History of RISTAP
2023
Back to Panama City Beach, FL and sunshine. 65 members attend the conference. Brooke Walker, Chick-fil-A, becomes Chair.
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2022
Back to where we started, RISTAP returns to Louisville, KY with the meeting hosted by Founding Member Companies, Texas Road House and YUM! Brands.
2021
​Another pandemic year. RISTAP hosts its inaugural remote meeting!
2020
Do we need to say more.....
2019
McLane hosts the annual meeting in Frisco, TX. Attendance exceeds 100 members. Sylvia Gaspar of Krispy Kreme becomes Chair.
2018
Chipotle hosts the annual meeting in Denver, CO. Attendance exceeds 80 Members. Marvin Hadsall with McLane Company becomes Chair.
2017
AMC Theatres hosts the annual meeting in Leawood, Kansas. Chris Smith of Denny's becomes Chair.
2016
Sysco hosts the annual meeting in Houston, TX. Attendance exceeds 100 members. Donna McMurry with Arby's Restaurant Group becomes Chair. A new website platform is launched, with greater functionality & user-friendliness.
2015
Bloomin’ Brands hosts the 11th RISTAP Meeting in Tampa, FL. Attendance at the annual meeting tops 100 members. Membership is approaching 300 members from 130 companies. Andrea Cotton with Texas Roadhouse becomes Chair.
2014
RISTAP hosts their 10th annual meeting in St. Louis, MO. This is the first meeting predominately planned by the Planning Committee. Attendance reaches 90+. Mary Haskin with Domino's becomes Chair.
2013
Attendance at the ninth annual meeting in Panama City Beach, FL grows to 80+ attendees. A more formal leadership structure is put in place and specific Board Roles defined. A Meeting Planning Committee is established. Membership reaches the 200+ mark. Teri Ashworth with Sonic becomes RISTAP Chair.
2010
RISTAP returns to Orlando for our eighth meeting, with Darden as our host. Paula Borhauer with Starbucks is elected RISTAP Chair.
2009
The seventh annual RISTAP Meeting was held in Oklahoma City, with Sonic as our host. Founder Al Leistner retires from YUM! Brands. Tom Weidman of Darden Restaurants is elected Chair. RISTAP becomes a member of the Business Advisory Council for the Streamlined Sales Tax Project.
2008
The sixth annual RISTAP Meeting was held in New Orleans. RISTAP continues with the successful Sunday Evening Roundtables, along with 2 1/2 days of moderator-led discussions.
2007
RISTAP heads to the west coast with Starbucks hosting the annual meeting in Seattle, WA. This was the beginning of the Sunday night Roundtables. Specific topics are offered at each table in a more relaxed, personal forum. RISTAP starts its Special Tax Listing, a compilation of Food and Beverage and other non-standard tax rates affecting the food and beverage industry.
2006
The group established its by-laws and a leadership structure. The annual meeting was hosted in Dallas. This was the first time RISTAP offered a Wednesday morning “bonus” session – “Sampling”.
2005
RISTAP grows to over 100 members. The meeting was now becoming a two-day event as attendance continued to grow. RISTAP meeting is hosted in Orlando, FL and the meeting is moved from August to the Spring (April/May).
2004
The first RISTAP meeting held outside Louisville, KY is hosted by Chick-fil-A in Atlanta. Attendance continued to grow.
2000
RISTAP was started by Al Leistner, Manager Sales and Use Tax, from a little known company Tricon (currently YUM! Brands). The first meeting, in August 2000, was held in Louisville, KY and attended by twenty-eight participants from seventeen restaurant and food service related companies. The first meeting was a one-day event.
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Founding Member Companies:
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Bahama Breeze
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Bennigan’s
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Bonanza
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Captain D’s
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Darden (Olive Garden & Red Lobster)
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Denny’s
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Fazoli’s
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Frisch’s
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Holiday Inn
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Lone Star Steakhouse
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Long John Silvers
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Marriott
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Perkins Family Restaurants
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Ponderosa
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Shoney’s
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Starbucks
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Steak ‘N Ale
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Steak ‘N Shake
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Texas Roadhouse
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Tricon (YUM! Brands - KFC, Taco Bell & Pizza Hut)
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Tumbleweed