Rio Grande Valley Chapter - Texas Restaurant Association

10/19/2026

🍷 RESTAURANT & BAR OPERATORS — WHAT'S KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT?

Rising costs? Workforce shortages? Regulations?

𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟕 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝!

Join us for the 𝐑𝐢𝐨 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, featuring a State of the Industry Address from TRA's Joe Monastero.

Learn how the Texas Restaurant Association, alongside the National Restaurant Association, is advocating for restaurant and bar operators at the state and national levels.

We're fighting to make Texas a better place to do business, and we need operators at the table!

🥂 Friday, November 13 | Old Church Winery, McAllen
⏰ 6:30 PM Reception | 7:30 PM Dinner

Current member or not, YOU belong in this conversation!

👉 Reserve your seat today!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/rio-grande-valley-chapter-2026-annual-chairmans-dinner

10/17/2026

🗳️ Texas Restaurants: Your Voice Matters. Your Vote Matters!

Decisions made at the ballot box impact Texas restaurants, our employees, and our communities—from the economy and infrastructure to insurance costs and workforce issues.

Make your voice heard this November! Every vote counts, and you don't have to have voted in the March primary to participate.

📅 Important Voting Dates:

- Early Voting: October 19–30
- Election Day: November 3
- Mail Ballot Application Deadline: October 23 (must be received by this date)

🍽️ Restaurant Owners & Operators: Encourage your teams to vote! Share voting information with employees and consider allowing time for them to get to the polls.

✅ Find your polling place, check your registration, and make a plan to vote at www.votetexas.gov.

Strong communities need strong voices. Let's make sure the Texas restaurant industry is heard!

10/16/2026

🍷 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓 & 𝐁𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒 — 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌!

With the 2027 Texas Legislative Session approaching, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝!

Join us November 13 for the 𝐑𝐆𝐕 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫, featuring a 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐑𝐀'𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨.

Hear what's ahead for our industry and how 𝐓𝐑𝐀, 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐍𝐑𝐀), 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 to protect restaurant and bar operators and make it easier to do business.

🥂 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬. 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐀 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲.

📅 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑 | 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐲, 𝐌𝐜𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧

🎟️ 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭!
👉 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/rio-grande-valley-chapter-2026-annual-chairmans-dinner

𝐇𝐔𝐆𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫, Auto-Chlor System!

10/09/2026

🎤 Calling All Restaurant Industry Leaders! We Want to Hear From YOU!

Have ideas, experiences or expertise that could help fellow restaurant owners and operators succeed?

The 2027 Texas Restaurant Show is looking for speakers, and we'd love to see our local restaurant community represented!

Whether it's operations, workforce, technology or lessons learned along the way, your experience could help shape the future of our industry!

📍 San Antonio | July 11–12, 2027
🎉 Celebrating 90 years of the Texas Restaurant Association!

👉 Have something to share? Submit your speaker proposal today!

https://trs2027-c8ed13a.cm.mapyourshow.com/2_0/index.cfm/proposals:main

Do you have something to share with the Texas restaurant industry?
This is more than a call for speakers. It is an opportunity to share what works, contribute to an important industry conversation and take the stage in our 90th Year at the 2027 Texas Restaurant Show, July 11–12 in San Antonio.
Help shape what comes next: https://trs2027-c8ed13a.cm.mapyourshow.com/2_0/index.cfm/proposals:main

10/07/2026

🚨 Restaurant problems piling up? Let TRA help you solve them.

Staffing shortages. Rising costs. Menu decisions. New technology. Permitting headaches. Every challenge takes time away from running—and growing—your restaurant.

Join us for From Problem to Profit: Solving Your Restaurant’s Toughest Challenges with the TRA Consultancy Center and learn how this TRA member benefit can help turn real-world restaurant challenges into actionable solutions.

📅 Wednesday, October 21
⏰ 2:00 PM CT
🎤 Featuring Tony Abruscato, TRA Chief Marketing Officer, and Chris Tripoli, Hospitality Specialist with The Restaurant Clinic

⭐ TRA members receive a complimentary 30-minute consulting session!

This webinar is exclusively for Texas Restaurant Association members. Register today and learn how to put the Consultancy Center to work for your restaurant.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XdGb8Es0So-OZDknaTcTUg #/registration

Not a member yet? Join TRA and unlock this benefit and more!
Email: [email protected]

10/01/2026

🚨 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒! 🚨

TRA advocacy is delivering real dollars back to restaurant operators.

Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has signed an executive order directing a rule change that would 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝-𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐃𝐚𝐬𝐡, 𝐔𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐛.

💰 What could that mean? REAL SAVINGS.

Based on TRA member numbers, the estimated savings could range from $3,600 a year for a single independent restaurant to $44,000+ for multi-unit franchisees.

And this didn’t happen by accident. TRA has continued raising this issue on behalf of Texas restaurants, and just weeks ago, TRA President & CEO Dr. Emily Williams Knight and a restaurant operator met with the Comptroller to discuss the impact of this tax. The Comptroller’s announcement specifically acknowledged concerns raised by restaurant and other business owners about the financial impact of the tax.

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 📣

The formal rulemaking process comes next, and TRA will stay engaged to help ensure the relief is as broad as possible for Texas restaurants.

👏 A huge win for our industry — and a great reminder of what we can accomplish when restaurants have a strong voice at the table.

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐓𝐑𝐀 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐞𝐭? 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬.

Email [email protected] to learn more about joining the local Chapter!

09/14/2026

⚖️ 𝐓𝐑𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐞 & 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

Join us for the first webinar in TRA’s Fall Compliance Series, exclusively for TRA members.

Hear directly from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) about:

✅ Federal labor laws restaurants need to know
✅ How WHD helps employers stay compliant
✅ What happens during a WHD investigation
✅ What employers can expect throughout the process
✅ Live Q&A

This is a members-only benefit and the webinar will NOT be recorded, so don’t miss your chance to attend live!

Not a TRA member but want access to valuable resources and webinars like this? Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Members, register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dMtLILymQu6anfbL4uWobg

Texas Restaurant Association

09/08/2026

🍻 Serve smarter. Sell responsibly. Get certified.

Need TABC certification for you or your team? The #1 TABC Certification is TRA’s official online alcohol seller-server course—and TRA members pay just $9.95!

✅ TABC approved
✅ 100% online
✅ Practical training for alcohol sellers & servers
✅ Understand Texas responsible sale & service laws
✅ Backed by the Texas Restaurant Association

TRA Members: Contact us to verify your membership and receive the exclusive $9.95 rate. (Email: [email protected])

👉 Get certified. Stay compliant. Serve with confidence.

TABC Course Sign-In Page: https://txrestaurant.org/Pub/TopClass/Learning_Sign_In.aspx

Texas Restaurant Association

08/28/2026

Rio Grande Valley restaurant community — we need your help!

The Texas Restaurant Association’s Rio Grande Valley Chapter is joining Seat the Table in urging Congress to create work permits for hardworking, law-abiding immigrants who help keep restaurants throughout McAllen, the Rio Grande Valley, and across Texas running.

This issue directly affects our local restaurants, our workforce, and the affordability of the food our communities enjoy. Supporting a practical solution is both the right thing to do and important to the future of our industry.

📣 Become a lead signatory and support the call for work permits:
https://seatthetable.org/

📝 Share your story and tell us why this issue matters to you:
https://fs24.formsite.com/wsaaritramailorg/STT-Immigration-Stories/index

The Rio Grande Valley restaurant community has a powerful voice. Let’s use it.

08/25/2026

𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐨 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 & 𝐁𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 — 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐔𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?

Insurance costs? Legal issues? Staffing challenges? Daily operations? Plans for growth?

You don’t have to tackle it alone. Steven Cordova, Member Engagement Manager for the Texas Restaurant Association, connects TRA members throughout McAllen and communities across the Rio Grande Valley with resources, savings, and opportunities that can make a real difference.

Recently, Steven has helped TRA members:

💰 Access legal resources and identify significant insurance savings
📈 Improve profitability with technology from SpotOn and Owner.com
🤝 Identify new catering and business opportunities
🎓 Save approximately 15–20% per employee on training programs

One conversation could save your business time, money, and stress — or uncover an opportunity you didn’t know was available.

Ready to find solutions? Reach out to Steven and put your TRA membership to work.

📧 [email protected]