2016 Cobb CommunityProfiles w/ map

Welcome to Atlanta!
On behalf of the Georgia Restaurant
Association (GRA), I would like to
welcome you to Atlanta. Whether
it is for a rehearsal dinner, a 90th
birthday celebration or a college
graduation party, restaurants
know how to set the table for any
occasion. Restaurants provide a
gathering place and create a sense
of community, while fostering
social relationships, memories and
just fulfilling the need for connection. Restaurateurs strive
to create memorable dining experiences with relentless
planning, attention to detail and commitment to service.
The restaurant industry is a very special and unique
industry. In this digital world that we are living in today,
we cannot go out to eat online. Restaurants still require
a need for face-to-face interaction, both internally as an
employer and externally as a patron.
Now more than ever, Americans are dining outside of
their homes. Restaurants constitute a particularly large
and growing share of our economy and it is important to
promote dining out locally so that our economy continues
to thrive. When supporting local businesses, there is an
opportunity to preserve local character and prosperity. It
creates a sense of community well-being. Dining locally
will keep the dollars at home and continue to support the
businesses in the area. Restaurants tend to combine our
neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships.
The GRA’s mission is to serve as the voice for Georgia’s
restaurants in advocacy, education and awareness. The
GRA is sanctioned by the National Restaurant Association
to operate Georgia’s only not-for-profit representing the
state’s foodservice industry. The GRA serves as the unified
voice for over 17,000 foodservice and drinking places in
the state of Georgia with total sales in excess of $17.1
billion which provides more than 438,900 jobs. From large
chains to state-ups, the GRA helps make Georgia a better
place for restaurants to do business and helps make
restaurants better for Georgia.
So as we work to set the table for our restaurant members,
let your local restaurants set the table. Enjoy the dining
destinations in your community and remember to dine
out and dine often.
Sincerely,
Karen Bremer
24 CommunityProfiles >> 2016/2017