An Emotional Goodbye to K&W Cafeteria After 88 Years
It’s hard to even wrap my head around the news that K&W Cafeteria has closed its doors—just like that, without warning, after nearly nine decades of serving communities across North Carolina. The reaction has been a mix of heartbreak, disbelief, and deep sadness, not just from longtime customers, but especially from the employees who devoted years—sometimes entire lifetimes—to the restaurant.
For so many people, K&W wasn’t just a place to grab a meal. It felt like home. Folks talk about walking through those doors and immediately feeling that warm, Southern comfort atmosphere. The food was consistently good, the faces behind the counter were familiar, and for generations of families, K&W was woven into weekly routines—especially Sunday traditions. It was where grandparents brought their kids, and those kids grew up and brought their own families.
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That’s why this sudden closure has hit so hard. Community members say they were completely blindsided. And for employees, the shock is even deeper. One of them is Cynthia Samuels, who started working there back in 1967. She cooked vegetables, made salads, baked pies—over the years, she did just about every job you can imagine. She showed up for work the Monday after Thanksgiving, only to be told the doors were closed for good. No warning. No gradual wind-down. Nothing.
And that timing is especially painful. She said Thanksgiving is K&W’s biggest day of the year. Employees worked straight through the holiday weekend, serving crowds of families who have relied on K&W for generations. Then, days later, they learned that their jobs were gone. Cynthia’s voice cracks as she talks about what comes next. She’s facing the holidays without a paycheck, saying her grandkids won’t be getting Christmas gifts this year—just love, maybe a peppermint, and the hope that things will somehow work out.
K&W Holdings eventually released a statement saying the closures were made “with deep sadness,” acknowledging that the business simply couldn’t survive the difficult financial pressures facing many restaurants today. They emphasized that K&W wasn’t just a cafeteria—it was a gathering place, a home for shared meals, and a source of community pride for nearly 90 years. In their message, they thanked every employee and every customer for making the restaurant part of their lives. It’s clear the decision wasn’t easy, and the grief is being felt on all sides.
But even though the doors have shut, the memories aren’t going anywhere. People have been sharing stories—like customers who’ve been coming since they were kids, or those who can’t imagine holidays without K&W’s pies and Southern comfort dishes. The loss is real, but so is the legacy.
And for everyone who grew up with K&W, it truly feels like saying goodbye to an old friend.
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