PODCAST · business
The Working Lunch
by Align Public Strategies
This weekly podcast comes from Align Public Strategies, a full-service public affairs and creative firm that helps corporate brands, governments and nonprofits navigate the outside world and inform their internal decision-making. #WorkingLunch #Align
Episodes
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Episode 411 - FDA's Ultra-Processed Food Definition, Meta's $18B Settlement & Restaurant Industry Impact
We are joined once again by the industry’s premier food and nutrition expert Maggie Gentile, a partner at Food Directions, to manage our expectations going forward on what’s happening with a potential federal definition of ultraprocessed foods and what the industry might have in store. And this...
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Episode 410 - RFK & MAHA Up The Ante On The Food Industry
The FDA was busy this week publishing a proposed rule to replace the current voluntary Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification program with a mandatory GRAS notification framework. In addition, they submitted placeholder paperwork with the intent of promulgating a long-awaited proposed...
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Episode 409 - Did Pricing Strategies During COVID Ultimately Change The Minimum Wage Debate?
We start off the podcast this week with an update on what's happening in Washington on the hemp beverage front and whether forces in Congress and the White House can agree on a framework for this emerging industry product line. And then we are joined once again by Michael Halen, Senior Restaurant...
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Episode 407 - The NRA Tells Congress To Be Smart When It Comes To Hemp Beverages
As we reported last week, the National Restaurant Association sent a letter to Congressional leaders asking them to delay by two years the forthcoming hemp product ban to provide the predictability operators need and to allow Congress the time to rethink its approach for a regulatory alternative...
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Episode 406 - Legislation to Quicken Union Election Process On The Brink Of Passage
Legislation is pending in the U.S. Senate that would drastically speed up the process for organizing unions in the workplace. The bill has already passed the Republican-led House and could be on the senate floor any day. We’re joined once again by Ed Egee, VP of Government Relations and Workforce...
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Episode 405 - Industry Faces Significant Setback On Credit Card Relief
The industry has had a tough couple of weeks regarding its long-running feud with the banks and credit card companies coming up on the wrong end of a highly anticipated court decision and the veto pen. We’re joined once again by Dan Swanson, Counsel to the Merchants Payment Coalition to tell us...
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Episode 404 - California Gubernatorial Election This Week Has Huge Consequences For The Industry
The primary election for Governor of California is next Tuesday and it's anyone's guess which two candidates will emerge to face off in November. We are joined by Nikki Laurenzo, the host and Executive Producer of Inside California Politics and the evening anchor of Fox40 News in Sacramento to…
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Episode 403 - One Fair Wage Hearing the Chicago Blues
The industry got an unprecedented win in Colorado over the banking and credit card lobby with passage of legislation to prohibit interchange fees on sales taxes and tips. The bill is now on the governor's desk but its future is uncertain. If signed, could the momentum in this long-running battle...
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Episode 402- Steak n’ Shake Goes Full In On MAGA & MAHA
Steak n’ Shake, never shy when it comes professing their admiration of the Trump Administration, upped the ante last week when it appointed a new Chief Make America Healthy Again Officer. We’ll discuss the political and policy impacts that this may have for other large brands as well as the...
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Episode 401 - DoorDash Grandma Crashes Oval Office Meeting
To showcase his no tax on tips victory, President Trump leveraged Tax Day to have a “DoorDash Grandma” deliver McDonald’s right to the door of the Oval Office. Shamelessly staged event? Of course. Perfectly executed? Of course. We’ll discuss his ongoing infatuation with The Clown and his efforts…
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Episode 400 - New RFK Battle Brewing. The Secretary Turns His Focus To Plastics
Over the last week, RFK, Jr. and his MAHA movement have been all over the headlines. From his national road shows to his new attack on microplastics to his new podcast, he has become a one-man news cycle. We’ll discuss how the industry should be viewing these developments and hopefully getting...
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Episode 399 - Will Restaurants Ultimately Pick Up The Tab For Packaging Waste?
We sit down once again with the team from Washburn Consulting, advisors to many key industry brands and associations, and get an update on the state of play with regard to Extended Producer Responsibility. Michael Washburn and Chloe Kapanen will stop by to discuss new proposals in state capitols,...
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Episode 398 - Industry Impacted By Recent Labor Union Developments
There is a potential supply chain disruption looming for operators caused by a work stoppage at one of the largest beef processing plants in the country. We are joined by Phil Wilson, the CEO of the Labor Relations Institute, to help us understand not only what’s going on at the JB Swift plant in...
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Episode 397 - RFK, Jr. Calls Out Individual Brands Over Sugary Beverages
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. took aim at two prominent restaurant brands last week – namely Dunkin and Starbucks - over the amount of sugar in some of their drink offerings. Recently he escalated a conversation over ultra-processed foods. Now it's over sugar. Who or what will be his…
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Episode 396: Not Much on The Menu for Operators in State of the Union Address
The President delivered his State of The Union Address this week and outside of the predictable antics, was there anything substantive in there for restaurant operators? We’ll take a look And Washington state has rolled out a golden oldie, taking another run at “Fair Share” health legislation…
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Episode 395: Industry Gets Big Wins In Court On Both Interchange Fees and EPR
The industry had two big wins this week in the courtroom on two different major issues facing the industry. In Illinois, a federal judge ruled that with regard to swipe fees, not only are Visa & Mastercard not protected by federal preemption, neither are the banks as well. This clears the ways…
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Episode 394: RFK, Jr. Blames Big Tobacco For Ultra-Processed Foods
The MAHA movement continues to grow and with it, so does the potential threat to the industry. Last week, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. blamed the tobacco companies for getting kids addicted to ultra-processed food. You heard that right. Food. In the ‘90s, many tobacco companies…
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Episode 393: Operators and Brands Caught In The Crosshairs In Minneapolis
The situation in Minneapolis has taken a sharp turn for the worse and business owners, their customers, and perhaps most importantly, their employees are right in the middle of it. We’ll discuss the challenges operators are having in navigating this space and protecting their interests while...
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Episode 392: Trump Drops the Hammer on Swipe Fees
The Disruptor in Chief has struck again - this time completely rearranging the proverbial furniture regarding the decades-long war between retailers and the banks over swipe fees. This week, the President endorsed the Credit Card Competition Act cutting the knees out of the credit card companies…
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Episode 391: The Food Pyramid Just Got Turned Upside Down
The Department of Agriculture released a new set of dietary guidelines championing protein and healthy fats while minimizing grains. The new recommendations essentially turn the old food pyramid upside down, encouraging Americans to eat whole foods like fruits and vegetables, to incorporate…
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Episode 390: The Best & Worst of 2025 And A Look Ahead to 2026
We take a look at the key issue and reputational threats the industry faced in 2025 and discuss what the current state of play is and most importantly, what we should expect in 2026. Take a listen.
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Episode 389: Using The Big Tobacco Playbook, The City of San Francisco Sues Big Food
In a historic first, San Francisco's city attorney has filed a lawsuit against some of the largest U.S. manufacturers of ultra-processed foods that he says have made Americans sick. Chiu argued the foods have created a health care crisis that has led to serious chronic diseases, which ultimately...
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Episode 388: Hey Brother Can You Spare The Penny?
Well, it’s official - the last penny has come off the assembly line and has been assigned to the dustbin of history. But what about the millions of pennies still in circulation? How should consumers and operators alike be viewing this space? Is the nickel next? We’re joined by Sean Kennedy, EVP…
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Episode 387: Restaurant Industry Notches Some Surprise Wins On Election Night
We are joined by Mike Whatley, Vice President of State Affairs & Grassroots Advocacy at the National Restaurant Association to analyze this week’s election results, what they mean for the industry, and what they mean for next year’s legislative agenda. And Big Food is in the news this week as a…
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Episode 386: Universal Child Care Has Arrived! What Impact Could It Have On Reversing COVID-era Workforce Losses
Robby Starbuck - yes the very same Robby Starbuck that goes after corporate DEI programs - is on the agenda this week at the Society of Human Resource Management’s big pow wow in Louisville and numerous corporate HR execs are boycotting the meeting all together. Is this an acquiescing to the MAGA...
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Episode 385: One Fair Wage Enters The Political Fray & Establishes a Super PAC
Local residents and small business owners have begun pushing back on the Administration’s crackdowns on major American metros. This week, restaurant owners in Chicago began posting signs announcing that ICE agents were not welcome to dine in their eateries. We discuss the pros and cons of those...
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Episode 384: Is The New York City Mayor’s Race Reviving Socialism In America?
With the backdrop of the New York City mayor’s race, a great deal of attention has been paid to the rise of the socialist movement, especially with young Gen Z voters. While this group continues to take an increasingly dim view of capitalism, similar sentiments are growing on the far right as…
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Episode 382: One Industry CEO Publicly Attacks Another Industry CEO. Is This An Anomaly Or The New Norm?
The CEO of Steak & Shake personally goes after the CEO of Cracker Barrel by taking out a billboard in downtown Nashville calling for her firing. Sour grapes over a takeover bid gone awry or another effort seeking a pat on the head from the White House? Or maybe both. We’ll discuss. And the...
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Episode 381: American Franchise Act Introduced To Codify Joint Employer
The industry was active on Capitol Hill the week as industry leaders at IFA & NRA helped usher in new legislation to bring some much-needed certainty to the laws around joint employers. We are joined by our good friend Michael Layman, Chief Advocacy Officer at the International Franchise...
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Episode 380: McDonald’s Leaves NRA Due To Association’s Support Of No Tax On Tips, Tip Credit
McDonalds has taken their Happy Meal marbles and gone home. We do a deep dive on why McDonald’s parted ways with our industry’s premier association and assess their grievances,opine on their announcement rollout, and speculate on what it means for both them and the industry going forward.
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Episode 379: The Cracker Barrel Beatdown: A Cautionary Tale?
Cracker Barrel folded like a checkered tablecloth in the face of right-wing backlash over their logo change. Uncle Herschel is safely back in his rocking chair on the porch but is it over? And who’s next? We’ll take apart this whole saga and discuss what other brands can learn from what happened…
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Episode 378: Restaurateur or Recyclers? Operators Facing Increasing Responsibility For The Waste Produced In Their Businesses.
We take a look at the evolving issue of Extended Producer Responsibility and the likelihood that restaurants will be playing an increasingly active role in the recycling system. Seven states have passed some type of EPR law and the first few are starting to take effect. We are joined by Michael...
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Episode 377: Tip Credit Repeal in DC. $30/hr Wages in LA. Major Metros Take Center Stage In Minimum Wage Wars
While the Golden State always seems to be in some level of crazy, it appears that major metros in southern California have gone off the deep end. Los Angeles is considering a $30/hr minimum wage for hospitality workers in the city, $29.50 down the road in Long Beach, and $25/hr on the docket for...
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Episode 376: Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Industry Food Donation Programs
The big beautiful bill may be big and it may be beautiful but it is far from perfect. Lots of errors and missteps are becoming clearer and one big one may significantly impact corporate charitable contributions and in the restaurant industry, food donation is at the top of the list. We talk to…
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Episode 375: Can Retailers Issuing Their Own Stablecoins Threaten the Visa & Mastercard Duopoly?
The Fourth of July period is usually a pretty sleepy time in the public policy world but this year was anything but. Big beautiful bills, escalating fights over alcohol and sugary beverages and ICE becoming the highest-funded law enforcement agency in the country were just a few of the stories...
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Episode 374: To Raid or Not To Raid? Recent Immigration Directives Confusing Operators
The Administration keeps changing its mind on immigration enforcement and ICE raids. How should restaurant operators view all this and what should they be prepared for? We’ll discuss. And the President was asked about recent legislation introduced by a Republican senator to increase the minimum...
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Episode 373: Really? A Republican Senator Introduces $15/hr Minimum Wage Legislation?
Say it ain’t so! A conservative Republican senator - Josh Hawley from Missouri - has teamed up with a liberal senator from Vermont to introduce legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to $15/hr. While the bill may or may not get traction, the bigger issue is the changing relationship…
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Episode 372: The Future of Food Policy and the Restaurant Industry
We visit once again with Maggie Gentile, a partner at Food Directions and our industry’s resident expert on food policy, who stopped by the pod to talk about last week’s MAHA Commission report - what’s in it, what wasn’t in it, what comes next, and lastly, what it means to operators. And the...
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Episode 371: Navigating the Tax Bill and What it Means for Restaurants
We talk once again to Aaron Frazier, the Vice-President of Public Policy for the National Restaurant Association to get the lastest on the status of the President’s “big, beautiful” tax bill and what the industry can expect out of the current package on the table. We’ll also chat about tariffs…
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Episode 370: MAGA Trade Associations? The Trump Team Takes On Traditional Norms Of Lobbying
A new MAGA-focused trade association is taking shape offering enhanced access to Trump Admiistration officials and to the President himself. The new group is forming at a time when the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have encountered some significant friction with the Trump...
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Episode 369: Big Beautiful Tax Bill Has a Full Menu Offering for Operators
We sit down with Aaron Frazier, Vice President of Public Policy at the National Restaurant Association, to discuss the pending tax bill, reconciliation, and what operators should expect at the end of the process. And Republicans across the country seem to be taking aim at voter-passed initiatives...
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Episode 368: One Fair Wage Throws A Hail Mary in New Jersey
Despite a terrible winning record the last few years, One Fair Wage seems to be making a stand in one of the last few big blue states, this time New Jersey. Is it their swan song or the beginning of a comeback? We’ll discuss. And then we’ll talk about tariffs and the 90- day window of breathing...
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Episode 367: Supreme Court Leaves NLRB Without A Quorum - For Now
It looks like the MAHA train has pulled into Baton Rouge and offloaded one of the most expansive food policy reform bills we have seen to date. The legislation covers ingredients, oils, sugary beverages and even SNAP eligibility and appears to be a huge priority of the governor. We’ll unpack what...
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Episode 366: Chairman Chat: Talking Tariffs With Fat Brands’ Andy Wiederhorn
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs. This week the President laid out some of the most aggressive tariff policies in recent American history causing instability in corporate boardrooms, workforces, world markets and with our trading partners themselves. But how should industry leaders look at this? Well…
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Episode 365: Mountain MAHA: West Virginia First to Embrace RFK.Jr.’s Food Agenda
We’ll take a stab at answering a question that likely has never been asked before - namely what do California and West Virginia have in common? The answer: They have both enacted strict laws regarding food additives, dyes and preservatives. But while California’s laws were largely targeted at…
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Episode 364: Independent Restaurant Coalition Agenda for 2025
We sit down with the Independant Restaurant Coalition’s Erika Polmer and Robert St. John to get a status report on the organization, the role it’s playing in the industry and their agenda for 2025. And Gywnne Wilcox is back on the job at the NLRB bit with a huge asterisk hanging over her head....
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Episode 363: Industry Takes On Visa & Mastercard Over Interchange Fees
We’re going to talk swipe fees with the NRA’s Brennan Duckett to update you on the status of the industry’s national effort to push back on the Visa and Mastercard payments duopoly that is bleeding restaurant owners dry. And then we’ll take a look at a national boycott of Target, Amazon and…
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Episode 362: Some Major Brands Make Trump’s Target List Over DEI
The Independent restaurant Coalition has remade its Board Leadership and is looking to reingage in conversations Important to the industry. Is this a help or a hindrance to the industry’s national issue agenda? We’ll take a look. And this week the President released a target list - his words - of...
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Episode 361: What Immigration Compliance Looks Like In The New Normal
We sat down with Davis Bae, the Managing Partner of the Seattle Office of Fisher & Phillips to talk about the immigration issue and how operators need to prepare for the foreseeable future. Is this a passing fad or the new normal? We’ll discuss. And we take a few minutes to discuss a future...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
This weekly podcast comes from Align Public Strategies, a full-service public affairs and creative firm that helps corporate brands, governments and nonprofits navigate the outside world and inform their internal decision-making. #WorkingLunch #Align
HOSTED BY
Align Public Strategies
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Working Lunch have?
The Working Lunch currently has 408 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Working Lunch about?
This weekly podcast comes from Align Public Strategies, a full-service public affairs and creative firm that helps corporate brands, governments and nonprofits navigate the outside world and inform their internal decision-making. #WorkingLunch #Align
How often does The Working Lunch release new episodes?
The Working Lunch publishes regularly with 408 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to The Working Lunch on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Working Lunch?
The Working Lunch is created and hosted by Align Public Strategies.
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