Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Restaurant Association was founded in 1919 as a business association for the restaurant industry. It is also associated with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and has more than 55,000 member companies representing over 3 million restaurant establishments and food service outlets. Its membership base consists of various facets of the industry. The association s restaurant members represent table and quick service restaurant operators, restaurant chains, franchisees and independent restaurateurs. It also promotes various restaurant-related agenda on a variety of restaurant issues, such as wages, food safety and tip audits. Its educational foundation delivers trainings to restaurant and food service professionals. In addition, the National Restaurant Association and its Educational Foundation offers information to the restaurateurs to manage their businesses through its library, reports and research and publications.