2025 Was a Turning Point for Charlotte’s Food and Beverage Scene

A love letter to what we gained, what we lost, and what comes next.

Restaurants tell stories.
Some unfold over decades, others burn bright for a short season and still leave a mark.
Looking back at 2025, Charlotte’s food and beverage scene felt like a year of deep breaths, hard decisions, and constant recalibration.

Doors opened with promise.
Others closed quietly, sometimes suddenly, often with heavy hearts behind the “Thank You for the Memories” posts.
For guests, it looked like change.
For operators, it looked like survival.

This year gave us new spots like PopUp Bagels expanding into North Carolina, Yugenn bringing refined energy to South End, Szechuan Mansion Hotpot adding depth to Charlotte’s international dining story, and Two Scoops Creamery offering something joyful and familiar in a year that needed both. These openings reminded us why people still believe in brick and mortar hospitality. Food still gathers people. Drinks still spark conversation. Vibes still matter.

At the same time, longtime favorites like Wolfman Pizza and Fenwick’s closed their doors after years of serving neighborhoods that treated them like extensions of home. Those closures hit harder than a headline. They represented routines, first dates, post shift meals, birthdays, and regulars who never needed a menu.

Nostalgia lingers because these places mattered.

Between The Lines

What many closures had in common

Behind nearly every closing announcement lived a familiar list of challenges.
Rising labor costs.
Tighter margins.
Supply chain unpredictability.
Shifting regulations.
And the growing demand to “stay relevant” online while running a physical space that already requires everything you have.

Staffing remained one of the biggest hurdles. According to the National Restaurant Association, labor costs now account for roughly 33 percent of restaurant expenses, up from pre pandemic averages. Hiring was not just about filling roles but about retaining people who were burnt out, cautious, and aware of their worth.

Money followed closely behind. Food costs rose again in 2025, and guests felt it too. Operators were forced into uncomfortable decisions around pricing, portion sizes, and service models, all while facing louder consumer criticism around value.

Then there was marketing.
Or rather, the lack of time and capacity to do it well.

Short form video, social storytelling, and consistent content became table stakes instead of nice to have. Restaurants were expected to be chefs, managers, HR leads, accountants, and full time content creators. Many simply could not keep up.

Some of the restaurants that closed were not lacking heart, quality, or community support. They were lacking systems, support, and sustainable visibility.

The Ones That Opened Knew Something

Why newer concepts approached things differently

Many of the businesses that opened in 2025 entered the market with a different mindset. They thought about content before opening day. They planned for digital storytelling alongside menu development. They treated branding as infrastructure, not decoration.

This shift matters.

Guests now discover restaurants through reels before websites.
Menus are judged on camera before they are tasted.
A quiet week can turn busy with the right thirty second video.

The gap between great food and great visibility has never been wider.

Where HoCo Fits Into This Moment

Support that meets hospitality where it actually is. This is where Hospitality Coalition’s updated offers were built to respond, not react.

HoCo exists for the operators who know they need help but do not need another lecture. The new offerings focus on three areas where restaurants and bars continue to struggle most: staffing support, marketing execution, and content systems that work without burning teams out.

Instead of asking operators to “do more,” HoCo helps them do smarter.

That looks like marketing strategies designed specifically for hospitality timelines. Content plans that respect the pace of service. Short form video systems that highlight food, cocktails, and people without requiring daily filming marathons. Support that understands regulations, labor realities, and the emotional weight of running a hospitality business right now.

For businesses feeling stretched thin, this kind of partnership can be the difference between closing quietly and recalibrating publicly.

For Guests, This Matters Too

Why supporting restaurants goes beyond showing up

Consumers play a role in this story.
Choosing local spots.
Sharing posts.
Understanding price changes.
Showing grace during staffing shortages.

Restaurants are still places of connection. They host celebrations, provide jobs, and shape neighborhoods. When they disappear, something else disappears with them.

Supporting hospitality also means supporting the people behind it.

Looking Ahead With Clear Eyes

What 2025 taught us

This year reminded us that nostalgia and progress can coexist.
That openings deserve celebration and closures deserve respect.
That talent alone is no longer enough without visibility, structure, and support.

Charlotte’s food and beverage scene is not shrinking. It is shifting.

For operators, the path forward requires stronger systems, smarter marketing, and partners who understand hospitality from the inside out.
For guests, it means staying curious, staying local, and staying engaged.

And for HoCo, it means continuing to show up with tools, strategy, and community rooted in reality.

Because the goal has never been to save every restaurant.
The goal is to give more of them a fighting chance.