The Advocacy Report September 2026: Latest Policy & Industry Updates

September 21, 2026

NOTEWORTHY.

Atlanta Considers a Bigger Bar Tab. The Atlanta City Council is considering an ordinance that would increase the initial application fee for an alcohol license, with discussions including a potential increase to $1,700.

The GRA understands the City’s need to ensure its licensing process is adequately funded, but we have encouraged councilmembers to consider the impact of a significant increase in upfront costs for new restaurants. After all, the list of checks an operator must write before serving their first customer is already plenty long.

The ordinance is currently being held in committee while councilmembers continue their discussions. The GRA will remain engaged and work with the City toward an approach that supports an effective licensing process without placing an unnecessary burden on restaurants looking to open their doors in Atlanta.

Athens Talks Trash. Athens-Clarke County officials have begun discussing a potential ban on plastic bags and expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) foodservice products. The proposal is still in the early stages, so nobody needs to start hoarding takeout containers just yet.

The GRA does have concerns about the proposal, particularly its cost and whether a blanket ban would meaningfully address the County’s broader litter problem. Proponents’ own data show plastic bags account for just 3.9% of measured litter, while bags and foam combined account for 18.8%. There’s also an important unanswered question: the data does not tell us where the Styrofoam came from. Restaurant takeout containers? Bulk products purchased for tailgates and cookouts? With Athens being Athens, we’re fairly confident a few Styrofoam coolers and Solo cups have made an appearance along the way.

Pull Up a Chair. The GRA CEO Roundtables are continuing this fall. These small, casual get-togethers bring restaurant owners and leaders together to talk about what you’re seeing, what’s driving you crazy, what’s going well, and what the GRA should have on our radar. No presentations, no long speeches, just good conversation.

If you haven’t made it to one yet, we still have two stops remaining this year:

• October 21 – Columbus // Gabagool // 10AM
• November 10 – Buckhead // Atlanta Fish Market // 10AM

The Roundtables are free for GRA restaurant members, but we keep them small so everyone has a chance to jump into the conversation. If you’re nearby, come pull up a chair, we’d love to have you.

And if we didn’t make it to your city this year, let us know! We’re putting together our 2027 calendar now, and a little lobbying never hurts.

SCOTT'S THOUGHTS

Fall is here – allegedly. Or at least the calendar says it will be tomorrow. The thermometer, however, has other ideas. Instead, we’re still enjoying 90-degree temperatures and iced pumpkin spice lattes. (I won’t stand for the pumpkin spice hate – it’s coffee that tastes like pumpkin pie. What’s not to like?)

But cooler weather is coming, and soon we’ll hopefully start seeing temperatures lower than my golf score. That means patios and rooftops will become enjoyable again, seasonal cocktails will start making a little more sense, and we can finally sit outside without immediately regretting the decision or being swarmed by mosquitoes.

To me, there’s something about fall that just feels right for restaurants. Football is back, patios fill up, fall menus start rolling out, and spending an entire Saturday eating wings and watching college football becomes a perfectly acceptable use of your time.