Detroit Restaurant & Lodging Association

09/09/2026

Detroit Restaurant & Lodging Association (DRLA) recently announced three new board members have been appointed: Yanni Dionisopoulos, founder of Yiamas Hospitality Group; Jacob Dondzila, General Manager of Shinola Hotel Detroit; and Chef Omar Mitchell, Executive Chef of Table No. 2.

Read the full release: https://www.detroitrla.org/9326-detroit-restaurant--lodging-association-introduces-three-new-board-members.html

11/25/2025

Yesterday, Detroit's hospitality community came together for what we do best - serving others. Over 1,000 Thanksgiving meals were prepared and delivered through our annual Full Plates Full Hearts event alongside our many partners who make it possible. Thank you to every chef, volunteer, and partner who made it happen!

11/25/2024

Today, the DRLA and Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association partnered with local chefs and hospitality leaders to distribute over 850 meals to area nonprofits in Detroit for our annual Full Plates Full Hearts event. This year's event also launched the Chef Max Hardy Memorial Scholarship to pay tribute to Chef Max's role in creating this annual event. This new scholarship will be available to ProStart students from Detroit Public Schools and awarded this upcoming spring.

Thank you to Detroit Shipping Company for hosting and to all the volunteers who spent Monday cooking, serving, and boxing holiday meals for people in need this Thanksgiving.

08/20/2024

Thank you to the hospitality leaders who showed their support for the industry at a critical time and celebrated Detroit's incomparable hospitality scene at the DRLA Yacht Cup Race last week.

05/31/2024

📢 Today, the Michigan Supreme Court (MSC) issued a ruling in the case Raise the Wage v. Board of State Canvassers.

In October 2023, the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 in a vote to approve the Raise the Wage Michigan ballot proposal after debate on the language used on the petition. In the Raise the Wage Michigan petition language, organizers changed the definition of employer to anyone with 21 or more employees, indicating that any business with less than 21 employees would be subject to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Raise the Wage Michigan filed a lawsuit in November 2023 with the Michigan Supreme Court. Michigan Opportunity, a coalition associated with the MRLA, successfully intervened in this case and filed an amicus brief arguing to keep this proposal off of the ballot.

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled today in favor of the Board of State Canvassers which prevents the ballot proposal from being required to be placed on the November 2024 ballot.

What Does this Mean for Operators?
✅ Michigan minimum wage remains at $10.33 per hour
✅ Michigan tipped minimum wage remains at $3.93 per hour
✅ The ballot proposal attempting to increase the minimum wage and eliminate the tip credit will not be voted on in November 2024.

04/25/2024

With the top pick, we select Detroit's hospitality industry! 🏈

Detroit has been on the clock and now it's finally time to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to Michigan for the ! Team MRLA sported their Honolulu Blue gear to kick off the celebration today. 🏈 Our top pick is definitely the Detroit hospitality industry!

04/10/2024

We're here for the assist. 🏈 As the highly-anticipated NFL Draft heads to Detroit, we've got the answers to all your logistic questions in this one-stop webinar so you can focus on what you do best: providing a touchdown experience for your guests! Click here to access ➡️ detroitrla.org/assist

​Submit your answers and stay tuned for a "blitz" of answers from Visit Detroit and the Detroit Restaurant & Lodging Association.

03/26/2024

🚨Registration closes Friday! Sign up today for a FREE Human Trafficking Awareness Training event designed for hospitality professionals to receive in-depth information and expert guidance on furthering our industry's commitment to ending human trafficking.

📅Wednesday, April 3
🕜8:00 -11:00 AM
📌Westin Book Cadillac, Detroit
➡️https://bit.ly/3vmIuyA

03/05/2024

The Detroit Restaurant & Lodging Association has lost one of its founding members, Detroit’s culinary scene lost an important leader in its renaissance, and we have all lost a generous soul who worked so hard to make Detroit a better, fairer place to be. Chef Max Hardy was integral in the early success of the DRLA, helping to create our signature charitable event, ‘Full Plates, Full Hearts’ and serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer. As a graduate of the high school culinary arts program known as ProStart, Chef Max also shared his expertise with the next generation, often serving as a judge at Michigan’s statewide ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management competition. We are so appreciative for all that he gave to our industry, we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to his family.

11/21/2023

On Monday, the DRLA and Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association partnered with local chefs and hospitality leaders to distribute over 1,000 home-cooked meals to area nonprofits in Lansing and Detroit. 🍽️Special thanks to Lansing Shuffle and Detroit Shipping Company for hosting the seventh annual Full Plate Full Hearts event and to all the volunteers who spent Monday cooking, serving, and boxing holiday meals for people in need this Thanksgiving because full plates = full hearts.