You open last month’s processing statement and scan to the bottom line. Thousands of dollars went to card fees, money that never touched your kitchen, your staff, or your savings. That number didn’t come from a decision you made. Federal policy shaped it, just as it shapes your food costs and the size of your hiring pool.
That’s why the National Restaurant Association‘s policy agenda deserves a spot on your radar. Following the recent U.S. midterm elections, the association has set three priorities for the 120th Congress:
- Immigration reform to help restaurants find, hire and keep workers
- The Credit Card Competition Act to bring down swipe fees
- Stable, predictable trade policy to keep food and supply costs manageable
“The decisions made in Washington reach down into every community and every restaurant,” said Sean Kennedy, chief advocacy officer at the National Restaurant Association, in a press release.
Below, you’ll find a plain-language breakdown of each priority, what it means for a small operation, and simple steps you can take to make your voice heard.
The Affordability Squeeze Hitting Both Sides of the Counter
Affordability was a defining issue this election cycle, and restaurants sit right in the middle of it.
Rising Costs, Thinner Margins
Forty-two percent of restaurant operators weren’t profitable in 2025. If your margins feel razor thin, you’re far from alone.
Many owners have absorbed higher costs instead of raising menu prices. They’ve protected value for guests at their own expense. That’s admirable, but it can’t last forever.
Why Your Guests Are Feeling It Too
Here’s the double bind. Your costs keep climbing, but customer traffic has softened. Guests now weigh a meal out against everything else in their budgets.
Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, put it this way: “Restaurants are at the intersection of the nation’s affordability conversation, managing increasing costs and decreasing margins as their customers scrutinize every dollar they spend.”
The connection runs both ways. When it costs less to accept cards, buy food, and staff your team, you can keep prices within reach for families. You can also keep your doors open, hire locally, and reinvest in your community.
Priority One: Immigration Reform to Ease the Restaurant Labor Shortage
Staffing remains one of the toughest parts of running a restaurant. The association’s first priority aims to fix that at the source.
What the Association Wants From Congress
The goal is immigration reform that helps restaurants find, hire, and keep the workers they need to serve guests and grow. At its heart, this is about workforce stability. A reliable pool of workers means fewer empty shifts and less scrambling every week.
What Workforce Stability Means for a Small Restaurant
A large chain can shift workers between locations when someone quits. You probably can’t. When one line cook leaves your restaurant, the whole kitchen feels it.
Staffing gaps hit small operations in ways that add up fast:
- Overtime costs climb as your current team covers open shifts.
- Burnout spreads, which can push more good employees out the door.
- Service suffers when you’re short-handed during a rush.
- Revenue drops if you have to cut hours or close on slower days.
A steadier workforce gives you room to plan. You can schedule with confidence, train people properly, and focus on growth instead of survival.
Priority Two: The Credit Card Competition Act and Swipe Fees
For many owners, this is the most tangible issue on the list. You can see its impact on every single statement.
Why Swipe Fees Rank Among Your Biggest Costs
For many operators, credit card swipe fees are the third-highest cost, behind only food and labor. Most guests pay with cards, so those fees touch nearly every sale you make.
Small restaurants often feel this cost most sharply. You typically have less bargaining power than big chains when it comes to negotiating processing rates. You end up taking whatever rates you’re offered.
What the Credit Card Competition Act Would Change
The Credit Card Competition Act would bring competition to credit card processing. Today, a small number of networks dominate how card payments get routed. The bill would give businesses more than one network option for processing certain card transactions.
More competition puts downward pressure on swipe fees. For a restaurant, lower fees mean real money back in your pocket. You could put those savings toward:
- Raises or bonuses for your team
- Holding menu prices steady
- New equipment or repairs you’ve put off
- A cash cushion for slow months
A Quick Way to Measure Your Own Swipe Fee Burden
You don’t need to take anyone’s word for how much this matters. Try this simple exercise:
- Pull your last three monthly processing statements.
- Add up the total fees from each one.
- Multiply the three-month total by four to estimate your annual cost.
That figure shows exactly what’s at stake for your business. It’s also a powerful number to share with your members of Congress.
Priority Three: Stable, Predictable Trade Policy for Food and Supplies
Trade decisions made in Washington flow straight down to your invoices. The association is pushing for stable, predictable trade policy and tariff-free trade for food and beverage items.
How Tariffs Reach Your Kitchen
Tariffs raise the price of imported goods. For restaurants, that can include a wide range of everyday items:
- Ingredients such as produce, seafood, spices, and specialty products
- Beverages, including coffee, wine, and spirits
- Kitchen equipment and smallwares
- Packaging for takeout and delivery
Consider a simple example. Say you run a café, and imported coffee beans make up a big share of your beverage costs. If a tariff pushes your bean price up 20%, you face a tough choice. You can raise the price of every latte and risk losing regulars, or you can absorb the hit and watch your margin shrink. Neither option feels good.
Why Predictability Matters as Much as Price
Higher costs hurt, but sudden swings can hurt even more. When prices jump without warning, it’s hard to plan a menu, set prices, or lock in supplier contracts.
Predictable trade policy lets you budget with confidence. You can price your menu for the season and know it’ll still make sense in three months.
Beyond the Big Three: More on the National Restaurant Association’s Policy Priorities
The three headline issues get the most attention, but the association’s work for the 120th Congress goes further. It also plans to pursue policies that:
- Lower costs for consumers and operators, easing price pressure on both sides of the counter
- Grow and advance the restaurant workforce, building career paths and a stronger talent pipeline
- Strengthen the industry’s economic impact, reinforcing restaurants as job creators and anchors of local economies
Proof That Advocacy Works
Policy wins can feel out of reach, but recent history says otherwise. This year, Congress passed the Common Cents Act. The law gives operators clear federal guidance for cash rounding, plus safe harbor protections as the penny is phased out.
That win didn’t happen by accident. It followed months of work to spotlight the issue and advance a commonsense solution. It also shows that bipartisan progress is possible when owners make their case.
How Small Restaurant Owners Can Get Involved
You don’t need a lobbyist or a free afternoon to make a difference. These steps fit into a busy owner’s schedule.
1. Know Your Numbers
Real figures from your own business make the strongest case. Track a few key data points:
- Your monthly and annual swipe fees
- Food and supply cost increases over the past year
- Open positions and how long they’ve stayed unfilled
2. Contact Your Members of Congress
Look up your U.S. representative and both senators online, then call, email, or write a letter. Keep your message short and personal:
- Who you are and what restaurant you run
- How many people you employ
- How one specific policy affects your business, backed by a real number
A two-minute message from a local employer carries more weight than you might think.
3. Invite Lawmakers to Your Restaurant
Members of Congress spend recess weeks back home. Invite yours for a visit. Let them walk through your kitchen, meet your staff and hear about your costs firsthand. Few things stick with a lawmaker like a real restaurant and a real story.
4. Join Your State Restaurant Association
The national association works alongside 52 state associations on advocacy, education, and training. Your state group can keep you informed on issues, connect you with other owners, and amplify your voice at both the state and federal levels.
5. Use the National Restaurant Association’s Advocacy Resources
Visit the association’s policy agenda page on Restaurant.org for updates, talking points, and ways to take action as bills move through Congress.
6. Share Your Story Locally
Talk with local reporters, your chamber of commerce, and community groups. Local stories reach lawmakers, especially when they come from small businesses in their own districts.
7. Bring Your Team and Guests Into the Conversation
Help your staff and regulars understand how swipe fees and tariffs affect menu prices. Keep it factual and friendly, and keep the dining room free of politics. Informed guests often become your best supporters.
Why the Restaurant Policy Agenda Starts With You
The restaurant policy agenda brings to Capitol Hill comes down to three things: workers you can hire, lower costs to accept cards, and steady prices on food and supplies.
The 120th Congress is a fresh start. New lawmakers will be learning about the businesses in their districts, and they want to hear from local employers like you. The Common Cents Act proves that owners’ voices lead to real results.
Contact your members of Congress this week. Tell them how swipe fees, staffing, and food costs affect your restaurant, and back it up with one real number from your business. One short message from a local employer gets noticed.
