changes to the joint-employer rule and much more.

Listeners don’t have to keep their fingers crossed that this will be an interesting episode – it already is as Justin and Emily welcome David Kwiatkowski of Detroit Optimist Society. As a long time listener of the podcast, David joins to talk about his experience over the last nearly 15 years of operating in the hospitality industry after transition from trading equity options in Chicago to opening Detroit’s first craft cocktail bar, tremendous expansion within the city and his new venture into Northern Michigan. Time Will Tell if you like the name. All of the usual segments are full of updates as well – take a sip of your brunch-time mimosa every time someone uses the term “daypart.” New hotels are opening in Lansing, others are winning top spots from Travel + Leisure Magazine, state budgets have been signed and so much more.

Hulu's The Bear. Have you seen it? If you haven't, listen to the first 18 minutes of today's podcast episode, go binge all 10 episodes, and then come back for a full analysis of season two. Every second counts as Producer Joe joins Justin and Emily to discuss favorite episodes, themes, what the show gets right about the hospitality industry, product placements and more. We would be lying if we said some friendships didn't teeter on ending because of some of the opinions shared. Before the deep dive, all of the standard segments are covered talking about the Pure Michigan Mix, Taco Bell's latest marketing (per ususal), Toast's 99-cent fiasco and cocktails to go crossing the finish line. Fire up 10 beef. Turn your volume up. Let it rip, chef. 

Don't miss the season two soundtrack either: https://bit.ly/3O1uQq6

The National is not just a great dad rock indie band (according to Justin) it also embodies our robust travel schedule in June and the scope of much to be discussed on this episode of What's with the Pineapple. In a new format, the hosts hit For Fork’s Sake news first to talk through updates on the adopt-and-amend case that came out this week, what to expect from the legislature as things (hopefully?) wrap up for the summer, and how Justin’s DC trip went (3:55). Then it’s onto the “fun” topics: fake priests, Grimace’s birthday, T. Swift helping Detroit hotels cash in, the updated PPP eligibility guidelines and another generational debate about marketing and nostalgia. Somehow, we are still talking about Pete Davidson (16:17) . Following the theme of a new format, this episode wraps up with a recorded fireside chat between Justin and Chip Rogers, AHLA President & CEO, from last week’s AHLA On the Road Detroit event (28:40). 

​Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/

It’s us, hi, we’re the problem it’s us. Taylor Swift is coming to town, selling out Detroit, and Justin and Emily are not missing this opportunity to talk about their Swiftie status. While the entire episode could be about “T. Swizzle” the two hosts move past it to recap the Detroit Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference, Michigan’s success at the James Beard Awards earlier this week, and unfortunately Justin is proven right on the perennial QR code menu topic. They’re also talking about a laundry list of issues facing the industry at the Capitol in Lansing including budget targets to secure some workforce support for the industry as well as post labor day school start. Emily passes the mic to Justin to break down everything happening at the federal level as well: Credit Card Competition Act, the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Bill and the Tipped Employee Protection Act. Detroit Free Press’ State Politics & Government Editor Emily Lawler joins the podcast to discuss her hot-takes on politics, growing Michigan’s population, gravel bikes, baking and so much more (28:08).

​Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

Listener’s ears will be thankful to hear that What’s with the Pineapple is back in a professional studio this week to welcome its first-ever elected official to the mic. Representative Graham Filler joins us (26:13) to discuss what it’s really like day-to-day to be a Michigan Legislator right now, how government can help (and back off) our hospitality industry, what his new bill allowing alcohol in college stadiums will do, and the lessons he learned from his community restaurants during COVID. We didn’t have so much Backstreet Boys talk on our bingo card for this interview, but alas, there was even some karaoke. Before Justin and Emily get to the interview they cover a backlog of segment content including coverage of the National Restaurant Show in Chicago, their summer jobs and the current teen employment landscape, what to expect as budgets are voted on in Lansing, and the personal conflict that is everyone in the world finding out about Mackinac Island. Listen in as you travel to your holiday weekend destination. Cheers to summer!

​Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/

Today’s What’s with the Pineapple podcast episode is a special edition as we record in-house for the first time during the MRLA’s annual Capitol Day (que the airhorn) and serve up four different interviews. Unfortunately, or more likely fortunately for most, Justin and Emily skip over the standard segments to instead talk with guests throughout the day about their meetings with legislators, their priorities to protect our industry, and other important topics like New Orleans compared to Pure Michigan and our favorite wing sauces.

Guest lineup:

• Quentin Messer, CEO of Michigan Economic Development Corporation (1:55)
• Peter Beukema, CEO & Co-Founder, 6PM Hospitality Partners (17:15)
• Jean Lanfear, Vice President of Human Resources, Patton Wings (29:50)
• Billy Downs, Franchise Partner, Ford’s Garage & MRLA Board Chairman (36:25)

Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/

Everyone’s finally back in the same room for this week’s episode with a lot of content to cover. Records are broken as Justin and Emily go national with the most topics discussed in the Pineapple Express (1:49) segment from California’s overturn of the gas-fueled kitchen equipment ban, Frankfort’s (Michigan, not Germany) approach to affordable housing, industry trends from the Restaurant Leadership Conference, and Justin admits (kind of?) that he was wrong about Pickleball. Emily and Justin also do a deep dive in For Fork’s Sake (18:50) on filing an amicus brief for the adopt and amend case with the Michigan Supreme Court, how Arizona is handling requirements for hotels to house homeless populations, and the new 17-bill package introduced to change employment laws. Like we said, a LOT of content. Dave Dittenber, President & CEO of Downtown Restaurant Investments and Co-Founder of Bring Your Own Data (BYOD) also joins the pod (29:24) to discuss the investment in approachable tech and balancing the people-first core of hospitality with the future needs of our industry. Meet Mabel: the world’s first virtual restaurant assistant. 

Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/