Labor
Opinion: Those $300 pandemic checks aren’t the only reason restaurant employees might not want to go back to work
The Washington Post 5/31
Right now, anyone willing to work in a restaurant in the United States could probably pick a city, style of food and price of the cuisine, and a job would be waiting. But upward of 1 million of those positions are going begging, leading to a bitter debate over the reasons.
As COVID-19 pandemic subsides, many turning their backs on the restaurant industry
Spectrum News 5/31
A large number of restaurants across Texas remain understaffed and job openings remain even after the state reopened back in March. Federal unemployment payments will be coming to an end in June in our state, but some former service industry workers do not plan on going back at all, or at least until the industry improves.
Food Industry Policy
California’s Plastic Straw Ban Could Extend to Cups, Condiments
Bloomberg Law 6/1
A state ban on straws, unless specifically requested by customers, could extend to other single-use items, including chopsticks, condiments, cups, and napkins, under a bill passed by the California Assembly on Tuesday.
National Restaurant Association Releases Multi-Step Blueprint for Rebuilding
FSR Magazine 5/28
The National Restaurant Association on May 26 sent a State and Local Blueprint for Rebuilding to the National Governors Association, the United States Conference of Mayors, and the National Council of State Legislators, encouraging their members keep the restaurant industry at the forefront of their conversations about how to accelerate the recovery of their economies.
On the Side
New Bay Area restaurants: what to eat right now
San Francisco Chronicle 6/1
The pandemic hasn’t stopped new restaurants from continuing to open in San Francisco and the Bay Area. Now that the region’s economy is reopening and indoor dining has returned, more upscale restaurants are starting to debut and the constant flurry of new pop-ups from laid-off chefs is somewhat subsiding.
California cafe charges customers extra if they wear a face mask
The Olympian 5/31
A California cafe owner is charging customers who wear a face mask an extra fee. A poster on the window at Fiddlehead’s Cafe in Mendocino read, “$5 fee added to orders placed while wearing a face mask,” SFGate reported.
