What's with the Pineapple?

You can't spell "reunited" without... well, actually you can, but Emily's back anyway to defend the podcast segments after Justin's three-episode soundboard discovery tour. The duo kicks off with the 1835 Toledo War where Michigan traded a swampy Ohio strip for the entire Upper Peninsula (clear winner: Michigan), before diving into why Pure Michigan's $17 million budget is an embarrassment when Wisconsin is eating our lunch with better marketing dollars. Airbnb thinks slapping a 3% tax on hotels and short-term rentals that funds literally anything except tourism is "parity" – cute, but no. Between celebrating Michigan-based pizza dominance that nobody talks about enough, Joe Vicari claiming prime JW Marriott real estate, and navigating the THC beverage Wild West, this episode proves Emily's return couldn't come soon enough. Some things change, some stay exactly the same – welcome back to chaos. Editor’s note: short-term rental legislation did not end up being introduced on the day of this episode recording as expected.

Justin welcomes the Vice President of Industry Relations at Broadcast Music Inc (BMI) Vice, Dan Spears, to share what makes BMI different than other Performance Rights Organizations (PRO’s) and how their partnership with the MRLA provides meaningful value and transparency for members. Dan also welcomes BMI artist and fellow Michigander Julianne Ankley to share her experience working with the company before making What’s with the Pineapple podcast history as its first musical performance. Julianne was nothing short of great, but clearly we at the MRLA have work to do in the studio before welcoming any more acoustical guests! Justin also shares the outline of a possible budget deal to avert a shutdown of our state government, analysis of two interesting reports out in the restaurant and hotel industries and his aggressive support the American Franchise Act. And, perhaps most important of all, back by little (to no) demand – This Week in Michigan History returns for a third time! There is no better way to enjoy a beautiful early Fall day in our great state. Enjoy! 

Justin welcomes back Adrian Hemond of Grassroots Midwest and John Sellek of Harbor Strategic Public Affairs who jointly share their inside the Lansing beltway expertise under the moniker “Baldly Bipartisan”. The trio discuss the status of the 2026 governor’s race in Michigan, with a real focus on the impact that independent candidate Mike Duggan has had on the dynamics before previewing the open US Senate seat and potential constitutional convention. They wrap the interview by predicting outcomes of the hotly partisan standoff on the state budget, which could result in a government shutdown if Republican Speaker of the House Matt Hall and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks cannot resolve differences by October 1. Justin also brings back This Week in Michigan History, a real keeper of a segment (in Justin’s mind) and a few industry plaudits before transitioning to the interview. Enjoy! 

Ooh baby baby, it’s a wild world! Justin labored to handle the podcasting duties solo this week because beloved co-host Emily went into labor and welcomed baby Lenora Joyce “LJ” into the world. Team MRLA is ecstatic and committed to carrying the torch forward in her temporary absence, but let this pod be your official declaration to manage expectations accordingly! Justin tries out a new segment that somehow features Tiger Woods, Hootie and the Stanley Cup before a seamless(-ish) segue into tariffs and a big win in Washington D.C. on the tip credit. Justin then welcomes MRLA Board member and owner of Vault Hotels, Jennifer Julien, for an interesting and informative discussion on her foray into hospitality, the groundbreaking of the new Vault Hotel in Marquette and her celebrity life as a professional snowmobile racer. Enjoy!

While Emily hasn't gone on leave quite yet, Justin takes the helm with production control and an impressive arsenal of sound effects buttons to break down the massive tax legislation signed into law over Fourth of July weekend. After celebrating National Kitten Day and pitching "Detroit Does" as the new WNBA team name, the co-hosts dive into local wins including Detroit City Council streamlining business licensing and Cameron Mitchell's $13 million Big Rock Italian Chophouse remake in Birmingham. The real star is Aaron Frazier from the National Restaurant Association, who explains how the new tax law delivers generational opportunities for operators: permanent 100% equipment expensing (goodbye to deducting that $20,000 oven over seven years), no federal income tax on tips up to $25,000 for four years, and estate tax relief up to $15 million. For an industry that's been sitting on investment sidelines since COVID, this legislation provides the certainty needed to expand, upgrade, and actually plan beyond next quarter. Plus, family medical leave tax credits and childcare benefits that could finally help with retention in a perpetually transient industry. What sound effects do you think describe today's episode? It'll be added to the board in no time.  Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/ Register for the DRLA Mayoral Forum at drla.org/events

With Emily preparing for a hiatus and Justin's podcast equipment training going about as well as expected, the duo tackles the hospitality industry's latest existential crisis: customers who literally can't finish their food. Dr. Wesley Tucker from Texas Women's University explains the GLP-1 revolution that has 15-20 million Americans eating 800-1000 fewer calories daily while shifting spending from processed foods to items like Greek yogurt. The conversation covers everything from two-beer nights becoming the new normal to some restaurants already rolling out "GLP-1 friendly" menus. Between tip credit referendum updates, Michigan Central's new hotel development, and whether operators should adapt now or wait for the oral pill version hitting 2026-2027, this episode explores the difference between and industry that can super-size meeting customers who can't finish their appetizers. Wolfgang Puck is already adapting – should Michigan operators follow suit? Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/(00:48) – Intro(06:19) – Pineapple Express(23:36) – Pineapple Plaudits(28:44) – For Fork’s Sake(40:43) – Interview with Dr. Wesley Tucker 

Justin and Emily are fully caffeinated and slightly unhinged to tackle a lineup of industry challenges both perennial and unprecedented. Justin and Emily celebrate Plymouth Canton's second-place ProStart national finish before diving into the hospitality industry's latest headaches – from Pure Michigan funding stuck in political limbo to the annual H-2B visa lottery keeping northern Michigan operators guessing. Food policy expert Maggie Gentile breaks down the rapidly evolving "Make America Healthy Again" movement that's already pushed 80 bills across 30 states targeting food dyes, seed oils, and other ingredients. Is the industry facing a simple food fad or a smoking-level societal shift? Between Louisiana restaurants potentially posting "we use seed oils" warnings and outright bans on artificial colors, operators face yet another angle of anxiety. The conversation takes several delightful detours, including Emily's inexplicable pitch for "Coney drip cuffs" and whether GLP-1 weight loss pills will reshape dining behaviors. Capitol Day (June 4th) gets a plug, Kalamazoo's sports facility funding earns praise, and somehow The Bear's Season 4 release date sneaks into the conversation – because some priorities never change, even when recording back in the studio. Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/ For more information on Food Directions, visit https://fooddirectionsllc.com/. For more information about Kids Live Well, visit https://www.mrla.org/kidslivewell.html

The Content Room takes What's with the Pineapple on the road to the Michigan Food & Hospitality Show floor for a lineup of hospitality heavy-hitters. First up, Julie Pinkston wearing all of the hats joins to discuss her roles as president of the Michigan Association of CVBs, secretary of the Michigan Hospitality Tourism Alliance, and her day job leading Choose Lansing – where they're busy transforming downtown with new venues, hotels with rooftop bars, and earning national recognition as the country's #2 destination for accessible travel. Next, Alicia Rainwater from the Center for Generational Kinetics drops in to drop knowledge on managing four generations in the workplace, revealing why Gen Z isn't "Millennials 2.0" and predicting that Gen Alpha will be shaped by AI the way their predecessors were by smartphones. Mission Point Resort’s Liz Ware stops by sporting her new Lilac Lounge merch to share updates on their Chianti restaurant renovation, the northern Michigan ice storm recovery, and why she's tired of seeing "Galena, Illinois ads" instead of Pure Michigan spots. The episode wraps with Claude Molinari declaring this "the best day of my life" while detailing Visit Detroit's vision for the new JW Marriott and upcoming Final Four, and Beth Hussey introducing her industry training app Shifty teaching Justin and Emily to "Get Your Shift Together". The common thread? Michigan's hospitality industry is building back stronger through collaboration – or as everyone on the show seems to say, "we're stronger together."Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

The Content Room returns after their tip credit-induced hiatus with MRLA Chairman Jean Lanfear to discuss her journey from Dairy Queen counter to Buffalo Wild Wings executive. While debating the pronunciation of "caramel" (there is only one correct answer), Justin and Emily serve up surprisingly sweet (and a few sour) stats about the industry five years post-COVID – restaurants now command 53% of America's food dollar despite dining solo becoming the new norm. Starbucks' pivot back to human connection proves we're not ready to permanently replace baristas with apps, and Chairman Lanfear shares why "optimism is a source of power" when leading through challenging times. From ProStart competitions hitting record-breaking attendance to the upcoming Michigan Food and Hospitality Show, this episode proves the industry isn't just surviving, it's evolving. And for those keeping score, the Chairman prefers boneless wings with salt and vinegar rub – a stance potentially more controversial than who you think will dominate March Madness.  Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/. Register for the Michigan Food & Hospitality Show at www.mrlashow.org. **This episode of What's with the Pineapple was recorded before the Dept of Labor and Economic Opportunity released its interpretation of tip pooling language in the new minimum wage bill.**

Things are getting weird and we aren’t just talking about the three month hiatus of What’s with the Pineapple. Justin and Emily kick things off celebrating National Slap Your Coworker Day (HR would like a word) and their Halloween costumes of choice. The pair dives into McDonald's unexpected political spotlight, Massachusetts giving Michigan a master class in common sense on tip credit, the cage-free egg law scrambling industry preparations for 2025, and Michigan hotels earning their Michelin Keys. Speaking of industry excellence, congratulations are in order for a long list of plaudits covering every corner of the mitten. Breaking records (on the) left and right, political strategists Adrian Hemond and John Selleck make their three-peat appearance in the second half of the episode to break down Michigan's role as the ultimate battleground state. The powerhouse pair lay out the stakes for the presidential, senate, and congressional races while attempting to untangle Michigan's increasingly complex political web. As promised in the title, the weirdness gets profound: from tip credit to turnout, demographics to Doritos, and the very real possibility of a deadlocked legislature in 2025. This episode covers what the hospitality industry needs to know as Michigan heads into what could be its weirdest election yet. Who will be given their flowers in November? Less than two weeks left. 

You may be feeling the need for a “sleepcation” at this point in the summer, but you don’t want to sleep on this episode. The MRLA’s Content Room is breaking records with the most in-person contributors as Justin, Emily, Johnny Mac and Producer Joe circle up to deep dive, evaluate, analyze and argue about season three of The Bear while sporting matching BERF t-shirts. Before the arguments start, the group volleys topics back and forth from hotel must-haves, the relevance of the Olympics, Matty Matheson (also known as Fak) coming to Michigan, and some subtle shade (again) towards Ohio. The group also discusses successes with the budget for Pure Michigan – referred to as a legislative symphony – and short-term rentals regulation developments. One non-negotiable on this podcast: no one is going to completely agree about anything but it will always be an environment that encourages razzle dazzle in the dream weave.Presented by the MRL Fund. Find more information at mrla.org/mrl-fund.html

Grace Keros, co-owner of American Coney Island, joins What’s with the Pineapple and not just for a call-in interview. In true Grace-level of dedication she joins Justin and Emily in-person for all of the segments to add an operator perspective and, well, some tell-it-like-it-is truth. The three talk about the prospect of Michigan losing the tip credit – better referred to as careening off a cliff into the abyss – a new app that allows restaurants to sell leftover food instead of throwing it out and the new City of Detroit health inspection color coding ordinance and way more before getting into Grace’s story. As a family-owned business since 1917 and a Detroit staple, Grace talks about her family story, what makes American Coney stand out, her innovation into Coney Kits, and relives the NFL Draft experience. Justin and Grace are also both confused and concerned for the future of America after Emily illuminates the concept of coastal grandma aesthetic. Grab a coney and listen in!

Today’s episode is a true fruit salad of topics as Justin and Emily talk about the upcoming National Restaurant Show, the new season of The Bear, chocolate chip cookie preference, and proposed smoking fee laws. Emily also finally finds her platform to vent about the state of construction in Michigan. (Hint: she’s angry). As the cherry on top, Kat Paye who eats, sleeps, works and lives all things cherries as the Executive Director of the National Cherry Festival, joins the podcast. She shares what to expect in Traverse City next month, how restaurants can incorporate more cherries into their dishes, and the other events that support the foundation! To learn more and plan your experience, visit https://www.cherryfestival.org. Presented by the MRL Fund. Find more information at mrla.org/mrl-fund.html.

After a short break, What’s with the Pineapple is back on the saddle. There are a lot of new regulations, or landmines, on the horizon for the hospitality industry and luckily we have Mickey Chichester with Littler, the MRLA Legal Center partner that specializes in labor and employment law. Mickey is here to help listeners navigate the new overtime rule, how to start preparing for the July 1 change, the ban on non-compete agreements, and the new test for independent contractor classifications. Beyond Mickey’s irreplaceable expertise, Justin and Emily are being outshined this week as they welcome a third host to the show. Everyone, meet Rodney. The new co-host helps the host recap the NFL Draft, discuss the growth of hotels in the U.S., talk about the new (celebrity) Board Member targets (hint: Mom’s Spaghetti), and provide updates on the budget placeholders including Pure Michigan funding for 2025.

The world’s first-ever CVB, Visit Detroit, is reporting into the game and joining today’s episode to talk about the NFL Draft coming to town in just a few weeks. As the city prepares for hundreds of thousands of visitors and a tourism-funded boost to Michigan’s economy, Claude and Chris are here for the assist to discuss what operators can expect, how they can best prepare, and how a touchdown success sets the stage for more largescale events to come to town. Did someone say NBA All Star Game? Well, Justin did and he’s laser focused on making that happen. In a new tradition enjoyed pretty much exclusively by the hosts, Justin and Emily talk national day-of holidays (vegan corndogs, anyone?), throw shade at Ohio (technically the moon is throwing the shade), swipe left on MasterCard and Visa temporary swipe fee reduction, and set an ominous tone for the preparation on what’s to come for Michigan’s tip credit. Listeners are finally getting what they’ve been demanding too: a full review of the Starbucks Oleato coffee.  Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

There’s a lot to celebrate on this episode: Women’s History Month, Pi(e) Day, National Potato Chip Day, Producer Joe being back for the first time this year… and he’s engaged! Justin and Emily also celebrate International Women’s Day by welcoming Katy McBrady, President of Atwater Brewery, to discuss the second annual limited time launch of Ping Gang IPA which is a woman-powered brew crafted to celebrate the hard-working women in Michigan. The three also talk about how Katy’s career brought her back to Michigan from Southern California, her insight on the next generation of drinkers and the perfect Double IPA to have in hand. After discovering differences in chip and pie preferences, the hosts talk non-alcoholic drink trends in Detroit, Zoup’s rebrand, the new Independent Contractor Rule and Joint-Employer updates.Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

This episode hits different… as Justin and Emily assume the kids of today would say. Brad Keen, Chief Operating Officer of Boyne Resorts, joins the call today to talk about his career climb from line cook internship at Boyne Highlands to his role today overseeing five full-service, four-season resorts. The three reminisce on the pathway to merging lodging into the association and Brad’s leadership in his two orbits through the executive track at the MRLA to serve as Chair in 2013 and 2017. Brad shares his insights on the impacts of Pure Michigan, his approach to retaining a strong workforce and even the magic (read: science) behind snowmaking. Before hitting the slopes, Emily tries to convince Justin that Leap Day should get more attention, the two do a deep dive analysis of the National Restaurant Association’s State of the Industry Report, and update listeners on new H2B Visa proposals and how to take the Pure Michigan Pledge.Download NRA’s State of the Industry Report: https://bit.ly/3OZVNeXTake the Pure Michigan Pledge: themichiganalliance.org/pledgePresented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

We’re back with a vengeance in today’s episode after our brief stint on Zoom. We kick off the show with an overview of the newly-formed Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance assembling 11 of the state’s leading advocates for our industry to share a unified voice. The first all-call: $50 million for Pure Michigan funding. Your hosts also deep dive into the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (HR 7024) and the state of the industry reports from our national partner associations, the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, outlining themes of growth, competition, shifts in consumer behavior and more. We know you’ve been wondering Starbucks’ olive oil-infused coffee since it was mentioned a year ago and we have that update for you! HR complaints are filed due to not getting Team MRLA into Miles Teller's recent visit to Crunchy's in East Lansing and we explore AHC Hospitality's expansion into the vibrant Muskegon market. All of that before welcoming industry titan Jeff Lobdell to delve into his remarkable journey from a bagel bakery and coffee shop to owning over 20 restaurants and 2 hotels. Jeff shares his vision for the National Restaurant Association as the newly elected Chairman for 2024, insights on fostering industry unity, and his passion for advocating for both his communities and fellow restaurant owners. Make yourself Jeff’s favorite cocktail, sit back and tune in! Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.Black Manhattan2 ounces of Old Forester Rye Whiskey1 dash of Angostura bitters1 ounce Punt e Mes vermouthOrange peel garnish 

To kick off the new year, Justin is carrying today’s episode just like the Detroit Lions are carrying Michigan (hopefully) to the Big Game as Emily calls in remotely from the ice storm. But nothing – not even awkward streaming lags – will stop them from getting a new episode to listeners! Main topics of discussion include restoring the roar at Ford Field and beyond as the hospitality industry benefits from a successful football season, population growth or lack thereof (again), Burger King franchisees not having it their way and more. The hosts also welcome back Franklin Coley of Align Public Strategies, a return guest all the way from the beginning, to talk about the what’s the horizon for 2024 with regulations, rules and other policy issues. Franklin breaks down labor organizing, tip credit elimination impacts, industry standards boards and beyond with a view from the national scope. What’s your new year’s resolution? Ours is more dad-jokes. Check out Align Public Strategies podcast, Working Lunch, at https://alignpublicstrategies.com/working-lunch-podcast/. Presented by Fahey, Schultz, Burzych, Rhodes PLDC. Find more information at https://fsbrlaw.com/.

That’s a wrap on What’s with the Pineapple… well, just for 2023. We could never abandon our listeners. The 2023 Wrapped edition episode is inspired by Spotify even though Justin has cut off his premium subscription and sparked some serious internal debate. Producer Joe is also in the house, er, studio for the first time since Justin and Emily built out their own space in the office and he’s adding his own commentary as the three reflect on the year’s most interesting stories, the biggest headlines, favorites and trends. From saving the tip credit, to Taylor Swift, cocktails-to-go, The Bear and everything in between it was quite the year for Michigan hospitality. The three also cover the typical segments with debates over gift cards, if Emily will really drive to CosMc’s during the holiday rush, what’s going on with FTC’s service fee rules and the Pistons breaking records in all the wrong ways. Happy holidays – see you in 2024!