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The D.C. restaurant scene is at a critical crossroads for many operators, especially those in the small, neighborhood category. We gather anecdotes from one owner and then take a look at the hard data. It's pretty sobering. wapo.st/3Rh8S4w

Few people know Washington like Michael Schaffer, my former editor at Washington City Paper. I went on City Cast DC to talk about the state of the D.C. restaurant scene. As always, Mike knows how to cut through the B.S. and ask the tough questions. Listen in. dc.citycast.fm/podcasts/is-th…

It’s always so much fun to hang out with The Julie Mason Show in the studio. Sometimes we talk about things you might care about, like Popeyes and tipping. siriusxm.com/clips/clip/fb8…

DC is looking to overturn a voter initiative for the second time. wapo.st/3RQ83Qo

I've been chatting with D.C. councilmembers today, and it doesn't seem like there's much appetite to repeal I-82 (which slowly phases out the tipped minimum wage) – even less so as part of the budget, as Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing.

This is how the circus of DC plays out: One minute, I'm wading thru interviews with anxious restaurant owners who are dealing with the Department of Homeland Security demanding paperwork. The next, I'm reading messages that I got a James Beard nomination. jamesbeard.org/stories/2025-j…

Owners don’t know what I-9 employee audits will mean for their restaurants, or the future of the industry as a whole, but they say it doesn’t bode well. Gift link: wapo.st/3YCKmyS

The DHS sweeps last week could lead to a worker shortage and more closures in a restaurant industry already expected to contract this year. Gift link: wapo.st/4iYK24F

Once again, Tamar is here to set the record straight. Or as straight as it can be given the conflicting evidence.

Great reporting from Texas Tribune and ProPublica on the apparently changing mission of the Office of Refugee Resettlement from children's welfare to deportation. texastribune.org/2025/05/14/off…

FOOD FEATURE, DIV 3 A story focusing on food, excluding reviews or commentary. 🥇 1st Place: Tim Carman 🥈 2nd Place: Emma Glassman-Hughes 🥉 3rd Place: Hanna Raskin 🏅 Honorable Mention: Sharyn Jackson

*NEW* Five DC Council Mbrs. co-introduce an emergency bill to postpone the next $2 increase in hourly tipped-worker base wage – in order to allow time for Councilmembers to make a decision regarding what action, if any, should be taken to repeal, pause, or modify #Initiative82.

This is a very different statement to @mayorbowser’s on the threats from the federal government to sanctuary jurisdictions like D.C. and Maryland: 51st.news/bowser-moves-t…

Every story is a learning experience. But putting together this seemingly simple quiz was, for me, like taking a master class on U.S. food imports. Take the quiz and see how much you know: wapo.st/451OQD6

D.C. Council voted to pause I-82 today. It's not clear yet that there are enough votes to repeal the law, however. washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/…

I don’t see how any sandwich shop could make this math work, unless Bub & Pop’s adopted the Executive Branch model and charged customers $500,000 for access to some of the best sandwiches in DC.

Can pizza orders predict the next U.S. military strike? One man is keeping track. Great read from ⁦Tim Carman⁩ ⁦Emily Heil⁩ washingtonpost.com/food/2025/07/0…

You have a week to eat at the original Ben’s Chili Bowl before it closes for months for renovations. The family wants to retain the diner’s original character but they don’t yet know the extent of the repairs. wapo.st/40ItCXN