How the National Restaurant Association Advocates for the Restaurant Industry

Updated

The National Restaurant Association advocates by representing restaurants of every size at every level of government, and it describes the industry as the nation's second-largest private-sector employer. That scale is the core of its argument: because so many people work in restaurants, the policies that affect restaurants also affect a large share of the U.S. workforce. If you operate a restaurant and want to understand where industry advocacy happens — or how to follow it — the association's Issues & Advocacy section is the main entry point.

What "advocacy at every level of government" means

The association states that it supports restaurants "at every level of government." In practice, that framing covers three arenas:

  • Federal — national legislation and regulation that apply across states.
  • State — rules that vary by jurisdiction and often move faster than federal policy.
  • Local — city and county decisions that directly shape day-to-day operations.

The association ties this work to its position as a major employer, noting that the industry "is uniquely impacted by some of the most important issues facing our country today." That is the logic of its advocacy: restaurant-specific concerns are treated as national economic concerns, not niche business interests.

The issues it organizes around

The site groups its work under Issues & Advocacy, alongside Research & Economic Analysis. Rather than listing a fixed policy platform on the homepage, it presents advocacy as ongoing and responsive — the industry "changes rapidly," and the association positions itself as a source for staying informed about "the latest issues impacting your business."

Two things follow from that structure:

  1. Advocacy is paired with research. The association produces reports and economic analysis that operators can use to understand conditions and make a case. Examples visible on the site include a 2026 Beverage Trends Report, a hiring and staffing report on how onboarding, managers, and technology drive ROI, and a workforce report on restaurant careers in America.
  2. Some resources are member-gated. The beverage trends report, for instance, is described as free to association members, while other guides are offered as free downloads. Access conditions differ by resource, so check each one rather than assuming everything is open.

How operators can get involved or stay informed

The site offers several concrete ways to engage, each with a different level of commitment:

Action What it involves Who it suits
Follow News and Resources Ongoing updates on issues affecting restaurants Any operator who wants to stay current
Read research reports Data on workforce, hiring, and trends Operators planning staffing or menu decisions
Use free operational guides Preparedness and response guidance (e.g., public safety, utility disruptions) Operators managing risk
Join programs like Kids LiveWell A free marketing program for better-for-you kids' menu options Operators targeting families
Attend events Webinars, podcasts, industry events, and conferences Operators who want direct engagement

The Always Ready series is a useful example of how advocacy-adjacent work reaches operators in practical form. The public safety guide is aimed at helping restaurant teams "reduce risk, prepare for public safety incidents, and respond with confidence," and a companion guide covers what to do during power, gas, or water outages — including preparation, response, and recovery. These are free downloads, and they show the association operating as a resource provider as well as a policy voice.

A realistic example

Say you run a single-location restaurant and a city council is considering a change that affects your operating costs. The association's model suggests two parallel tracks: its government-relations work engages at the local level on behalf of restaurants, while its News and Resources stream keeps you informed about the issue. Your practical move is to monitor that stream, use the research and economic analysis to understand the context, and use the events and webinars to hear how other operators are responding. If you want deeper access — such as member-only reports — membership becomes the relevant step.

What to keep in mind

  • The association describes itself as supporting restaurants of every size, so its materials are not limited to large chains.
  • Advocacy content and operational content are mixed together on the site; the Issues & Advocacy section is where the policy work lives, while guides and reports are the operator-facing side.
  • Access terms vary: some reports are member-only, others are free downloads. The site does not present a single universal access rule.
  • The homepage does not enumerate specific policy positions, so for current priorities, the Issues & Advocacy and News and Resources sections are the places to check rather than a static list.