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Has the New Mexico restaurant industry recovered? It depends on who you ask.
Food and hospitality were some of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic.
The New Mexico Restaurant Association claimed in an Aug. 12 press release that the restaurant industry lost more than 20,000 jobs and 1,000 restaurants in New Mexico between 2019 and December 2021.
But the figures offered by the state restaurant group are at odds with a National Restaurant Association report and state permit data.
The National Restaurant Association reported using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that New Mexico actually added 2,000 food service jobs between 2019 and 2022 — an increase of less than 3%, but an increase nonetheless. New Mexico was one of 18 states that had a net improvement in restaurant staffing levels.
And, by June 2022, there are about 350 more food establishments and restaurants permitted in the state than before the pandemic, according to data from the New Mexico Department of the Environment, the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County compiled by the governor’s office.
Carol Wight, CEO of the NMRA, said in an interview Tuesday that restaurants are still struggling, but admitted that employment may have improved since December 2021, which was the most recent data included in the NMRA release.
“I know we’ve added a bunch of jobs since December,” Wight said. “That’s just obvious because we needed people. I just know we still need a lot of people.”
A partisan clash was sparked by the NMRA restaurant numbers.
Days after the NMRA release was released, the Republican Party of New Mexico issued a response, pinning job and business losses on Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and her pandemic-era restaurant closings.
“Numbers don’t lie, and a new report released by the New Mexico Restaurant Association proves that Governor Lujan Grisham has severely damaged the state’s important restaurant industry, the latest sign of the Governor’s incompetence and ruthless action against New Mexico’s small businesses. ,” read. the release, released by Republican Party of New Mexico communications director Mike Curtis.
In March 2020, Lujan Grisham issued a public health order that shut down non-essential businesses. Indoor dining was still banned in July 2020, and that month, the NMRA filed a lawsuit against Lujan Grisham’s pandemic-era ban on indoor dining. The lawsuit was unsuccessful, and by July 2021, all pandemic restrictions were lifted throughout the state.
The governor said in a recent release that she is pleased with the progress the small business community has made over the past few months.
“There is no doubt that the tourism and hospitality industry has shown incredible strength and resilience in recent years, which have been particularly difficult for this sector,” Lujan Grisham was quoted as saying. “I am incredibly encouraged by this recent data.”
John Haas, president and founding partner of M’Tucci’s restaurants, which has four locations around Albuquerque, one of which opened this year, said he thinks the industry is headed in the right direction.
“I have a really, really optimistic outlook on the landscape of our industry right now,” Haas said. “I think we’ll continue to see that trend in our industry.”
NMRA’s August press release said that in 2019, 96,000 people were employed in New Mexico restaurants, and by December 2021, that number had been reduced to less than 75,000 workers.
In an interview this week, Wight said those two numbers came from different sources: the 2019 number from the New Mexico Department of Tourism, and the 2021 number from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
However, the two figures refer to different groups of workers, according to government officials.
Cody Johnson, a spokesman for the Department of Tourism, said in a written statement that the 96,064 jobs related more broadly to all jobs supported by tourism to the state, not just food services. The statistics were published in their annual Economic Impact of Visitors to New Mexico Report. Workplace Solutions’ employment data, however, was limited to only jobs in restaurants and bars.
In the 3rd quarter of 2021, Workforce Solutions reported that 70,301 people were employed in food and beverage in New Mexico, which does not include the other tourism-related jobs that were included in the Department of Tourism’s original figure. A comparable data point from Workforce Solutions shows that at the end of 2019, 74,617 people were employed in restaurants and bars in New Mexico, indicating an employment decline of about 6%. The Workforce Solutions data set is less current than the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, which also includes 2022 employment.
BLS data show that employment in leisure and hospitality as a whole — which includes arts, recreation/entertainment, lodging and food services — in New Mexico has grown steadily since the 2020 lows.
Industrial employment in New Mexico plunged to 57,400 employees in April 2020.
Two years later, in June of this year, 98,500 New Mexicans were employed in leisure and hospitality, nearly matching the 99,200 level seen in June 2019.
And restaurants fared better. Between June 2019 and June 2022, New Mexico had the ninth highest increase in food and beverage employment in the country by percentage.
Unemployment is the lowest it has been in the state since 2008, although the rate is still higher than the national average. Many officials and industry leaders remain concerned about relatively low labor force participation in the state.
Kimberly Heimerich, owner of The Perfect Gift…Shoppe in Old Town, which opened in June 2020, said she has seen the area face business closings in recent years. One of her favorite restaurants, La Crêpe Michel, closed during the pandemic.
“When people congratulate me on surviving two years, I just think, ‘it’s still a struggle,'” Heimerich said.
Haas said that even without the added stresses of the pandemic, surviving in the food world is difficult.
“The restaurant industry is a really tough industry, the margins are really slim,” Haas said.
Pre-pandemic, about 50,000 U.S. restaurants and bars closed each year and 60,000 opened, according to a statement from the National Restaurant Association.
“We’re in an industry that has a lot of openings and closings,” Haas said. “I think we’ve seen a lot of closings and not a lot of openings.”
Over the past few months, Haas said, he’s seen more restaurants open than any other time during the pandemic. His own businesses, including one opened during the pandemic, have also been busy.
“It’s been really easy to be pressured, and feel like a victim during the pandemic in our industry … you really just have to show up and fight the battles you can win,” Haas said.
Who runs the National Restaurant Association?
| formation | 1919 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 2055 L Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, USA |
| a chair | Melvin Rodríguez |
| President, Chief Executive Officer | Marvin Irby |
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How do I cite the National Restaurant Association?
MLA citation style: National Restaurant Association. National Restaurant Association NRA. United States, 2001. Web Archive.
Who is part of the National Restaurant Association? Other members include provider companies, faculty and students in hospitality education, and non-profits “such as state hospitals, state health care facilities, state schools, state prisons, military food service establishments, etc.” Its members include nine Fortune 500 corporations, seven Fortune 100 corporations, and …
What is the position of the National Restaurant Association?
The National Restaurant Association is the largest food service trade association in the world. We represent and advocate on behalf of over 500,000 restaurants. We serve our members by promoting and protecting America’s restaurant and food service industry.
What is the goal of the National Restaurant Association?
The mission of the National Restaurant Association is to serve our industry and impact its success, we: Strengthen operations, mitigate risk and develop talent; Promote and protect business vitality through national, state and local advocacy; and Drive knowledge and collaboration.
How many members are in the National Restaurant Association?
We currently have over 40,000 members representing nearly 500,000 food service establishments. What percentage of your members are restaurants? Over 95% of our members are food service providers.
How many members does the National Restaurant Association have?
We currently have over 40,000 members representing nearly 500,000 food service establishments. What percentage of your members are restaurants? Over 95% of our members are food service providers.
What are the National restaurant Associations six membership categories?
The NRA currently has more than 40,000 members. These represent almost 500,000 food service establishments. What are the six membership categories of the National Restaurant Association? Those categories are: restaurant, ally, faculty, student, non-profit and international.
Who founded the National Restaurant Association?
Howard Johnson opens his first franchises, White Castle’s 5-cent hamburgers become popular, and Willard Marriott opens his first Hot Shoppes. 1919: Kansas City restaurants launch a national organization, holding the first meeting of what is today’s National Restaurant Association on March 13 in Kansas City.
How many restaurants are in the US NRA?
The NRA currently has more than 40,000 members. These represent almost 500,000 food service establishments.
What is the purpose of the National Restaurant Association?
The mission of the National Restaurant Association is to serve our industry and impact its success, we: Strengthen operations, mitigate risk and develop talent; Promote and protect business vitality through national, state and local advocacy; and Drive knowledge and collaboration.
How much do restaurants contribute to the economy?
About 10% of the US economy is affected by the restaurant industry alone, which is a massive financial powerhouse. When you choose to support local restaurants, you’re putting those funds toward strengthening your hometown. Eating at local restaurants allows them to stay open and thrive in your area.
How do restaurants contribute to the economy? Many restaurants put money into the local economy. From paying rent or property taxes to utilities, restaurants pump a lot of cash into the local economy. More and more, restaurants are taking advantage of local suppliers to create farm-to-table menus, and this is more cash flowing into the local community.
How much do restaurants contribute to GDP?
The restaurant industry employs more than 14.7 million people (10% of the total US workforce) and represents nearly 4% of US GDP.
How much does the restaurant industry contribute to the economy?
Despite these economic challenges, the restaurant industry has seen significant growth in the past year alone with sales expected to post an annual record high of $709 billion in 2015, which is 4 percent of the United States’ economic output.
Do restaurants contribute to GDP?
The restaurant industry employs more than 14.7 million people (10% of the total US workforce) and represents nearly 4% of US GDP. Measuring industry growth by sales, 2016 to 2017 showed growth of approximately 4.3%. Americans now spend nearly 48 percent of their food budgets eating out rather than at home.
What percentage of the economy is restaurants?
The restaurant industry accounts for 4% of the US economy.
What percentage of US economy is restaurants?
The restaurant industry accounts for 4% of the US economy. How many people have left the restaurant since 2020? 2.4 million restaurant workers have lost their jobs and left the restaurant industry since the pandemic began in 2020.
How big is the restaurant industry in the US?
The US restaurant industry has been projected at $899 billion in sales for 2020 by the National Restaurant Association, the main trade association for the industry in the US. An estimated 99% of companies in the industry are small family businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
How much of the US economy is restaurants?
Despite these economic challenges, the restaurant industry has seen significant growth in the past year alone with sales expected to post an annual record high of $709 billion in 2015, which is 4 percent of the United States’ economic output.
What percentage of US economy is restaurants?
The restaurant industry accounts for 4% of the US economy. How many people have left the restaurant since 2020? 2.4 million restaurant workers have lost their jobs and left the restaurant industry since the pandemic began in 2020.
How much is the restaurant industry in the US?
The US restaurant industry has been projected at $899 billion in sales for 2020 by the National Restaurant Association, the main trade association for the industry in the US.
What is the purpose of the National Restaurant Association?
The mission of the National Restaurant Association is to serve our industry and impact its success, we: Strengthen operations, mitigate risk and develop talent; Promote and protect business vitality through national, state and local advocacy; and Drive knowledge and collaboration.
When was the National Restaurant Association founded? 1919: Kansas City restaurants launch a national organization, holding the first meeting of what is today’s National Restaurant Association on March 13 in Kansas City. The fledgling organization represents an industry of 43,000 restaurants.
How many members are in the National Restaurant Association?
We currently have over 40,000 members representing nearly 500,000 food service establishments. What percentage of your members are restaurants? Over 95% of our members are food service providers.
What are the National restaurant Associations six membership categories?
The NRA currently has more than 40,000 members. These represent almost 500,000 food service establishments. What are the six membership categories of the National Restaurant Association? Those categories are: restaurant, ally, faculty, student, non-profit and international.
How big is the National Restaurant Association?
The National Restaurant Association is the largest food service trade association in the world. We represent and advocate on behalf of over 500,000 restaurants. We serve our members by promoting and protecting America’s restaurant and food service industry.
What are the benefits of the National Restaurant Association?
Discounts on educational programs, publications and materials. The National Restaurant Association and its Education Foundation are offering significant discounts—up to 50% off—on books, manuals and videos on training, safety issues and consumer trends, just to name a few.
What is the importance of the National Restaurant Association?
The National Restaurant Association is the largest food service trade association in the world. We represent and advocate on behalf of over 500,000 restaurants. We serve our members by promoting and protecting America’s restaurant and food service industry.
What are the benefits of joining the National Restaurant Association?
Membership entitles you to a range of compelling member discounts and preferred pricing on services and products that help supply, advance and protect restaurants. Browse our Store to see the goods and services offered.
Why was the National Restaurant Association founded?
The association was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Tax ID No. To serve its members by promoting and protecting America’s restaurant and food service industry with the goals of building industry influence, building industry image and building industry engagement.
When did the restaurant industry start?
Restaurants Come to America So it makes sense that the first gourmet restaurant in America was opened in New York in the 19th century. Delmonico’s opened its doors in 1837 featuring luxurious private dining rooms and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar.