By: The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Fund
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Ensuring the safety of both employees and guests in Michigan's restaurant and lodging industry is vital due to the numerous hazards inherent in these environments. Maintaining a safe work and service environment not only protects your employees and reduces worker’s compensation claims, but it also enhances the overall guest experience.
Proactively understanding and addressing common hazards is crucial for maintaining a safe and efficient workplace. Below are the five most common injuries for the hospitality industry and the measures to mitigate them effectively. #1. Handling Cleaning Chemicals and Hot Equipment
In both hotels and restaurants, employees often handle cleaning chemicals and hot cooking equipment, posing serious risks such as chemical burns, respiratory issues, and thermal burns.
Prevention: Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, and heat-resistant gloves. Ensure proper labeling and storage of chemicals and provide training on their safe use.
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Michigan Teens are Clocking In: How to Hire and Inspire Summer Workers for Seasons to Come5/31/2024 For many teenagers, the classic summer experience is class-free but on-the-clock. In Michigan, about 250,000 teens are ready to apply for summer jobs, as 16-19-year-olds nationwide enter the workforce in rising numbers.
This year, Michigan students who want a summer job have extraordinarily good chances of finding one. Recent data from the Michigan Center for Data Analytics shows that teen employment levels are dropping after reaching 23.6% in the summer of 2020. With nearly half of Michigan teens predicted to look for work this summer, only 11.6% of teens will come away empty-scheduled, down from 13.7% in 2023. ![]() Sometimes the star of the show never steps on the stage. While the Amway Grand Plaza is known for delivering an encore-worthy experience for guests, with historic ballrooms, gilded staircases, and luxury rooms, behind-the-scenes employees like Joel Berghorst are the reason the show runs smoothly and spectacularly. As the Director of Rooms for the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Joel plays a vital role in the hotel’s key audience: conventions and business groups, which accounts for more than half of the hotel’s clientele – which means this is a role that requires some major talent. Nominated because of his painstaking attention to detail and customer service, this Star of the Industry Award winner has earned the best kind of reputation for himself. As temperatures heat up, so will the threshold for overtime qualifications.
On April 23, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) threw a curveball into the summer plans of hotels across the nation. Effective July 1, a new rule would dramatically increase the threshold for overtime pay so that all employees, salaried or hourly, would be eligible for overtime if they make up to $43,888 per year. But that’s not all. The threshold jumps even higher on January 1, 2025, when employees making up to $58,656 become eligible for overtime pay.
1. Update Your Liquor License. Beverages are no longer the cherry-on-top when it comes to restaurant sales. Drinks now represent a larger piece of the pie for restaurant sales. According to data from the National Restaurant Assocation, 70% of consumers would choose a place to eat based on beverage options. Before the summer holidays hit, make sure your liquor license is updated, and make sure you know what your license allows you to do. Apply as soon as possible when seeking a special license (required for events or other one-time activities) or outdoor service license. Get your questions answered now through the MRLA Legal Center and talk to legal experts with years of experience in Michigan liquor law. ![]() 2. Get Ready-to-Go for Cocktails-to Go. With cocktails-to-go now a permanent – and profitable - addition to a summer menu, restaurants and any business with a liquor license have an opportunity to raise sales right alongside the temperatures. Make sure your restaurant is ready and your employees are trained to serve carryout drinks of all kinds. According to Mark Burzych, of Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes, liquor licensees should figure out what specific drinks and containers they are allowed to sell or use under their license. Read here to find out the need-to-know about cocktails-to-go. ![]() Two years after being named the President of Detroit’s largest brewery, Katy McBrady’s goals for Atwater Brewery are more than stout. Besides being the name of her favorite Atwater beer, “Detroit Hustles Harder” is a sentiment that inspired her return home to Detroit from sunny California, but also something she’s taken to heart as a female leader in the brewing industry. In this conversation, McBrady discusses her vision of Atwater Brewery as Detroit’s quintessential beer as well as her efforts to empower and uplift other women in the industry. ![]() Q: Can you start off with a quick overview of the history of Atwater Brewery and where it stands today? Atwater Brewery has been in business for 26 years, and we were founded in the River Town District in Detroit. We actually started by brewing a lot of traditional German style beers, but 26 years ago, those weren't necessarily the styles. So we were kind of ahead of our time with what we launched into the Detroit market. If you fast forward about eight years after that, we launched Dirty Blonde, and that quickly became our number-one seller. It still represents about 70% of what we sell, and it's the number-one selling blonde meal style in the state of Michigan. Then we launched two additional taproom spaces, one in Grosse Pointe Park and one in Grand Rapids. We've also launched some other award-winning beers since then, including Vanilla Java Porter, the number one selling Porter style in the state of Michigan. Then recently we've dabbled into the IPA space. So safe to say it's been a busy 26 years for Atwater. ![]() “Every shift is a chance to make someone have a better day,” says Curry Lund, the all-star bartender from Holland who’s become locally famous for more than his unforgettable martinis and margaritas. Originally from Traverse City, Curry has made a difference in the West Michigan hospitality scene, working at Big E’s Sports Grill in Holland and serving up the kind of drinks and experiences that guests return for again and again. He has become a community fixture at Big E’s, known for his impressive work ethic and ability to make people smile. “A 10-second interaction with him will have you laughing and feeling good,” said his coworkers. ![]() Jeff Lobdell is a local restaurateur with a national impact. Recently named the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association, Jeff has also made a name for himself in the Michigan hospitality as the owner of over 20 independent restaurants and 2 hotels embedded in local communities from Grand Rapids to Traverse City. He’s also a former Chairman of the MRLA Board of Directors, and he joined the MRLA on the “What’s with the Pineapple” podcast to share about how his love for local communities inspires his advocacy at the national level. You’ve had quite the career in our industry. Can you tell us how you went from running a small bagel bakery and coffee shop in Grand Rapids to now owning over 20 restaurants and 2 hotels in Michigan? I grew up in a restaurant family, went to Michigan State with the hospitality business school, and I had some good experiences there. Then I started this bagel bakery and coffee shop on Michigan Street in Grand Rapids. I wanted to have a chain of bagel bakery and coffee shops, and I was working with this restaurant consultant, he says, ‘Hey, I've got a friend that has this place called the Beltline Bar and wants to sell it.’ And next thing you know, I'm right at 28th Street and Division Street here in Grand Rapids. That became part of my group in 2001, and I fell into a niche of acquiring restaurants from retiring restaurant owners. It worked out well for them. They could ride off into the sunset, while the employees could stay on board. We didn't make a lot of massive changes, but we kept putting money back into the facilities and the people. It just worked well. This content is provided by MRLA sponsor and preferred technology partner SpotOn. For more information about SpotOn, visit here.
Whether you run a sports bar, host game day watching parties at your restaurant, or simply have a popular take-out menu, the “Big Game” can be busy and profitable or, if you plan poorly, a major headache. Here are five tips to prepare for the Super Bowl on February 11, 2024 is a touchdown for your business no matter which team you're rooting for. Strategize your menu offerings Prior to the event, it is a good idea to conduct a thorough analysis of your menu to ensure optimal profitability, just like with any other high-volume sales occasion. For your dine-in menu:
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