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National Restaurant Association launches 'Made in Restaurants' initiative

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September 9, 2026

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The National Restaurant Association has launched "Made in Restaurants," a national initiative designed to showcase the restaurant industry's role in shaping careers, strengthening communities and driving the U.S. economy, the association announced in a news release.

The initiative focuses on four areas: Restaurants as community cornerstones, economic powerhouses, America's training ground and career catalysts. It launches with the "Where I Started" storytelling campaign, featuring people whose careers began in restaurants and highlighting the skills and experiences they gained there.

"Restaurants are the heart of America," Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the NRA, said in the news release. "They are where communities come together, entrepreneurs build businesses that strengthen neighborhoods, millions of people gain skills and experiences that shape their future, and others stay to build careers that last. Made in Restaurants unites this story of impact to show the foundational value that restaurants provide for each of our lives as well as our entire country."

The association said 67% of U.S. adults have worked in restaurants at some point, making the industry a significant source of workforce experience. The industry also generates more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales and accounts for roughly 6% of the U.S. GDP.

Korsmo added the initiative aims to capture the stories behind those experiences: "No other industry has shaped our nation's workforce quite like restaurants," she said. "Made in Restaurants' will give people a place to see and share the ways restaurants create connection and opportunity."