EATING OUT, BUSINESS LUNCHEONS
AND THE REST, YOU CAN’T DO
ANYMORE, CERTAINLY LIMITED.
JON TAFFER MADE THIS IMPORTANT
PART OF HIS LIFE, NOT ONLY
PASSION FROM THE "BAR RESCUE"
FAME BUT POPULAR PODCAST, THE
JON TAFFER PODCAST.
JON, VERY GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
NO ONE LOOKS AFTER THEIR FRIENDS
AND COLLEAGUES IN THE
HOSPITALITY AND EVEN THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY LIKE YOU DO,
TOUCHE TO YOU THERE BUT
UNFORTUNATELY TALKING TO THE
PRESIDENT, OBVIOUSLY HIS
INTEREST IN TRYING TO SEE SOME
SORT OF STIMULUS PUT TOGETHER,
IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE IT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN, CERTAINLY BEFORE NEXT
WEEK, IF AT ALL IN THE NEAR
FUTURE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
>> WELL I ASKED THE PRESIDENT
THAT VERY QUESTION, NEIL AND, HE
FEELS THAT THE DEMOCRATS WON’T
MOVE UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
SO, HE SORT OF GIVEN UP THE PAST
FEW WEEKS ON DEALING WITH IT
UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION BUT,
YOU KNOW, HE IS A HOSPITALITY
GUY, NEIL, AND MY PURPOSE IN THE
INTERVIEW WAS NOT TO BE
SUPPORTIVE OR COMBATIVE WITH THE
PRESIDENT BUT GET HIS POLICIES
ON THE TABLE WITH REGARD TO OUR
INDUSTRY.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE, NEIL, WE
REACHED OUT TO THE BIDEN CAMP AT
THE SAME TIME AS THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY WANTING TO ASK THE SAME
QUESTIONS AND I HAVE NOT HEARD
BACK.
THIS WAS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT ON
MY PART TO GET THESE PLATFORMS
AND THESE IMPORTANT POLICIES ON
THE TABLE AND WE GOT THREE
CRITICAL POLICIES ON THE TABLE
FROM THE PRESIDENT YESTERDAY.
NEIL: LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE SPIKE IN CASES IN THIS
COUNTRY.
IN NEW YORK, OTHER LOCALES, IN
WISCONSIN, THEY’RE LOOKING AT
DIALING THINGS BACK FOR A LOT OF
RESTAURANTS, FOR A LOT OF BAR
OWNERS AND THE REST, THIS IS NOT
WELCOME NEWS.
THEY’RE ALREADY IF THEY’RE LUCKY
WORKING AT BEST 25% CAPACITY.
SOME LOCALES MAYBE 50% BUT, YOU
CLAMP DOWN ON THAT LIKE THEY’RE
DOING NOW IN ITALY, LIKE THEY’RE
DOING IN SPAIN, LIKE THEY’RE
DOING IN GERMANY, LIKE THEY’RE
DOING IN FRANCE, IT COULD BE
GAME OVER FOR A LOT OF THESE
GUYS?
>> OH, NEIL, I THINK HUNDREDS
ARE PROBABLY CLOSING TODAY AND
EVERY DAY WE LOSE MORE.
SO THIS IS A TICKING CLOCK.
I WANT TO REMIND US THAT THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY LOST MORE
JOBS DURING THE PANDEMIC THAN
ANY OTHER INDUSTRY.
SO THIS IS SERIOUS.
THIS AFFECTS ALL OF OUR
NEIGHBORS.
WHY A NEW PPP PLAN IS SO
IMPORTANT.
THE THREE BIG ELEMENTS THAT THE
PRESIDENT COMMITTED TO, WAS
RENEWAL OF THE PPP PLAN.
AND HE SPECIFIED THAT THE NEW
INVESTIGATION OF THE PPP PLAN,
NEW OR EXTENSION OF THE OLD ONE
WOULD ADDRESS DEBT THAT IS BIG,
NEIL.
RESTAURANTS SITTING ON FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN MONTHS OF DEBT CAN
GET THAT RESOLVED THROUGH THE
NEXT PPP.
HE ALSO WAS VERY POSITIVE ABOUT
REINSTITUTING THE BUSINESS MEAL
DEDUCTION WHICH IS BIG.
ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THAT WAS
REMOVED FROM THE INDUSTRY SALES
WERE REALLY IMPACTED BY THAT.
THE THIRD COMMITMENT WE GOT FROM
THE PRESIDENT, HE WILL FOLLOW UP
WITH THE DOMESTIC TRAVEL
INCENTIVE WHICH IS CRITICAL TO
NEVADA, FLORIDA, DESTINATIONS
LIKE THIS, THAT ARE ONLY GOING
TO DO WELL ONCE THE AIRPLANES
ARE FILLED.
THAT WAS MY PURPOSE.
I NOW KNOW I HAVE A HOSPITALITY
GUY IN PRESIDENT TRUMP.
HE COMMITTED TO THESE KEY
PLATFORMS FROM THE INDUSTRY.
I HOPE WE GET THE SAME
CONVERSATION WITH JOE BIDEN.
NEIL: IF IT WERE JOE BIDEN WIN,
DO YOU THINK SOMEONE WOULD BE
LOOKING AFTER THE HOSPITALITY
INDUSTRY?
>> EVEN BEING BIPARTISAN, NEIL,
IT WORRIES THE HECK OUT OF ME.
WHEN I HEAR ABOUT PAYROLL GOING
UP, TAXES GOING UP FOR
BUSINESSES, ENERGY IMPACTS, ALL
OF THESE LAYERED ON TOP OF THESE
OTHERS, NEIL, THAT IS HORRIFYING
TO A BUSINESS LIKE OURS
ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE
PANDEMIC.
THE PPP PLAN WOULD GET IS OUT
MUCH THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS.
FROM THERE THE TAX DEDUCTIONS
CAN KEEP US GOING.
NEIL: JON TAFFER, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.