JOIN
Legislative Priorities
2026

VBRA Legislative Priorities

Supporting the Growth, Sustainability, and Competitiveness of Virginia Beach Restaurants

Restaurants are one of the largest small business sectors in Virginia Beach and are critical drivers of tourism, employment, and local tax revenue. VBRA advocates for policies that allow restaurants to operate sustainably, grow responsibly, and continue contributing to the local economy.

Our VBRA Advocacy Principles

VBRA advocates for policies that:

  • Support small, independent restaurants
  • Maintain competitive tax environments
  • Protect restaurant workforce opportunities
  • Strengthen tourism and local economic growth
  • Ensure restaurants remain a vital part of Virginia Beach’s identity

City of Virginia Beach Priorities

1. Reduction and Eventual Elimination of the Virginia Beach Meals Tax

Virginia Beach restaurants face one of the highest dining taxes in the region when combined with state and local taxes.

VBRA supports:

  • Immediate reduction of the meals tax to 3.5%
  • Development of a long-term sunset plan toward elimination
  • A formal economic impact study on the tax’s effects on restaurants, tourism, and competitiveness.

This step would help ensure Virginia Beach remains competitive with nearby dining destinations.

2. Small Business Protection & Restaurant Competitiveness

Restaurants represent a large percentage of Virginia Beach small businesses.

VBRA supports:

  • Policies that reduce regulatory burdens on restaurants
  • Small business impact analysis before adopting new regulations

Citywide Tourism & Economic Vitality

Tourism and visitor activity across Virginia Beach remain major drivers of restaurant revenue and local economic growth.

VBRA supports:

  • Continued investment in infrastructure and improvements that enhance visitor experiences throughout the city
  • Strong partnerships between restaurants, tourism organizations, and the city on special events, festivals, and sports tourism initiatives
  • Maintaining public safety staffing and infrastructure that support a safe and welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike

4. Support for Festivals & Responsible Auxiliary Food Operations

Festivals and special events are an important part of Virginia Beach’s tourism economy and help draw visitors to Virginia Beach.

VBRA supports:

  • Continued support for festivals and special events that drive visitation and economic activity
  • Opportunities for local restaurants to participate in and benefit from event-related food service
  • Responsible management of auxiliary food vendors to ensure they complement—not directly compete with—existing restaurants and businesses
  • Policies that prioritize local restaurant participation whenever possible

5. Workforce Development

The hospitality industry remains one of the largest entry points into the workforce.

VBRA supports:

  • Expanded culinary and hospitality training programs in schools
  • Workforce pipelines through community colleges and technical programs
  • Support for youth employment programs that introduce careers in hospitality

6. Streamlined Permitting & Outdoor Dining

Restaurants benefit from flexible operating environments.

VBRA supports:

  • Streamlined permitting processes for restaurants
  • Continued support for outdoor dining and patio expansions
  • Improved coordination between city departments affecting restaurants

Virginia State Legislative Priorities

1. Protect the Tip Credit System

Virginia’s tip credit system is essential to the restaurant business model.

VBRA supports:

  • Maintaining the current tip credit structure
  • Opposing efforts to eliminate or phase out the tip credit
  • Ensuring tipped employees retain strong earning opportunities

2. Reasonable Minimum Wage Policy

Restaurants operate on thin margins and require predictable labor policies.

VBRA supports:

  • A stable and predictable minimum wage framework
  • Avoiding sudden wage increases that destabilize small businesses
  • Economic impact analysis before further increases

3. Paid Leave and Mandate Reform

Mandates disproportionately impact small hospitality businesses.

VBRA supports:

  • Careful evaluation of paid leave mandates
  • Flexibility for small businesses
  • Policies that avoid excessive administrative burdens

4. Regulatory and Compliance Reform

Restaurants face increasing regulatory complexity.

VBRA supports:

  • Simplification of state reporting requirements
  • Reducing duplicative regulations
  • Ensuring compliance rules are scalable for small businesses

5. Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Modernization

Restaurants benefit from modernized alcohol regulations.

VBRA supports:

  • Streamlined ABC licensing
  • Expanded flexibility for restaurant beverage programs
  • Policies that support responsible hospitality innovation

Federal Legislative Priorities

1. Credit Card Swipe Fee Reform

Restaurants continue to face rising credit card processing costs that cut into already thin margins.

VBRA supports:

  • Passage of the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act
  • Introducing competition into the credit card processing market to lower swipe fees
  • Enhancing payment security while reducing excessive transaction costs
  • Potential savings of up to $17 billion annually for businesses and consumers

2. Preservation of the United States–Mexico–Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA)

Stable trade relationships are critical to maintaining affordable food costs and reliable supply chains.

VBRA supports:

  • Protecting the existing provisions within USMCA
  • Maintaining stable North American supply chains for food and restaurant goods
  • Preventing disruptions that could increase costs for restaurants and consumers
  • Safeguarding small businesses that rely on consistent product availability

3. Immigration and Workforce Reform

Labor shortages remain one of the most significant operational challenges facing restaurants nationwide.

VBRA supports:

  • Comprehensive immigration reform that supports the hospitality workforce
  • Practical pathways for employers to retain and hire needed staff
  • Policies that strengthen workforce participation and economic stability
  • Solutions that recognize the critical role hospitality workers play in the national economy

4. Industry Advocacy and Engagement

Direct engagement with policymakers ensures the realities of operating restaurants are understood at the federal level.

VBRA encourages:

  • Restaurant operators and industry partners to participate in advocacy opportunities
  • Engagement with elected officials on issues impacting the restaurant industry
  • Strong representation of Virginia Beach restaurants in national policy discussions

With key policy decisions being made in Washington, the opportunity to make an impact is closer than ever. VBRA encourages members to stay engaged and participate in efforts that help shape policies affecting our industry.