Welcome to the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association!
The MRLA has been serving Michigan’s hospitality industry for over 100 years – we’ve tirelessly represented and put our members’ needs first through highs and lows of our state’s history. It is our mission today to lead the hospitality industry through advocacy, education, and innovation. Your membership with the MRLA allows us to continue to work for you, put your business first, and provide you with VALUE, VISION, and VOICE – so that you can focus on what you love – running your business and taking care of your guests.
Become an MRLA Member Today!
Annual Restaurant Membership Dues start at $349
Annual Restaurant Membership Dues start at $349
Restaurant Membership Managers
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How is MRLA Membership Working for You?
The MRLA is your voice at the Capitol in Lansing, in Washington D.C., and in your hometown to ensure that the laws being implemented don’t hurt your ability to operate. We advocate for the needs of Michigan’s hospitality industry and your membership allows us to represent you successfully.
Recent Legislative Accomplishments:
Recent Legislative Accomplishments:
- Secured the passage of Public Act 99 and Public Act 100 allowing for swim up bars in pools
- Secured $409 million in Afflicted Business Grants
- Secured $28.6 billion in Restaurant Revitalization Funds that led to $782.6 million for Michigan restaurants
- Secured Landmark legislation that now allows for cocktails-to-go and social zones
The MRLA Educational Foundation (MRLAEF) provides an abundance of solutions for workforce while creating the next generation of hospitality industry leaders.
- High School Education: ProStart & HTM
- Michigan Hospitality Industry Employee Relief Fund
- HOPES Program
- Restaurant Ready
- Apprenticeship Programs
- MRLA Job Board
- Step-by-step assistance in accessing GoingPro Talent Fund money
- MRLA Members receive a 20% discount on all ServSafe products and education – NEW members receive a $100 credit to use on their first ServSafe purchase.
- Exclusive access to the MRLA Legal Center with 15 minutes of FREE legal consultation every month.
- Access to educational events and webinars throughout the year.
The MRLA provides breaking news alerts, operating deadlines, key industry information and insight, legislative updates, and everything else you need to stay compliant – sometimes before you know you need it – in a variety of formats.
- Newsletters: Capitol Continental Legislative Update, Member Alerts, News Bites Weekly, and Women in Hospitality Leadership Newsletters
- What’s with the Pineapple? Podcast: A deeper, more informative approach to sharing industry news about current events, major headlines and trends, updates on what's happening at the Capitol in Lansing and Washington D.C., as well as welcoming a new guest to each episode delivered directly through your speakers
- Mobile App: The MRLA app brings the power of your membership directly into your pocket and at your fingertips. Utilize the MRLA app to receive need-to-know push notifications, quickly reference news updates, access the legal center, find trainings and events, and connect directly with your industry peers
- News Now: A video update designed to provide industry news, legislative updates, and MRLA activity in just a few minutes.
- The MRLA Magazine: A quarterly magazine that offers industry news and resources while shining a spotlight on the uniqueness of Michigan hospitality.
Allow your membership to work for you by utilizing exclusive access and discounts on MRLA Endorsed Programs.
The MRLA knows that as an operator in the hospitality industry you have a non-stop running list of to-dos. That’s why we provide you with your own dedicated Membership Manager to help you with any questions you may have or resources you may need – oftentimes sending you information before you even realize you need it! Your MRLA membership also grants you access to nearly 5,000 of your industry peers that you can turn to for advice, education, and understanding.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the MRLA has been the go-to resource for breaking news and comprehensive analysis of changing guidelines, creating free access to critical resources, providing leadership to reopen our industry, and advocating for resources to protect our industry and give money back to operators during uncertainty. At the time, the MRLA also opened up access to these resources to the entire industry regardless of membership status to show support for all businesses.
- Hundreds of breaking news alerts sent with analysis of guidelines
- Secured $409 million in Afflicted Business Grants
- Created printable easy-to-use collateral to assist operational compliance with Executive Orders
- Created Restaurant Roadmap to Reopening and Lodging: A Safe Welcome Back guides which influenced the reopening of indoor dining
- Created legislation to enact Alcohol to Go, Social Zone and Third-Party fee reductions
- Created the Don’t Leave Michigan’s Hospitality Industry Out in the Cold campaign to advocate for increased indoor capacities as the season’s change
- Filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief in response to a second round of shutdowns to restaurant dine-in service
- Created The Michigan Hospitality Industry Employee Relief Fund, which awarded $2.8 million in funds
