Charleston Restaurant Report OCTOBER 2023

1. Local Restaurant Scene -- CHANGES IN THE CHARLESTON DINING LANDSCAPE

2. National Restaurant Scene -- RESTAURANT SERVICE CHARGES & FEES — HERE TO STAY? 

3. Restaurant Openings, Closings + Coming Soon!

4. Food For Thought -- RESTAURANT REAL ESTATE DEMAND REMAINS HIGH POST-COVID

LOCAL RESTAURANT SCENE

CHANGES IN THE CHARLESTON DINING LANDSCAPE

      The Post & Courier recently published an article pointing out new international cuisine restaurants in the area. While Charleston has seen plenty of international restaurant concepts come and go over the years, the breadth of cultural cuisine found in restaurants here today is clearly broadening. Check out the article here.

NATIONAL RESTAURANT SCENE

RESTAURANT SERVICE CHARGES & FEES -- HERE TO STAY? 

      Restaurant Business Online takes an in-depth look at service charges and fees showing up on restaurant checks nationwide. As wages and food costs rise, some operators say they can't work without the extra fees. Meanwhile, customers certainly don't like them. Why not bake them into your menu pricing? Call them what you will -- service charge, kitchen appreciation fee, healthcare fee, credit card processing fee -- they are showing up in all types of restaurants, and when they do show up, they tend to stick. Read more about it here...

RESTAURANT OPENINGS, CLOSINGS + COMING SOON!

Openings + Closings list reflects 3rd Quarter 2023 market activity (July-September):

OPENINGS --
Beautiful South (Downtown)
Big Bad Breakfast (Mount Pleasant — former Cabana Burger)
Biscuit Bros (West Ashley — former Gathering Cafe)
Colectivo (Johns Island) 
Crush Yard (Mount Pleasant) 
Fair Deal (Downtown) 
Gold Star Coffee (Johns Island — former Weezy’s Ice Cream & Cocktails)  
Honeysuckle Rose (Downtown — former Purlieu) 
Hushpuppies Seafood Kitchen (Summerville — former Crust Wood Fired Pizza) 
Jack’s Cosmic Dogs (James Island — former Sweetwater Cafe)  
Kultura (Downtown — former Baguette Magic) 
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue (North Charleston) 
Lamar’s Sporting Club (Downtown — former 1st Place Sports Pub)  
Lola Rose (Mount Pleasant) 
Lombardi’s Pizza Kitchen (Summerville) 
Lowcountry Public House (Summerville — former Ledyard BBQ Co.)
Odd Duck Market (North Charleston) 
Saint Urban’s (Mount Pleasant) 
Satellite Bar (Downtown) 
Scooter’s Coffee (North Charleston — former Hardee’s) 
Sunsets (Mount Pleasant — former R.B.’s)
Sweatman’s Garden (West Ashley — former Florence’s) 
The Co-Op Frose & Eatery (Summerville) 
The Habit (Downtown) 
The James (James Island — former Zia Taqueria) 
Tropical Grille (West Ashley — former Five Guys) 

CLOSINGS -- 
Bailey’s Irish Pub (Mount Pleasant) 
Baker & Brewer (Downtown) 
BarPizza (Mount Pleasant) 
Butcher & Bee (Downtown) 
Hardee’s (West Ashley) 
Lowco Cafe (Cainhoy) 
Marie’s Diner (North Charleston)  
Saveur du Monde (Mount Pleasant) x 2 locations
Sweet Bowl Poke & Tea (Downtown)  
The Mustard Seed (Mount Pleasant) 
The Pickled Palate (Mount Pleasant) 
Three Sirens (North Charleston) 

COMING SOON --

     The number of publicly-announced restaurant projects on the Coming Soon list -- opening in the near future -- is up over 70 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Way too many to keep up with...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

  Nations Restaurant News talks to industry insiders who say the restaurant real estate market remains strong, despite reduced customer counts. For instance, drive-thrus are in high demand, driven by quick-serve restaurants and coffee brands. QSR concepts are doing more business through their drive-thrus now than before COVID, so they want bigger drive-thrus and smaller building footprints. Restaurant growth has taken off in the southeast and southwest areas of the country. Operators are looking to setup shops in smaller markets where there's less competition. Read more about it here...