New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act Cracks Down on a "Leech Industry"
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Chipotle and Sweetgreen Settle Food Fight Over CHIPOTLE Trademark
Shining a Light on Greek Cuisine with Chef Doug Psaltis
Podcast: The Briefing by the IP Law Blog - Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
FLSA and Wage and Hour Issues for Restaurants
Restaurant Rebound: How Employers Can Build and Keep Top-Notch Service Teams
Reporting Cash Tips to the IRS [More with McGlinchey, Ep. 24]
From More Delivery, Takeout and Outdoor Dining Options to Financial Relief – How Restaurants Have Managed Throughout the Pandemic
Strategies for Restaurant Owners to Survive in the New Normal
RCG Webinar | Where's the Beef?
II-30- Tackling 3 Big Wage and Hour Questions for Employers
Stealth Lawyer: Mark Russ Federman, Appetizing Shop Owner
Earlier this summer, the Washington, D.C. Council (“Council”) narrowly passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget (the “Amendment”) partially repealing portions of Initiative 82 and restructuring how tipped workers’...more
On June 24, 2025, Maine enacted a new law requiring employers to compensate employees who report to their scheduled shifts but have their hours reduced or cancelled by their employer. This law will primarily impact businesses...more
On July 30, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill (Senate Bill 648) that authorizes the state’s labor commissioner to investigate tip theft and levy fines for violations. The new law is particularly...more
For restaurant owners in New York, owning real estate can be a powerful asset—offering stability, long-term equity growth, and operational control. However, real estate ownership also exposes your business and personal wealth...more
The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Harrington v. Cracker Barrel underscores the growing importance of personal jurisdiction in limiting the scope of FLSA collective actions. The court held that employees with no connection to...more
Welcome back to the Class Action & MDL Roundup! This edition covers notable class actions from the first quarter of 2025. In this edition, two UK actions fail to clear a low bar, a movie isn’t a video, and spam isn’t...more
Running a restaurant in New York involves managing a fast-paced, labor-intensive business—and keeping up with employment laws can be overwhelming. One of the most common legal pitfalls restaurant owners face is overtime...more
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on June 3, 2025, signed House Bill (HB) 25-1208 into law in an effort to alleviate economic stress on the restaurant industry in Colorado by permitting localities to reduce the minimum wage for...more
Massachusetts AG Andrea Campbell issued citations against restaurant Azumi LLC (Azumi), and its manager for allegedly requiring service employees to share tips with managers in violation of state wage and hour laws....more
In the hustle of running a restaurant, it’s easy for meal breaks to slip through the cracks. However, New York law has specific requirements for giving your employees time to eat and rest. Ensuring your staff takes legally...more
Long days and double shifts are common in the restaurant business. As a New York restaurant owner, it’s crucial to understand the “spread of hours” rule – a unique state requirement that can catch employers off guard. This...more
New York restaurant owners must navigate complex tip pooling and tip credit regulations to ensure compliance with federal and state labor laws. Failure to follow these rules can result in lawsuits, back wages, and penalties....more
If you’re a political nerd like me, you may have observed then-candidate and now President Donald J. Trump’s pledge to eliminate taxes on tips. In fact, he doubled down on this promise in his speech to Congress on March 4,...more
Members of California’s Fast Food Council were not deterred by a chorus of franchise owners who gathered at a Jan. 23 meeting to object to plans for another minimum wage increase in the fast-food industry. Here’s the latest...more
In December 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) fined a Minneapolis pizza restaurant for numerous wage and hour violations....more
On January 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Opinion Letter FLSA2025-1 pertaining to managers’ participation in a tip pool at a “quick service restaurant.” ...more
In August 2024, we reported on the highly anticipated opinion in Restaurant Law Center v. U.S. Department of Labor, 115 F.4th 396 (5th Cir. 2024), in which the Fifth Circuit vacated the 2021 Dual Jobs Final Rule as arbitrary,...more
Class Certification Recipe Needs More Flavor: The Fourth Circuit tossed out a class certification order for Bojangles’ shift managers, citing a high level of generality in identifying common policies and overly broad class...more
In the spirit of the season, we are using our annual "12 Days of California Labor and Employment" blog series to address new California laws and their impact on employers. On the tenth day of the holidays, my labor and...more
In the recent Massachusetts state election, voters faced a pivotal decision on a ballot initiative aiming to eliminate the tip credit system. The proposal sought to require employers to pay tipped employees the full state...more
Employers with tipped employees are constantly trying to keep up with the ever-changing and evolving tip credit rules promulgated by the United States Department of Labor (DOL) — specifically, what is known as the 80/20 rule....more
Tips from Seyfarth is a blog series for employers, and their in-house lawyers and HR, payroll, and compensation professionals, in the food, beverage, and hospitality sector. We curate wage and hour compliance “tips” to keep...more
Recently, both major-party presidential candidates have come out in favor of a “no tax on tips” proposals, though neither candidate has indicated how to implement one. There have been proposals from other legislators, though...more
In a highly anticipated decision published on August 23, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Final Rule that limited the circumstances under which an...more
California’s newly established Fast Food Council was inundated at its September 12 meeting by competing testimony – organized labor on one side and restaurant groups on the other – about potential plans to raise the industry...more