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RestaurantvilleMAGAZINE CONNECTING THE TEXAS RESTAURANT COMMUNITY

What Texas Restaurants

Need to Know About EMV

Credit-Card Technology

PUBLISHERRichie Jackson, CEO Texas Restaurant Association

EDITORWendy Saari, Vice President, Marketing & Communications Texas Restaurant Association

ART DIRECTORCarol Ann Lee, Graphic Design Manager Texas Restaurant Association

CONTRIBUTORSChantal Rice

RESTAURANT VILLE MAGAZINE is published quarterly by the Texas Restaurant Association.

Editorial and advertising questions can be directed to Wendy Saari at512-457-4100 or wsaari@tramail.org.

P.O. Box 1429Austin, Texas 78767512-457-4100800-395-2872

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It is the mission of the Texas Restaurant Association to be the advocate and indispensable resource for the foodservice and hospitality industry in Texas.

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Contents

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 3

Charge It !What Texas

Restaurants

Need to Know

About EMV

Credit-Card

Technology

B Y C H A N T A L R I C E

Beginning Oct. 1, businesses that do not use credit-card terminals designed to accept EMV chip cards will be liable for counterfeit card fraud losses.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE4

Beginning Oct. 1, businesses that do not use credit-card terminals designed to accept EMV chip cards will be liable for counterfeit card fraud losses.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 5

There are many great reasons to delve into the often

complicated and unforgiving world of restaurant

operations. You may have a passion for food, a fabulous

family recipe and a gift for hospitality. Hopefully you have

a good head for business. Because, business savvy is cer-

tainly paramount for running a restaurant these days. In

this technological age, restaurateurs who can keep pace

often come out ahead.

One impending technological change involving how

restaurants accept guest payments has many Texas

restaurant operators scrambling to gather information, and

in some cases, without much help from their payment-in-

dustry partners.

Restaurants that don’t employ EMV card readers could be stuck with some hefty chargeback costs.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE6

Here’s what’s at issue: Beginning Oct. 1, businesses — including Texas

restaurants — that do not use credit-card terminals designed to accept

EMV chip cards will be liable for counterfeit card fraud losses. That means

if a criminal pays, for instance, with a counterfeit credit card at a Texas

restaurant that doesn’t use an EMV card reader, the restaurant will be re-

sponsible for that chargeback. This marks a liability shift, as, up until this

October, any counterfeit credit-card charges would be paid by the card’s

issuing bank. Essentially, restaurants that don’t employ EMV card readers

could be stuck with some hefty chargeback costs.

The solution is obvious, right? Texas restaurants should upgrade their

payment systems. But it’s not that simple. In fact, the entire conversation

surrounding EMV credit-card technology and Texas restaurants is pretty

darn complicated. Many restaurateurs are unsure how to proceed, have

gotten conflicting information or simply lack knowledge about the tech-

nology change altogether.

is obvious,

right?

solutionThe

Restaurants that don’t employ EMV card readers could be stuck with some hefty chargeback costs.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 7

WHAT IS EMV TECHNOLOGY?

What exactly is EMV? The abbreviation EMV stands for “Europay, Mas-

terCard, Visa.” EMV standards were formed by Europay, MasterCard and

Visa in 1993 in order to protect debit and credit cards accepted at the

point of sale and during ATM transactions. EMV credit cards, or smart-

cards, represent a new generation of credit cards. They are chip-based

payment cards containing all the information needed for making pay-

ment. The main advantage to EMV cards is that they will cut down on

counterfeiting, which accounts for 37% of all U.S. credit card fraud, ac-

cording to a 2014 report by Aite Group. The difference between EMV

cards and the magnetic-stripe payment cards most consumers use today

involves security. EMV cards are undeniably more secure than traditional

magnetic-stripe cards, for several reasons.

The magnetic stripes on the credit and debit cards in use today store

data about the card account and user — information that is unchanging.

than traditional

magnetic-stripe

cards.

undeniably more secu re

EMV cards are

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE8

Therefore, anyone who accesses the card’s data gains access to the sen-

sitive card and cardholder information needed to make a purchase, leav-

ing traditional magnetic stripe credit cards vulnerable to counterfeiters.

EMV smartcards, however, contain a small computer chip. Every time

a consumer uses their EMV card for payment, EMV security standards au-

thenticate that the card is present at the point of purchase, and the card’s

computer chip creates a unique transaction code that cannot be used

again. This makes EMV cards essentially impossible to counterfeit.

Creditcards.com breaks down EMV card security in these terms: “If a

hacker stole the chip information from one specific point of sale, typical

card duplication would never work because the stolen transaction num-

ber created in that instance wouldn’t be usable again and the card would

just get denied. … EMV technology will not prevent data breaches from

occurring, but it will make it much harder for criminals to successfully

profit from what they steal. Experts hope it will help significantly reduce

fraud in the U.S., which has doubled in the past seven years.”

Similar to magnetic-stripe cards, EMV card payments are processed

through card reading and transaction verification, but EMV cards are read

in a different way. Merchants, including Texas restaurants, will be able to

accept EMV cards in two ways: through “card dipping” and through “con-

tactless card reading.” When card dipping, a customer inserts his EMV

card into the reader terminal slot and waits for it to process. This takes

a bit longer than what consumers are used to when swiping a magnet-

ic-stripe card, a potential setback for busy restaurants trying to process

multiple transactions at once. The card-dipping process enables data to

flow between the EMV card chip and the card’s issuing bank or financial

institution, in order to verify the card’s legitimacy and create the unique

transaction code. Contactless card reading, also known as near field

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 9

communication (NFC), al-

lows a customer to tap his

EMV credit card against a

terminal PIN pad’s con-

tactless reader for payment

acceptance.

Depending on the veri-

fication method tied to the

EMV card, a consumer may

have to sign to complete

the transaction, or enter a

PIN. When a cardholder’s

PIN is used to validate the

purchase, this is referred to

as “chip and pin,” and it op-

erates like a checking ac-

count debit card. If a mer-

chant’s terminal does not

have a PIN pad, the system

will request the cardholder’s signature. In some cases, as with transac-

tions at quick-service restaurants today, no customer verification will be

required for a purchase.

The United States is coming late to the EMV game, with the technology

already implemented in some 120 countries on four continents. Currently,

there are more than 1.5 billion EMV cards being used throughout the world,

and research organization Aite Group estimates that by the end of this year,

nearly 70 percent of credit cards and 40 percent of debit cards used in the

U.S. — more than 1 billion cards total — will be EMV cards. For the next few

years, many card issuers will include both a mag-stripe and an EMV chip.

According to Greg den Herder, The new Clover POS terminals offer a great deal of added value to Abby’s Catering Services’ client base and business processes.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE10

TO EMV OR NOT TO EMV?

Given this soon-to-be-ubiquitous credit-card technology, the equip-

ment upgrades needed to take advantage of the technology and the

costs and staff training associated with upgrading, not to mention the

chargeback liability and a quickly approaching counterfeit card liability

shift deadline, throngs of Texas restaurant operators are faced with the

decision of whether to make potentially costly technology upgrades in

the coming months. And oftentimes, they’re not getting the answers they

need from their POS providers and credit-card processing partners.

According to Greg den Herder, The new Clover POS terminals offer a great deal of added value to Abby’s Catering Services’ client base and business processes.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 11

“Our POS equipment,

Aloha, is one of the biggest,

if not the biggest, provid-

er of POS equipment in the

country, and they are still

waiting to hear from the

big credit-card processors

on what equipment will be

required to be compatible

with their terminals,” says

Harlan Scott, operations

manager for Parkside Proj-

ects in Austin. “We can’t up-

grade until we’re told how.”

Unfortunately, this is a common response from Texas restaurant opera-

tors. But Jim Higgins, Vice President of Business and Financial Services for

the National Restaurant Association, wants to assure Texas restaurateurs

that, despite the rollout of EMV technology being somewhat complicat-

ed and many usage concerns being far from resolved, the sky is not fall-

ing, though he does admit to a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario when

it comes to implementing the technology. Should restaurants buy EMV

compatible hardware now or wait until more consumers are using EMV

cards?

“Restaurants are not required to implement any new technology this

October. That date begins a liability shift for counterfeit card transactions.

This really means that if a criminal buys a meal at a Texas restaurant using

a counterfeit EMV chip card after Oct. 1, the restaurant is responsible for

that fraud purchase,” Higgins says. “We think that watchful waiting is ap-

propriate for many restaurateurs in 2015.”

Restaurants are not required to implement any new technology this October.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE12

By the end of this

year, nearly 70%

of credit cards and

40% of debit cards

used in the U.S. will

be EMV cards.

Because many restaurants incur little in counterfeit fraud costs, Higgins

suggests Texas restaurateurs do the math to calculate whether the cost

of buying new EMV terminals or retrofitting their existing POS terminals in

2015 is worth the capital cost.

“The No. 1 thing is that restaurants not be frightened into a purchase

by a POS vendor,” he says. “POS providers often say EMV is mandated by

Oct. 1. I would recommend at some point doing it. We assume that by

the end of 2017, restaurants will see that the majority of the cards that

come in will be chip cards. When this becomes main-stream, then it

makes sense to upgrade.”

For some restaurant operators, including Parkside’s Scott, the poten-

tial for higher costs associated with fraudulent card use and chargebacks

doesn’t weigh heavier than concerns about upgrade costs.

“Chargeback requests happen less than 12 times a year, and we are able to

counter most disputes by sending in itemized or signed receipts,” Scott says.

Restaurants are not required to implement any new technology this October.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 13

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For José Cuevas, own-

er of several JumBurrito

locations in Midland and

Odessa, the idea of up-

grading to EMV-capable

systems isn’t too daunt-

ing, even if some specif-

ics involving the upgrade

remain unclear, and it’s

a change he’s happy to

make.

“I’m working with our Micros representatives to make sure we are ready.

However, like most government rollouts lately, the rules are vague, so when

the rules firm and Micros is ready to upgrade, we will. I have spoken with our

[credit-card] processor, Merchant Warehouse, and they are in agreement that

Micros will ensure that we meet EMV solutions,” Cuevas says. “I personally

believe we restaurant owners have a great responsibility to ensure our guests’

credit-card information is protected to a higher degree and at all times.”

While many restaurateurs are playing the waiting game, others are em-

bracing the EMV changes wholeheartedly. Greg den Herder, Chief Operat-

ing Officer for Abby’s Catering Services in Houston, says Abby’s embraces

new technology as it is proven in the market, and aims to offer security and

ease of use to customers. During the past year, Abby’s has worked closely

with merchant processor First Data, which has assisted Abby’s with its EMV

rollout and POS equipment planning, assistance den Herder calls “instru-

mental.” Abby’s purchased new Clover POS terminals, which can be used

with EMV PIN pads at the Abby’s retail unit and corporate cafeteria loca-

tions.

José Cuevas, owner of several JumBurrito locations is undaunted

by the task of upgrading to EMV-capable systems.

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Though den Herder acknowledges the cost to upgrade to EMV tech-

nology has not been insignificant, he rationalizes it by looking at the tech-

nology’s value add and cost benefit versus capital outlay.

“In this scenario, the technology and physical equipment upgrades not

only help us stay in-line with the new mandate, but also offer a great deal

of added value to our client base and business processes,” he says. “These

include embedded gift-card capabilities, a loyalty app, syncing with our

financial accounting systems, an employee management tool, cloud ac-

cess and, quite frankly, it just looks cool.”

CAN EMV REALLY DELIVER THE GOODS?

The NRA’s Higgins says there are plenty of concerns with implementing

EMV technology, specifically for restaurant operators, which remain unan-

swered by POS providers and credit-card processing companies. Among

them are issues related to PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance.

“The PCI protocol hasn’t been released yet for EMV,” Higgins says.

“That’s supposed to be in July. That’s why some businesses are appealing

to Congress, saying they can’t have the liability shift occur when busi-

nesses don’t have enough

info and technology to do

this.”

David Gilbert, President

of the hospitality group for

Heartland Payment Sys-

tems, which is the NRA’s

endorsed provider for pay-

roll, payment processing,

and gift/loyalty, says PCI

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 17

compliance will likely continue in much the

same manner.

“Implementing an EMV terminal or POS

system does not excuse a restaurant from

PCI-compliance requirements,” Gilbert

says. “Instead, it helps to view EMV as a

physical payment type, much like mag-

netic-stripe readers, but with many more

features that reduce the chance for coun-

terfeiting.”

Additional concerns include the chal-

lenge of keeping equipment unbroken, and

basic payment capabilities at the drive-thru,

over the phone and with delivery services.

“There are many situations where peo-

ple are given their boss’ credit card to pay

for big events at the restaurants. Handling credit-card deposits over

the phone is something that is already going away due to PCI-compli-

ance laws, but all these steps are making it harder for the guest to ca-

sually pay for things,” Scott says.

According to Higgins, when it comes to making phone orders or deliv-

ery payments, “the card industry has not yet done a good job of clarifying

these concerns. They say they will by this July. … Theoretically, it’s possi-

ble that every pizza-delivery guy will have a chip reader, but that’s not a

product that’s currently available.”

And when it comes to paying for food at a drive-thru, there are more

questions than answers. “At this moment, Visa doesn’t have a good an-

Kevin Hawkins, owner of Macaroni Joe’s in Amarillo has started researching the EMV upgrade with his POS provider.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE18

As

consumers

swer for how to handle chip dip at a

drive-thru,” Higgins says.

As consumers learn the specifics of us-

ing these new EMV cards to make purchas-

es, restaurant staff may be learning right

along with them.

Kevin Hawkins of Macaroni Joe’s in Am-

arillo says he’s started conversations with

his POS provider and credit-card processor

about an EMV upgrade, noting “commu-

nication is not one of their strong points,”

and says if Macaroni Joe’s does indeed

upgrade to EMV-capable equipment, he’ll

of using these

new EMV cards to

make purchases,

restaurant staff

may be learning

right along with

them.

learn the specifics

Kevin Hawkins, owner of Macaroni Joe’s in Amarillo has started researching the EMV upgrade with his POS provider.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 19

likely choose one of the Ingenico or VeriFone systems that was recom-

mended.

And when it comes to training staff on these systems, Hawkins says

Macaroni Joe’s will do “whatever is needed to make dang sure they fully

understand what they are doing.”

EMV TECHNOLOGY WITH A HEART

While there are a variety of EMV-capable systems on the market, some

key components to take note of include those that can supply more se-

curity than EMV alone.

Heartland has a number of POS solutions and partners that help restau-

rants upgrade to EMV. XPIENT and POS 360 are two such restaurant POS

systems that Heartland supports. Third-party restaurant system partners

Heartland recommends include pcAmerica and Dinerware. 

“We can also provide a full solution of hardware peripherals, terminals,

software and services to support the implementation,” Gilbert says, noting

that XPIENT and POS 360 support Heartland Secure, the company’s secu-

rity solution that is backed by the most comprehensive breach warranty in

the industry. “Heartland Secure combines EMV, E3 end-to-end encryption

and tokenization to provide merchants with the highest level of security

available to protect against card-present data fraud.”

With Heartland Secure, when an EMV card is used for payment, Heart-

land encrypts the card data, then a secure transaction is processed and

the card data is replaced with a unique reference number, or “token,” that

can be used for returns and repeat purchases, but is unusable by outsiders

and has no value. Employing this encryption and tokenization technology

alongside EMV ensures the best security for cardholders and merchants,

Gilbert says.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE20

“There are two very im-

portant differentiations

between Heartland Secure

and other offerings on the

market: We do not charge

for encryption and our

breach warranty is not lim-

ited,” Gilbert says. “Unlike

competitors, Heartland in-

cludes encryption at no ex-

tra cost and our encryption

method does not require

updates to the keys, mak-

ing it easier and less costly

to maintain. We also do not

charge for single-use toke-

nization.”

While Gilbert says costs

vary depending on which

products and services a

restaurateur opts for, Heart-

land does not impose ad-

ditional charges for mer-

chants to process EMV

transactions, and Heartland

does not charge for E3

end-to-end encryption and

tokenization.

It’s important for restaurant operators to

work with providers they trust when looking to

upgrade their systems. Ask yourself, your cred-

it-card processor and POS provider questions

such as:

• What are my current chargeback write

offs due to counterfeit cards?

• Can my current POS system be

upgraded to support EMV? What is the

cost for that upgrade? 

• Will the new POS system allow the

restaurant to provide tableside payment

or counter-based payment only?

• If tableside payment is an option, what

is the cost for associated devices? Are

they robust? How do they communicate

with the POS system? Is there an

additional charge for communications

from the device to the POS system? Is

the communication between the device

and the POS system secure? Are there

wireless or network upgrades required

to use these devices?

• Is the POS system PCI compliant? 

• Does the POS system encrypt both EMV

and magnetic-stripe transactions?   

Texas Restaurateurs Should

Ask When Upgrading to EMV

Key Questions

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Three distinct business solutions.One company you can trust.Payment Processing | Payroll Solutions | Marketing Solutions

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“The only costs a restaurant incurs,” Gilbert

says, “are the costs associated with installing

terminals that accept EMV transactions.” 

For some Texas restaurateurs, the cost

of upgrading immediately isn’t worth the

risk of incurring potential chargebacks on

fraudulent payments. For others, there’s

nothing riskier than losing customers who

think their credit-card information isn’t safe

at a restaurant.

“Every day, I am concerned about higher

cost on one thing or another,” says Maca-

roni Joe’s Hawkins. “With the breaches we

have seen so far, I think it would be silly to

think they will stop. … The more security

we can have in place, the better. Having

stolen personal data on the front page of

the paper or on the 6 o’clock news can

do a ton of damage, especially to a small

company. Taking every step to prevent this

is important to me.”

Online Fraud May Surge After EMV Chip Card

RolloutRead Article

Source: creditcards.com

EMV: Lessons Learned and the U.S. Outlook

Read ArticleSource: Julie Conroy, Aite

Group

Data Breaches Turn Spotlight on EMV Cards

Read ArticleSource: Tamara Holmes,

creditcards.com

PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)

Read ArticleSource: PCI Security Standards

Council

Additional Resou rces

we can have in place,

the better.

The more secu r ity

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IN CONJUNCTION WITH

restaurantville.com/stir

FEATURED SPEAKERJim Sullivan, CEO and founder, Sullivision.com

The restaurant industry in Texas is expected to post 4.8% sales growth in 2015 to

reach $44.5 billion according to the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2015

Restaurant Industry Forecast and trends report. Texas restaurants will employ 1.2 mil-

lion individuals next year and create an additional 260,700 jobs in the next decade.

“Once again Texas is among the nation’s leaders in restaurant sales growth and first

in the nation in restaurant employment growth. With $44 billion in sales, the Texas

restaurant industry continues to be a cornerstone of the community and the econo-

my,” said Richie Jackson, CEO, Texas Restaurant Association.

While the operating environment for America’s one million restaurants remains

challenging, 2015 will mark the sixth consecutive year of real sales growth for the in-

dustry. Overall, industry sales are projected to reach $709.2 billion in 2015, up 3.8 per-

cent from 2014.

2015 also will mark the 16th consecutive year in which restaurant industry employ-

ment will outpace overall employment growth. Restaurants will employ 14 million in-

dividuals this year as the nation’s second-largest private sector employer, representing

about 10 percent of the total U.S. workforce.

Texas Restau rant IndustryExpected to Post Growth in 2015

State Ranks Second in Sales Volume,

First in Employment Growth

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TAKE IT WITH YOU Texas-sized servings of new opportunities.Fill up on everything you need to run a better restaurant and feed your bottom line. The TRA Marketplace serves up generous portions of leading suppliers, fresh products, up-to-the-minute industry insight and proven practical solutions you can take home and put into action right away.

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“Our nation’s restaurants

continue to be an essential part

of Americans’ daily lives and play

a vital role in every community

across the country,” said Dawn

Sweeney, President and CEO

of the National Restaurant As-

sociation. “Although operators

will continue to face a range

of complex challenges in 2015,

the restaurant and foodservice

industry remains a fundamental

driver of the nation’s economy,

while providing valuable careers

and opportunities to 14 million

Americans.”

Operators will continue to

face a range of challenges, in-

cluding rising food costs, build-

ing sales volume, the economy,

healthcare, and recruiting and

retaining employees.

For more information about

the NRA’s 2015 Restaurant

Industry Forecast, visit

Restaurant.org/Forecast.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 27

Listen up restaurant owners, hiring managers, and HR professionals: you can do

better. Yes, the job market is still slow and there are many people looking for work,

but that does not mean you shouldn’t take the time to write a good, descriptive jobs

post. Fret not – we are here to help. Behold, some golden tips for creating the per-

fect job listing:

1. BE SPECIFIC. Line cooks, servers, dishwashers, baristas, etc. will be looking for

their specific job titles in the description. So use them! Preferably in the title

of the post. If you’ve got a minimum experience standard, or particular shifts

to fill, be sure to say that, too. The more specific you can be about what you

want, the more likely it is that you’ll get candidates who possess the skills and/

or experience you need.

2. BE CONCISE. Most applicants take less than 30 seconds to review a job listing,

so this is not the time to write a novel. State the requirements that you’re look-

ing for, and throw in a few brief descriptors that explain the work environment,

so the applicant gets a picture of what it’s like to work there. Sweeten the pot

with what you’ll bring to the table: competitive wages, medical benefits, dis-

count programs, vacation, paid sick leave, etc.

Job ListingCreating the PerfectTips for

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE28

3. BUT NOT TOO CONCISE. “Looking for an experienced pastry chef, should be

able to bake from scratch. 40 hours a week.” Ooh, sounds thrilling, doesn’t it?

A general cattle call like this will usually get you a waiting room full of interview

duds. So woo them just a little.

4. KEEP YOUR COMPANY INFO BRIEF, AND SECONDARY. By all means, men-

tion that you’re Michelin starred, or have a Rising Star Chef in the kitchen. But

save the history of your restaurant or the intricacies of your cooking philoso-

phy for the website (which a good candidate will check out anyway). Remem-

ber, the job ad is about attracting them, not promoting you. So spell that stuff

out first and then devote just a line or two to back story.

5. BULLET POINTS ARE YOUR FRIEND. Admit it: you skim resumes! Well, so do

the job candidates when they’re looking at the listings. So make nice, neat little

lists separated by bullet points and make everyone happy.

6. USE REAL ENGLISH. Sound like a no-brainer? You’d be surprised. If you want

quality candidates, then demonstrate what you expect by writing a quality

post. That means use the spell-check, grammar-check, punctuation-check,

and the “doh!”-check (i.e., have someone with a good eye read through it for

any stupid mistakes) before you publish. Just because you grip a knife more

often than a keyboard doesn’t excuse you from communicating properly in the

mother tongue.

7. CUT THE CRAP. Look, everyone wants a Customer-Oriented-Team-Play-

er-with-Good-Communication-Skills. But do you drug test? Are bilingual skills a

must? Need someone to lift 50 pounds on a daily basis? Then say so! So many

hiring managers play coy about stating the nitty gritty details up front, but the

truth is you want to hire someone who won’t shy away from a challenge.

ABOUT POACHED

We’re a jobs-site for the food and drink industry serving 11 major cities nation-

wide: www.poachedjobs.com. We work had to attract workers of the service

industry community, culinary school graduates and anyone else looking for a

restaurant job so you can be sure your job listing gets plenty of exposure.

Post your job on Poached for FREE. Use promo code: onefreeTRA for one free

job listing ($30 value). Offer expires 5/1/15.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 29

For 140 days, 31 Senators and 150 House members meet in Austin to discuss and

debate issues impacting Texans. They will introduce thousands of bills and reso-

lutions, of which hundreds will pass and move on to the Governor to be signed or

vetoed. The Capital will be swarming with lobbyists, school children, state agency

employees, local constituents and advocacy groups ranging from the Hells Angels to

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

The Texas Restaurant Association will be right in the middle of the action, working

hard to advocate for the industry’s and our members’ interests. During this Session,

our focus is on the following key issues:

• Legislation that will make it easier and less costly for restaurant employees to

obtain food handler certification and food handler permits.

• Legislation to ensure that franchisees are not unduly burdened with high un-

employment insurance tax rates when they purchase a franchise from a cor-

porate franchisor or other franchisee. Franchisees should be permitted to use

their own unemployment experience rating rather than be forced to accept

the higher corporate franchise rate.

• Passage of the Department of State Health Services sunset bill which will pro-

vide that Texas restaurant managers maintain the ability to receive manag-

Texas Legislature Convenes

for 84th Regular Session

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE30

TEXAS 360

er food safety training

through an Internet ex-

amination or through a

proctored exam setting.

In addition, TRA will be

closely following any bills relat-

ed to the franchise tax; alcohol,

beer and wine regulations and

permitting requirements; immi-

gration reform; labor and em-

ployment law; and gun rights.

You can follow the key bills

that TRA is tracking on our Bill

Watch page on restaurant-

ville.com. If you are interested

in other issues outside of our

focus, the Texas Tribune and

Texas Legislature Online are

good resources for information,

and they link to live feeds from

the Senate and House so you

can see your elected officials in

action.

If you have questions about

these or any other legislative,

regulatory or legal issues, please

contact TRA’s General Counsel,

Kenneth Besserman via email at

kbesserman@tramail.org or call

800-395-2872.The Texas Restaurant Association will be closely following any bills to the

industry. Follow the key bills on restaurantville.com/billwatch

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 31

TEXAS 360

Each year, the National Restaurant Association

honors outstanding restaurants across the na-

tion for their charitable support and dedication to

improving their local communities. This year, the

Texas winners are Cured, San Antonio, TX; and

Fish City Grill, Dallas, TX.

These restaurants will now compete with oth-

er state winners for the national award. Four na-

tional winners will receive $5,000 to support their

charity or community project at awards ceremo-

ny in Washington, DC in April 2015.

“These restaurants are prime examples of the

generosity and philanthropy Texas restaurants ex-

hibit every day of the year in their communities,”

said Richie Jackson, TRA CEO. “The Restaurant

Neighbor Award is a great way to shine the spot-

light on and honor the many things restaurateurs

do each day to make our communities better

places to live and work.”

for Outstanding

Community Service

Two Texas Restaurants

Honored with

Steve McHugh, owner of Cured in San

Antonio, and his staff are generous

contributors to many local charities.

W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE32

TEXAS 360

Cured has been open just one year but char-

itable giving and community involvement has

been a fundamental part of chef/owner Steve

McHugh since the beginning. Cured occupies

the original president’s office in San Antonio’s

sprawling, historic Pearl Brewery complex, now

a vibrant destination for foodies from San An-

tonio and beyond. Not only is the popular new

restaurant an anchor of its own neighborhood;

from the get-go it has shown itself to be a caring,

generous neighbor. McHugh and his staff of sixty

contribute significant ours and in-kind resources

to local events. Their signature giving program

is tied to a popular centerpiece of its menu, the

charcuterie board: for each of these ordered,

Cured donates $1 to a single charity. A different

charity is chosen each quarter. In 2014 Cured

raised over $13,000 for The Leukemia & Lym-

phoma Society, Team Gleason for ALS support,

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry and Susan G.

Komen Foundation.

Fish City Grill has a passion for supporting the communities it serves through

its First Tuesday program. Following Sept. 11, 2001, Fish City Grill launched its First

Tuesday event to provide support for hyper-local non-profit organizations. Early on,

they understood that their dollars could have a significant impact on organizations

in each of their restaurants’ backyards that were most in need. On the first Tuesday

of each month, the locations highlight a different local charity and encourage guests

and supporters of that organization to dine with them that day. A portion of the day’s

sales are then directly donated to the charity. In 13 years the program has expanded

to all Fish City Grill locations and the company has donated more than $275,000 to

various local organizations across Texas and nationally.

Fish City Grill’s First Tuesday program

encourages charitable giving to hyper-

local non-profit organizations.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 33

TEXAS 360

F O R A DV E R T I S I N G I N F O R M AT I O N CO N TAC T W E N DY S A A R I AT 5 1 2 - 4 5 7 - 4 1 0 0 O R W S A A R I @ T R A M A I L .O RG34

tabctogo.com

Quick & Easy Online Alcohol Certification Course

Get Certified Today! Valid anywhere in Texas

A Texas Restaurant Association Product

restaurantville.com/certified

Online • FAST • Affordable

Industry leading food manager safety certification

Accepted by all local health departments in Texas

No proctored exam. Take the course and exam online and receive your certification.

Inman’s Kitchen & Catering/Ramblin’ Rose Dancehall

• Award winning Turkey Sausage & BBQ Restaurant.

• 17,000 sq ft building overlooking downtown Llano, Texas.

• Located on an entire city block with HWY 71 & 29 Frontage.

For Sale:

Contact Horace: (512) 965-5554

KENNETH BESSERMANGeneral Counsel

kbesserman@tramail.org • 512.457.4170

TIM SEKIYADirector of Insurance

tsekiya@tramail.org • 512.457.4161

PHIL WILLISDirector of Products & Training Manager

pwillis@tramail.org • 512.457.4165

800.395.2872 • restaurantville.com

at your service!Have a question? Ask our experts.

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS CONFERENCE

MARCH 2 – 3, 2015 | AUSTIN, TEXASJoin us as we meet to discuss issues facing the Texas

restaurant industry and take our message to elected officials at

the Texas Capitol. The Legislative Affairs Conference will kick-off

Monday afternoon with a presentation by newly-elected Texas

Comptroller Glenn Hegar who will share insights into the state’s

revenue outlook.

Tuesday morning, Ross Ramsey, executive editor and co-

founder of The Texas Tribune and Harvey Kronberg, publisher and

editor of The Quorum Report will share their behind the scenes

insights into the current political and policy landscape in Texas.

Then, attendees will team up with restaurateurs from across

the state for a day of lobbying at the Texas Capitol to talk about

the vital role restaurants play in our economy—our 1 million plus

jobs, our $44.5 billion in sales, our significant contributions to state

and local taxes and our impact on communities across the state.

REGISTER TODAY!

You May be on the Menu!

Glenn Hagar

Ross Ramsey

Harvey Kronberg

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 35

TEXAS 360

The Panhandle Restaurant Association, a TRA chapter, donated

$3,000 to each of the Texas ProStart schools located in their area.

Thanks for supporting high school culinary arts and hospitality

students!

TRA President Jerry Morales visited the Sabine Area Restaurant

Association, a TRA chapter, in January.

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COMMUNIT Y NEWS

ADVERTISING INDEX

HEARTLAND................................................22

RVM CLASSIFIED........................................34

INMAN’S KITCHEN

TRA AT YOUR SERVICE

FOODGUARD

TABC TO GO

STIR...............................................................24

TEXAS MUTUAL .........................................14

TEXAS PROSTART INVITATIONAL .........42

TRA MARKETPLACE...................................26

UNITED HEALTHCARE..............................16

For advertising information contact

Wendy Saari at 512-457-4100 or

wsaari@tramail.org

GDRA HONORS TRA PRESIDENT JERRY MORALESTRA President Jerry Morales joined Greater Dallas Restaurant Association

leadership and members for dinner at Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House in

November. TRA’s CEO Richie Jackson and COO Malcomb Gardner and Addison

mayor Todd Meier were also in attendance. Mr. Morales’ enthusiastic address

included his family history in the restaurant industry and the attachment he feels to it

and his roadmap for the Association in 2014-2015.

Sponsored by: Hotchkiss Insurance, Reddy Ice and Texas Mutual

Skeeter Miller, owner of The County Line BBQ

and current president of the Austin Chapter is

keeping the restaurant industry front and center

when it comes to local advocacy. Shown here

after catering the Mayor’s and former Mayor’s

luncheon at City Hall. He was also the Mayor’s

guest at the inaugural ceremony.

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 37

COMMUNIT Y NEWS

SAVE THE DATE! UPCOMING SAN

ANTONIO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

EVENTS

Board Meeting & Mixer

Monday, March 9

Viola’s Ventanas, 9660 Westover Hills Blvd.

4:30 -5:30 pm Board Meeting

5:30 – 7:30 pm Member Mixer

Board Meeting & Mixer

Monday, April 6

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 7720 Jones Maltsberger

4:30-5:30 pm Board Meeting

6:00 – 8:00 pm Member Mixer

Chili Pepper Golf Tournament

Monday, May 11

The Dominion Country Club, 1 Dominion Drive

11am–6:00 pm

President’s Dinner

Monday, June 1

The Westin Riverwalk, 420 West Market Street

6:00-9:00 pm

Visit sarametro.com or call 210-734-7663 for

more information.

MARK YOUR

RIO GRANDE VALLEY

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COMMUNIT Y NEWS

SAN ANTONIO RESTAURANT

ASSOCIATION AWARDS GALAThe San Antonio Restaurant Association

honored Steve Richmond, owner of Pizza

Hut as the Restaurateur of the Year at their

annual Awards Gala. The planning committee

selected mustaches and bowties as the theme

for the party in honor of Steve’s signature style.

Everything from the centerpieces, decorations,

dessert, catering staff wearing mustache glasses,

color skim and so much more, reflected Pizza

Hut and Steve’s personality. They received great

support from members and sponsors, hosting

365 guests.

In addition that night, the Association honored

and awarded:

• The Lujan Sisters, DeWinne Volunteer Award

• Jimmy Hasslocher, Owner of Frontier

Enterprises, Education Partner of the Year

• Jack Baker, Owner of Bace Ice Equipment,

Special Achievement Award

• Tim Campion, Vice President of GLI

Distributing, Associate Partner of the Year

• Brock Coleman, Owner of Commercial

Kitchen Parts & Service, Industry Partner

of the Year

• Hans Nadler, Owner of Nadler’s Bakery &

Delicatessen, Chairman Emeritus of the

Nominations Committee

• Jerry Morales, TRA President

• Lavera Vincent, Past Executive Director

R E S TAU R A N TVILLE MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 39

COMMUNIT Y NEWS

GREATER DALLAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION 2015

STATE OF THE ASSOCIATIONState of the Association 2015, the chapter’s annual general

membership meeting, was held on Tuesday, January 13 at Medical

City Dallas. Rob Gifford, EVP Strategic Operations & Philanthropy-

National Restaurant Association, discussed the upcoming

congressional agenda and industry issues. Richie Jackson, CEO-

Texas Restaurant Association, addressed the impending Texas

legislative session and industry concerns for the state of Texas.

A panel of local mayors addressed area legislative concerns and

large economic development projects. Panelists were Todd Meier,

Mayor of Addison; Matthew Marchant, Mayor of Carrollton; Maher

Maso, Mayor of Frisco and Laura Maczka, Mayor if Richardson.

Sponsored by Reliant, an NRG company and Emergency Ice

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COMMUNIT Y NEWS

STUDENT’S TASTE OF DALLASOn Sunday, November 23 culinary arts students

from 8 Dallas-area Texas ProStart schools

participated in the second Student’s Taste of

Dallas at 3015 at Trinity Groves. Participating teams

created either an appetizer or a dessert.. Judges

Chef Sharon Van Meter, Chef Steve DeShazo

and Chef Roger Kaplan critiqued the teams and

awarded a first and second place while guests

voted on a People’s Choice award. Participating

schools included Allen High School, DeSoto High

School, Forney High School, Irving High School,

Jack E. Singley Academy, Mesquite High school,

Nimitz High School and Royse City High School.

• First Place: Irving High School, Pumpkin

Maple Pecan Parfaits

• Second Place: DeSoto High School, Chef’s

Midnight Run

• People’s Choice: Allen High School,

Caramelized Banana Tart

Sponsored by Sysco, Ettinger-Rosini and

Associates and 3015 at Trinity Groves

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COMMUNIT Y NEWS

F O R A DV E R T I S I N G I N F O R M AT I O N CO N TAC T W E N DY S A A R I AT 5 1 2 - 4 5 7 - 4 1 0 0 O R W S A A R I @ T R A M A I L .O RG42

See Texas’Top Culinary & Hospitality

High School Studentsin Action!

TEXAS PROSTART

STAT E I N V I TAT I O NAL

M a rc h 2 7 – 2 8 , 2 0 1 5Waco Convention Center

100 Washington Avenue | Waco, TX 76701

restaurantville.com/competitions