The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association partners with other organizations on the local, regional and national levels to maximize membership for restaurants and allied companies. GKCRA members are automatically enrolled for membership in the National Restaurant Association, the Missouri Restaurant Association or Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association and Visit KC.
National Restaurant Association The NRA is the largest food service trade association in the world. The NRA promotes entrepreneurship and hospitality while advocating for food service industry interests by taking on financial and regulatory obstacles. The NRA provides tools and systems that help members get significantly better operating results. Membership with the NRA offers free professional advice, readymade solutions, savings on business services, executive opportunities for involvement and growth as well as providing complimentary registration to the industry’s largest trade show, The NRA Show.
Missouri Restaurant Association The Missouri Restaurant Association is a statewide trade association with over 1,500 member establishments. The MRA provides a voice for the state’s restaurant and hospitality business. MRA’s membership is diverse including full-service luxury restaurants, hotels, institutions, fast foods, schools, contract feeders, and ancillary food service such as theme parks and sports stadiums. The goal of the MRA is to offer a variety of services, resources and tools to help create a stronger business.
Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association The Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association is the voice for the restaurant and hotel industries in Kansas. The KCRHA membership includes restaurants, hotels, motels, country clubs, private clubs and allied businesses that serve the interests the food service and hospitality industries in Kansas. The organization lobbies for industry friendly legislation, promotes quality food and services and is a resource for industry information and education to members, employees, government, media and all other interested parties.
GKCRA Resources
GKCRA board members represent Kansas City restaurants in a variety of settings throughout the metro. Board members listed below are available for contact for questions on the committees and organizations they serve.
Kansas City, Missouri Government Alcoholic Beverage Advisory Group – The Alcoholic Beverage Advisory Group reviews Chapter 10 of the City’s code of ordinances and advises changes to the Regulated Industries Division‘s manager. Group recommendations are also shared with the City Council. The group was organized at the request of the City Council and is governed by a set of bylaws.
Group meetings regularly are held at 9 a.m. on the first Monday of February, May, August and November in the Regulated Industries conference room, 635 Woodland Ave, Suite 2101.
Food Advisory Board – The Food Advisory Board advises the Kansas City Missouri Health Department regarding food establishment matters related to public safety, the food code, health inspections and general health department policies. Meetings are quarterly. GKCRA representative: Bill Teel
Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers – The Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers has administered the TIPS Hotline in the metro since 1982. More than 145,000 tips from citizens with information on felony crimes in the metropolitan area have been taken by the TIPS Hotline. These tips have led to over 11,000 arrests and the clearance of over 24,000 crimes or warrants. GKCRA representative: James Eddy
Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund – The Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund is a reimbursement grant program, established by state law in 1989 to help promote Kansas City’s neighborhoods through cultural, social, ethnic, historic, educational and recreational activities, while promoting the city as a premier convention, visitor and tourist center. The fund is funded through a tourism sales tax.
Visit KC – Visit KC is an economic development organization contracted by the City of Kansas City, Missouri to promote tourism in the Kansas City metro area. Visit KC’s mission is to ignite global passion for visiting Kansas City through sales and marketing efforts. A portion of the organization’s funding is supported by Kansas City, Missouri’s hotel and lodging tax. GKCRA representative: David Lopez
Civic and Trade Organizations
Rotary Club
American Culinary Federation – Greater Kansas City Chef’s Association
Rotaract Club
Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City
