The California Restaurant Association (CRA) has launched a new campaign, “What The Fork?!,” aimed at highlighting the impact of state and local regulations on neighborhood restaurants. The campaign debuted with billboards inside Terminal B of Sacramento International Airport and is supported by social media ads in the Capitol region.
Jot Condie, President and CEO of the CRA, stated, “Forty percent of California restaurants we surveyed reported that they did not make a profit last year. We’ve been ringing alarm bells as iconic restaurants shutter and, still, lawmakers add more burdensome regulations, so it’s time to get the attention of our guests, their voters.”
The campaign seeks to inform voters about how legislative decisions are affecting restaurant operations and costs. “Our ‘What The Fork!’ campaign will raise voter awareness to pressure lawmakers to stop legislating all of us into a hole,” Condie said.
Many restaurants are continuing to pay off loans taken during pandemic closures while facing rising costs for rent, food, utilities, insurance, and labor. According to the CRA, over 400,000 regulations have been imposed on businesses by California lawmakers at various levels. The organization claims that these numerous laws also create opportunities for legal action against restaurants.
Fred Glick, Incoming Chair of the CRA Board and Brewpub Chieftain at Karl Strauss Brewing Company, commented on the current situation: “This isn’t an exaggeration; neighborhood restaurants are at the brink. Voters deserve to know that the high prices we are all paying are a result of California lawmakers incessantly adding more unnecessary hoops and added costs.”
Dolores C. Jackson, CRA board member and part of Lolita’s Mexican Food’s ownership in San Diego, added: “We aren’t big corporations that can absorb added costs; every time they pass another unnecessary rule, lawmakers are eating into the 3-5 cents that small neighborhood restaurants are making on the dollar.”
The CRA emphasized that restaurant closures have broader community impacts since these businesses contribute significantly to public services funding.
More information about policies impacting restaurant costs and a petition can be found at https://www.calrest.org/wtf.
