OPINIONLeadership

Here's why restaurants should care about what happens Tuesday

Working Lunch: Don't miss the issues of real importance to the business amid all the noise.

The big day is finally here. After months of hearing the back-and-forth about eating pets, working in McDonald’s, the notoriety of Hannibal Lecter and a broken immigration system, voters will finally decide whom they trust to lead a nation that likely hasn’t been as divided since the turbulence of the 1960s. 

It’s a rich time for historians. But is the outcome really going to change the chances of a struggling restaurant making next week’s payroll? For an industry that’s seen a number of its best-known brands announce the wholesale closing of stores in recent days, does the election really matter? 

That’s the question three veterans of the political scene took up during this week’s edition of Working Lunch, the podcast that looks at government affairs through the lens of what they mean for restaurants. And in that endeavor, unanimity prevailed. 

Sean Kennedy, EVP of public affairs for the National Restaurant Association, joined co-hosts Joe Kefauver and Franklin Coley for a factual discussion of how the industry could be affected by Tuesday’s outcome. They made a strong case for any small business being invested in the outcome if it pays taxes, fields a staff or takes advantage of a tip credit. 

The three also share their predictions about who'll prevail, not only in the race for the White House but in the struggle for control of Congress and statehouses.

For a discussion of the issues that could actually affect the business day in and day out, press Play. 

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