Join us for the 35th annual Public Affairs Conference

The conference, traditionally held in Washington, D.C., is a forum in which industry members meet with lawmakers to discuss the issues impacting their operations.

As the restaurant industry continues to work toward recovery, the National Restaurant Association urges members from every type of operation to join our advocacy efforts at the 35^th annual Public Affairs Conference.

The conference, traditionally held in Washington, D.C., is a forum in which industry members meet with lawmakers to discuss the issues impacting their operations. This year, the event on April 20 will be virtual. Association president and CEO Tom Bené and Rahm Emanuel will deliver the opening remarks and first keynote speech.

This year’s theme is “Seeking Unity: Conversations on How We Can Come Together.”

Although attendees won’t meet each other or congressional leaders in person, it’s still important for the industry to come together to inform legislators on the issues and advocate on its own behalf.

This action is more critical than ever with a new President and Administration in place. The Association hopes restaurateurs will join in to educate members of Congress about COVID-19’s effects on their business and the relief actions needed to help the industry survive—and thrive—again.

“Washington responded to the challenges of the restaurant industry because we spoke loudly, with one voice and with one message, and restaurants of every shape and size answered our call and joined us in a true industry-wide relief campaign,” says Sean Kennedy, the Association’s executive vice president of Public Affairs. “The Public Affairs Conference comes at a critical inflection point for our industry. We’re on a path to stability, but the road ahead is long and there’s much Congress can do to strengthen—or weaken—our recovery efforts. We must stay active and continue to press on behalf of restaurants and our workforce in every community in America.”

In addition to Bené and Emanuel, political analysts, including former White House Press Secretary and FOX News co-anchor Dana Perino, and industry leaders, such as Lance Trenary, president and CEO of Golden Corral Corp., will address key issues the restaurant industry faces right now.

Experts from the Association’s policy and research teams will also discuss several topics. They include:

Analysis of the industry’s recovery
How local leaders are helping the industry survive the pandemic
An update on the tip credit issue
Immigration reform
Restaurants post-pandemic: what trends will stay and go away

The conference will also feature a Q&A session and performance from musician Sam Harris of X Ambassadors, presented by BMI, as well as a cooking demonstration.