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Food remains key to social-rights battlesFood remains key to social-rights battles

Words From: Ron 
Ruggless, 
Southwest 
bureau chief

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

August 20, 2012

2 Min Read
Nation's Restaurant News logo in a gray background | Nation's Restaurant News

The fact that a fried chicken breast, two pickles and a buttery bun became the battlefield for one of the past decade’s more divisive social issues, same-sex marriage, can’t be surprising.

For nearly 240 years, foodservice has been a theater in which American rights fights have been waged. Food is woven into the fabric — or the tablecloth, if you will — of American rights experiences, fueling not only the advocates but also the issues themselves.

This summer’s Chick-fil-A controversy found food again on the battlefront after Dan Cathy, the company’s president and chief operating officer, expressed his opinion against gay marriage and noted the 1,600-unit privately held company’s financial backing for groups that support his views.

Cathy’s c...

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About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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