Where Did I82
Go Wrong?
Act Now to Protect Local Jobs and Save Independent Restaurants – Before It’s Too Late
44% of DC’s full-service
casual restaurants
expect to close this year.
We can save them.
In 2022, DC voters passed Initiative 82 with the goal of supporting restaurant workers. The results have done the exact opposite. Workers are earning less, neighborhood restaurants are shuttering, and the cost of dining out has skyrocketed.
Initiative 82 Was Well Intended. But It’s Outcomes that Matter.
Good policy requires honest assessment. A record number of local independent restaurants closed last year, and more closures are announced every day. 44% of DC’s neighborhood restaurants said they are likely to close this year. DC restaurants and bars have lost over 1,700 jobs since Initiative 82 began in May 2023.
DC Deserves Better. End the I82 Experiment Now.
When voters passed Initiative 82, the District became the first place in the country in more than 20 years to eliminate tip credit – and now we know why. That’s why we are calling on the DC Council to immediately repeal Initiative 82.
Doing so would create a vital lifeline that will save jobs, wages, and restaurants. Initiative 82 didn’t go to plan. Now it’s time to fix it.
Take
Action Now!
Take 30 seconds to let the DC Council know that Initiative 82 should be repealed immediately.
Key Facts
A record 74 DC restaurants closed
in 2024.
44% of DC’s full-service casual restaurants expect to close this year.
71% of workers indicated that their hours have been reduced.
70% of restaurants have cut hours, laid off staff, or stopped hiring entirely to reduce costs.
50% of workers have seen
a reduction in
their tips.