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IRA News
Tuesday, December 12, 2017 IRA on WGN: Tip Pooling Rule Can Lead to More Equitable Workplace » This week, IRA President & CEO Sam Toia shared his insights with WGN on the Department of Labor's (DOL) announcement o...
Thursday, December 7, 2017 Cashless Ban in Chicago? IRA Testifies, Committee Holds Ordinance » Yesterday, the City of Chicago Committee on License and Consumer Protection considered a proposed ordinance from Alderman...
Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Allergen Awareness Training Requirements Effective January 1, 2018; Discounts Available » On January 1, 2018, HB 2510 goes into effect throughout Illinois, which will require Food Service Sanitation M...
Friday, December 1, 2017 Cheers! Cook County Soda Tax Ends December 1, Refunds Available for Retailers and Distributors » As of December 1, 2017, the Cook County Sweetened Beverage Tax is no longer in effect. Today, IRA President & CEO Sam...
Tuesday, November 21, 2017 Holiday Notice Promote Specials/Events in Accordance with Illinois Happy Hour Law » The holidays are here, and Christmas and New Year's Eve are right around the corner. As you ramp up planning and promotion...
Monday, November 20, 2017 Chicago Mag - Big Data Dining: Where Everybody Knows Your Name » Chicago Magazine explored restaurants' use of data and individualized profiles to improve guests' dining experiences. IRA...
Friday, November 3, 2017 2018 Jean Banchet Award Nominations Announced » The 2018 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence nominations were announced this week. Congratulations to all IR...
Friday, October 27, 2017 Crains: Billy Goat Tavern Launches New Beers Available at Jewel » IRA Board member Bill Sianis and his father IRA Advisory Council member Sam Sianis of Billy Goat Tavern have introduced...
Monday, October 23, 2017 IRA Board Member Carmen Rossi Talks Tips for Success with Entrepreneur » Entrepreneur recently featured IRA Board and Finance Committee member Carmen Rossi, owner 8 Hospitality Company (H...
Friday, October 20, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) CBS Chicago HIghlights Chef's Table: Restaurateurs for Education Event » CBS Chicago recently featured the upcoming IRA Chef's Table: the 40th Annual Restauranteurs for Education Gala. ...
Monday, October 16, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Eurest, IRA Chairman Jim Kallas Open Loop's Newest Food Hall Forum 55 » IRA Chairman Jim Kallas, Division President of Eurest: A Division of Compass Group, was quoted in a DNAInfo feature on For...
Thursday, October 12, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Cook County Soda Tax Repealed! IRA Applauds Repeal of Regressive, Burdensome Tax » Yestersday, Cook County became the first local unit of government in the country to repeal an existing beverage tax when t...
Friday, September 29, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Toia, Boehm, Singh, Melman Named to Amazon HQ2 Committee » IRA President & CEO Sam Toia, IRA Board member Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group, IRA Advisory Council member Alpan...
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) City of Chicago, Business Groups Rally to Provide Aid to Mexico, Puerto Rico » This week, IRA Second Vice Chair Sam Sanchez and IRA President & CEO Sam Toia joined several elected officials and civ...
Thursday, September 21, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Toia, Rick Pearson Talk Chicago Gourmet, Soda Tax, and Immigration Reform on Sunday Spin » This Sunday, IRA President & CEO Sam Toia joined Rick Pearson on the Sunday Spin radio show on WGN Radio. S...
Monday, September 18, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Chicago Tribune: How "Restaurant City of the Year" Designation Bolsters City's Restaurant Scene » IRA President & CEO Sam Toia recently talked with Chicago Tribune about the impact of Chicago being named 2017 Restaur...
Tuesday, September 12, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Cook County Residents & Business Call on Commissioners to Can The Soda Tax » This week, hundreds of Cook County residents & businesses called on Cook County Commissioners to repeal the Cook Count...
Monday, September 11, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Final Deadline September 21 Cook County Biz Amusement Tax on Sat. TV Voluntary Disclosure Program » The Cook County Department of Revenue has extended the submission deadline to Thursday, September 21 for business subscrib...
Tuesday, September 5, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Toia Named to Crain's 2017 Who's Who in Business » IRA President & CEO Sam Toia was recently named to Crain's Who's Who in Chicago Business list - Crain's annual directo...
Friday, September 1, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) New Allergen Awareness Training Law Protects Diners and Businesses » The State Journal-Register recently featured a new law for restaurants that requires one certified foodservice sanitation...
Tuesday, August 29, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Tribune: Porcini Aims to Make Restaurateurs' Lives Easier , Sam Toia on Restaurant Tech » This week, the Chicago Tribune's Blue Sky Innovation featured Porcini, a cloud-based platform built to streamline back-of-...
Friday, August 25, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Toia on Immigration Report: Pragmatic Reforms Will Help Industry Thrive » The Chicago Council on Global Affairs issued report on a two year study analyzing the hospitality industry's relianc...
Wednesday, August 23, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Sanchez Talks IRA Advocacy, Latino Membership with El Restaurante » IRA Second Vice Chairman Sam Sanchez (Old Crow Smokehouse, Moe's Cantina, John Barleycorn) recently spoke with El Restaura...
Monday, August 21, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) America’s Dog & Burger Expanding With Strategic Franchising Plan » IRA member Manolis Alpogianis, co-founder of America’s Dog & Burger (AD&B), recently announced a strategic franchi...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Toia Talks Chicago Gourmet, 10th Anniversary with Dane Neal on WGN-AM » This week, IRA President & CEO Sam Toia joined Dane Neal on WGN-AM Radio to discuss the 10th Anniversary of Chicago Go...
Tuesday, August 8, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Bon Appétit Names Chicago Restaurant City of the Year » This week, Bon Appétit magazine named the City of Chicago the 2017 Restaurant City of the Year! After Condé Nast Traveler...
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Manny's 75th Anniversary Benefits IRAEF » This week, Manny's Cafeteria and Delicatessen celebrated its 75th Anniversary at an event benefiting the IRA Educational F...
Monday, July 31, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Soda Tax in Effect Aug. 2; Sam Toia Talks Negative Impact of Tax on CBS2 » On Friday, the Cook County Sweetened Beverage Tax was cleared to go into effect by a Cook County judge. The County annou...
Friday, July 21, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Cook County Soda Tax Still on Hold; Judge to Issue Ruling on July 28 » A judge on Friday again extended a temporary restraining order blocking Cook County's proposed tax on sugary beverages.&nb...
Friday, July 21, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Toia, Weiner, Singh on Happy Hour Two Year Anniversary in Chicago Tribune » IRA President & CEO Sam Toia, IRA Executive Committee Member Scott Weiner of The Fifty/50 Group , and IRA Advisory Co...
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Sam Toia on WLS Radio - Soda Tax is Regressive and Burdernsome; Tax on Hold Until July 12 » IRA President & CEO Sam Toia joined Bob Sirott and Susanna Homan on WLS 780 AM radio to discuss the pending Cook Count...
Sunday, July 2, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) UPDATED EMPLOYER NOTICES Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave in Chicago, Cook County » Employers are required to post notices of several local, state, and federal laws in a conspicuous location in their place...
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) IRA in Chicago Mag: What's the Deal with the New Soda Tax? » Chicago Magazine broke down what the Cook County Sweetened Beverage Tax means for consumers starting on July 1, 2017. ...
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Chicago Gourmet Launches eXtraordinary Chefs - eXtraordinary Places This Fall » On Tuesday morning, the Illinois Restaurant Association announced the full lineup of Chicago Gourmet's eX traordinary C...
Thursday, June 8, 2017 (0 Comments - view/add) Updated Soda Tax Rules from Cook County: Separate Line Item OK, Price Must Be Inclusive of Tax » Recently, the Cook County Department of Revenue reissued Regulation-2 and the FAQ on the upcoming Sweetened Beverage T...
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