4Thought Blog

This blog was written by our guest author, Dan Murdoch, Vice President of Marketing, Harri

Before COVID-19, restaurants had a significant labor challenge, typically referred to as the “talent crisis” or “war for talent.” Unemployment rates were at a five-year low and minimum wage rates were rising across the country.

To better define the challenge, there were simply too many restaurants, massive job growth, a smaller talent pool given the same level of eligible employees, particularly among teenagers, as in 2007, triple-digit turnover rates, cyclical seasonal hiring, and a struggle to find talent that was capable of representing a brand’s ethos.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has received more than twice the amount of Restaurant Revitalization Fund requests than they have money for, though the National Restaurant Association is advocating for more funding.

As of May 12, there were 266,000 RRF applications seeking a total of $65 billion, more than double than the $28.6 billion fund total.

Applications were accepted starting May 3 and for the first 21 days, the SBA is prioritizing funding applications from businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Applications from that group alone totaled $29 billion.

Applications for $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund will be accepted starting at noon Monday, May 3, the U.S. Small Business Administration has announced.

The grants are for restaurants with 20 or fewer locations to help cover their pandemic-related revenue losses in 2020.

Restaurants can start registering for accounts now. In preparation, the SBA recommends qualifying applicants familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient application experience, specifically by:

This blog was written by our guest author, Brian Hassan, Co-CEO, Kickfin

For years, restaurant employers have struggled with high employee turnover rates. If they are able to find and attract qualified, dependable employees—a feat in and of itself—ensuring retention often poses the next challenge.

And it’s an expensive one. Recruiting, interviewing, onboarding and training candidates are non-revenue generating activities, and they take a lot of time. This doesn’t take into account the “softer” implications of dealing with employees coming through a revolving door, like the impact it has on relationships and company culture.

While the hospitality workforce, by nature, will always be more transient, restaurant operators do have the power to minimize turnover on their teams. Here are five ways employers can ensure that their most reliable, hardworking and talented employees stick around for the long haul.

The new federal stimulus bill (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) includes a special fund – the new $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund – to benefit the hard-hit restaurant industry by providing grant monies in addition to the Paycheck Protection Program loans and other pandemic relief measures.

While we await additional guidance from the SBA, here are the details that are currently available (subject to change).

While the two biggest benefits for McDonald’s Owner/Operators in the second federal stimulus were changes to PPP loans and the expansion of Employee Retention Tax Credit, there are some other benefits franchisees should consider, as well.

Both the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Empowerment Zones have been around for some time but the second stimulus – formally known as 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act – extends both of them for five years, providing a long window for tax planning opportunities.

Here are the details you’ll need to consider for these opportunities:

With the 2020 election in the rearview mirror, businesses are looking forward to beginning 2021 with more clarity. Restaurants are particularly keen to understand what new legislative measures have passed or are on the horizon as they continue to navigate the acute—and devastating—impact of the coronavirus on the industry.

Of most interest is the fate of the Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act, passed by the House of Representatives in October.

If passed by the Senate, the act would provide to non-publicly traded restaurants $120 billion of relief through a grant (rather than a loan that is provided under the Paycheck Protection Program) that would cover the difference between 2019 and 2020 revenues. Restaurants would be able to use the funds for any expenses deemed essential by the secretary of the Treasury Department.

As we are discussing during our year-end tax planning meetings with all of our McDonald’s clients, President-Elect Joe Biden has expressed support for major changes to federal income tax laws, including both businesses and individuals, which would affect McDonald’s Owner/Operators.

With control of the Senate still up in the air, it’s unknown which of his plans may come to fruition, but it’s still wise to learn about his plans, especially as you start working on year-end tax planning. For a more detailed explanation of the changes supported by Biden, refer to our previous article found here.

We’ve studied his tax plans and have run some examples of what Biden’s tax plans could potentially cost a McDonald’s franchisee if they became law. Learn how you might be impacted in our example below.

A heads-up to McDonald’s franchisees: DoorDash plans to remit state sales tax on the delivery orders in 19 new states starting Sept. 1, 2020.

The 19 affected states are: Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming. DoorDash already remits state sales tax in Pennsylvania and Washington state.

As you reach the end of your covered period for your Paycheck Protection Program loan – if going with the 8-week option – here are some tips for getting ready for the forgiveness application process.

You may have seen our recent article about the new EZ forgiveness application. Eligibility for that application is a matter of interpretation.

Whether you can or can’t use that application will depend on your ability to and comfort with certifying to the SBA that you have not been able to operate at the same level of business activity during your covered period as you did prior to Feb. 15, 2020. Your records, both financial and otherwise, would need to show that your business activity was impacted due to government mandates related to COVID.