Charleston Restaurant Report APRIL 2023
ON THE MENU
1. Local Restaurant Scene -- TWO LOCAL APPS HELP BRIDGE F&B STAFFING GAPS
2. Restaurant Openings, Closings + Coming Soon!
3. National Restaurant Scene – GAS OR ELECTRIC APPLIANCES — WHERE DO YOU STAND?
4. Food For Thought -- ADA ACCESSIBILITY IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN CHARLESTON RESTAURANTS
LOCAL RESTAURANT SCENE
TWO LOCAL APPS HELP BRIDGE F&B STAFFING GAPS
The Post & Courier recently looked at two local apps, ShiftNow and GigPro, that were developed to help fill restaurant staffing gaps and connect workers and restaurant operators. In the short-run, the apps act as a band-aid to bridge the gap for immediate shift work. In the longer-run, the apps will allow gig workers and operators to try each other out and find the right fit, potentially leading to more consistent working relationships. Hiring and training foodservice employees is time consuming and expensive. Finding and onboarding vetted and skilled labor in just a matter of hours creates a pretty enticing value proposition for operators in a tough staffing environment. Read the article here...
RESTAURANT OPENINGS, CLOSINGS + COMING SOON!
Openings + Closings list reflects 1st Quarter 2023 market activity (January - March):
OPENINGS --
Alcove Market (Downtown)
Bon Bahn Mi (Mount Pleasant)
Catnip & Coffee Cat Cafe (North Charleston)
Caviar & Bananas (Downtown — former Halo)
Chicken Salad Chick (Goose Creek)
Coastal Snack Bar (James Island)
Crepes Palace (North Charleston — former Hello Deli)
El Molino (North Charleston)
Hangar 72 Sports Tavern (North Charleston — former Fiery Crab Seafood)
Hugh Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop (West Ashley — former Pizza Hut)
La Bonne Franquette (West Ashley — former Patois)
Malika Canteen (James Island — former Root Note)
McDonald’s (Summerville)
Mews & Brews Cat Cafe (Summerville)
Palace Hotel (Downtown)
Parker’s Kitchen (North Charleston)
Pizza a Modo Mio (West Ashley — former Ladles)
Point Break Coffee and Drive Thru (James Island)
Poke Cafe (North Charleston)
Smitty’s Place (North Charleston — former North Park Grill)
Sorelle (Downtown)
Southbound (Downtown)
Stone’s Throw Brewing (Goose Creek — former Wide Awake Brewing)
Sugey’s (Downtown)
The Gathering Cafe (Summerville — former This Little Piggy Bar-B-Que)
Tierra Caliente (Goose Creek — former Donut Connection)
CLOSINGS --
Cabana Burgers (Mount Pleasant)
KinFolk (Johns Island)
Red Lobster (West Ashley)
Root Note (James Island)
St. James Gate (Folly Beach)
Sushi 101 (Goose Creek)
The Roost (James Island)
Tricera Coffee (Downtown)
Zia Taqueria (James Island)
COMING SOON --
The number of publicly-announced F&B projects on the Coming Soon list -- coming to market in the near future was in the upper-60's by the end of the 1st quarter 2023.
NATIONAL RESTAURANT SCENE
GAS OR ELECTRIC APPLIANCES -- WHERE DO YOU STAND?
As some cities actively steer away from allowing gas cooking equipment in new buildings, the question arises: How did we become so defensive about cooking with gas? An interesting CNN article examines the issue with a chef who made the switch from gas to electric cooking equipment and now consults on electrification projects across the US, dispelling a few myths about gas cooking along the way. Read the article...
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
ADA ACCESSIBILITY IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN CHARLESTON RESTAURANTS
The Charleston City Paper took a look at the challenges surrounding ADA accessibility in Charleston restaurants. In many cases, restaurant operators are hamstrung in some ways as to what changes they can make to accommodate mobility-impaired diners. Older, cramped building layouts, stairs, and historic conditions can limit renovations. Mobility-impaired folks face plenty of challenges just getting to a restaurant in the first place. Operators could review their facilities and ask themselves: Could my restaurant be enhanced to promote accessibility for all diners? Read the article...