Leisure and Hospitality Leader Nicholas Del Franco says the Biden Administration’s policies are a grab bag of uncertainties for restaurants and others in the hospitality industry.
The science is clear, and there is no doubt that the warming of the earth is having an effect on the environment. More people become aware of the need to do something to slow down the process, and ultimately halt harmful environmental changes. Countless numbers of environmental organizations and groups have been lobbying for change, however, others are concerned about what all of this means for the hospitality industry.
Nicholas Del Franco, is the owner of Del Franco Hospitality. He says that some policies the Biden Administration might want to push forward might place an additional strain on businesses in the hospitality industry. “Look, we can not overlook the fact that leisure and hospitality made up 11 percent of all employment in the United States before the pandemic. COVID-19 has hit all four sectors of the hospitality industry hard. I am concerned that some proposed changes the new administration may try to roll out could affect the hospitality industry profoundly in the short term.”, Nicholas Del Franco said.
“President Biden’s policies to address climate change by reducing emissions and greenhouse gasses may benefit to the restaurant and foodservice industries in the long run, but I contend that the rollout of some of these policies may do more damage than good if they are implemented too quickly.” Nicholas Del Franco said.
According to Nicholas Del Franco, there are a number of variables to consider in terms of modernizing the hospitality industry. “There are a number of things to consider, some of those things are within our power to control, and others are not. For example, Rainfall pattern changes have caused floods in some areas of the country and droughts in others. These changes in rainfall patterns have washed away valuable topsoil and killed off countless numbers of crops. This is a variable we have no control over. Unfortunately, it impacts our bottom line and our consumers also.”, Nicholas Del Franco said.
“Climate change has affected the production of the food supply in the United States, and that is not good for anyone. When food production decreases, everyone pays. Restaurants and suppliers have to pay more for produce and meats. This cost is then passed on to the consumer.“, Nick Del Franco said.
Recognizing that environmental scientists have concluded that there is a substantial need to decrease the emission of carbon in the United States, Nicholas Del Franco says that transitioning to more sustainable products and operational protocols while we are in the middle of a pandemic could place additional burdens on the hospitality industry that may not be recoverable.
“There may be a need for carbon neutrality, and I suspect those of us in the hospitality industry may be encouraged to transition into the use of products sold in eschewing plastics, the use of renewable energy, and purchasing meat products that are raised sustainably, but I fear the costs associated with these types of transitions may produce catastrophic results for many businesses in the hospitality industry. I just think a slow and cautious approach is what we need right now” Nicholas Del Franco said.