LATEST NEWS

If you operate a restaurant, how many times in the past year did you say:

• We need more staff, but no one is available to hire.
• Employees are leaving for another restaurant paying $1 more per hour.
• Other businesses are poaching our people.

ORA members regularly tell us that labor is the No.1 issue in the industry and it’s not unique to the restaurant and hospitality space. Many industries are struggling to find and retain a reliable workforce, including catering businesses, bars, food trucks, craft brewers and hotels.

In fact, as we face the uncharted waters of what is essentially zero unemployment in many areas of the U.S., including Ohio, we’ve started referring to the workforce chal...

ORA Industry Awards & Hall of Fame – Attend the Restaurant “Grammy’s” for Ohio on January 13, 2019

The ORA continually strives to rise from good towards great in everything we do.

Recognizing leaders is something you see at great institutions, and the ORA is serious about this responsibility. Think of the Medal of Freedom. Nobel Peace Prize. Most Admired Companies (Fortune). Hall of Fames in professional sports. Top Salesperson. Most Valuable Players. The Tony’s. Golden Globes. The Grammy Awards.

Awards allow us to recognize the best. It’s our opportunity to shine the spotlight on winners for blazing trails, achieving amazing breakthroughs and success and...

One of the challenges of managing a restaurant or food service operation is offering benefits to employees. ORA members tell me regularly they are searching for an affordable solution, because taking care of their team members is critically important.

Offering a comprehensive compensation approach that includes health, dental and vision insurance is becoming table stakes in the competitive marketplace. And, it’s also the right thing to do.

That’s why we are thrilled about a new Association Health Plan that is available to small restaurant and hotel employer members through the National Restaurant Association, Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) and UnitedHealthcare®

Small restaura...

The next step in the ORA’s brand transformation is right before your eyes. Just log into our new website at ohiorestaurant.org and scroll through the resources and content designed for restaurant professionals.

The ORA site represents the future of our industry – it’s visually stunning, highlights culinary and food images, and is responsive and mobile-friendly. It showcases the diversity of the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality business. It features our logos and color palette of blueberry, watermelon and quinoa – for those of you who love design as much as our Managing Director of Marketing and Communications, Maureen O’Rourke.

Maureen is the orchestrator o...

You might think as we approach our 100th anniversary in less than two years, the ORA would look back in time. While we stand on the shoulders of many great leaders and honor our past, the best way to operate is to look forward.

The opportunity to support the foodservice and hospitality industry is immense with the rapid growth of restaurants in our state – more than 22,000 locations in Ohio and growing. When you add in the rapid change we see with trends and consumer expectations, you can’t help but be excited about promoting and protecting this industry. As partners with our members, we are constantly studying and working on workforce development, technology issues, healthcare, ...

Innovation in Foodservice Keeps Coming, Are You Ready for Ghosts?

The pace of change is accelerating in most industries:

• Have you been in an emergency room lately? – Technological breakthroughs are enabling doctors, physician assistants and nurses to better care for patients.

• Been on the floor of an auto manufacturing plant? – Filled with robotics.

• Taken a ride in a driver-less vehicle? – Soon you will be able to in central Ohio thanks to the Smart Columbus initiative.

• The computer/network server in our office at the ORA fits in a small closet. A decade ago servers filled entire floors in climate-controlled offices.

In foodservice, innovation is racing forward. Have you eaten a f...

The 21st annual ORA/NRA Golf Classic was held at the New Albany Country Club on June 26. In addition to a beautiful course and amazing food, approximately 100 industry leaders gathered to celebrate a worthy cause with net proceeds from the event benefiting the ORA’s political advocacy efforts and the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant Advocacy Fund (RAF).

During the luncheon, John Barker, ORA President & CEO, thanked all those in attendance. He reminded them of the great efforts the ORA and the NRA undertake on a daily basis to protect Ohio’s foodservice industry and small businesses from threats against them bot at the Statehouse and Washington D.C.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (June 19, 2018) – The Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) today announced a broad range of data about the restaurant industry in the Buckeye state showing a robust business environment.

“In Ohio, sales are growing, the number of restaurants is expanding, and consumer use of food delivery is soaring,” said ORA President & CEO John Barker. “Certain segments are reporting strong sales growth, particularly restaurants that are most in-step with consumer trends. As consumers continue to eat out of home more often, restaurants that offer high-quality food, a unique selling proposition and A+ service are growing customer counts and winning market share. We are ...

DUBLIN, Ohio (June 15, 2018) – Last night, hundreds of business professionals and industry leaders gathered to celebrate the Smart 50 Awards Columbus Class of 2018 at Cameron Mitchell's The Exchange at Bridge Park in Dublin.

The Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) President & CEO John Barker was one of the honorees of the evening. He was highlighted in a video interview regarding his role in leading the organization through a major brand transformation, as well as an increased focus on innovation and technology.

"This is a great opportunity to highlight the accomplishments and brand transformation the ORA staff has achieved over the last couple of years on behalf of our members and restaur...

Workers' Compensation Managed Care
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2017: Year in Review

In 2017, the Columbus Local Restaurant Alliance met several times for dynamic meetings discussing various topics impacting the industry and community.

​Read a few highlights below:

• Columbus City Councilman Shannon Hardin discussed small and minority business development, public service and transportation matters.

  

• Mayor Andrew Ginther discussed neighborhood development.

  

• Local Restaurant Alliance members attended a Smart City update at the Idea Foundry in Franklintown.