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K&W Cafeterias facts for kids
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Formerly
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Carolinian Coffee Shop |
|---|---|
| Private | |
| Traded as | K&W Cafeteria Inc. |
| Industry | Casual dining restaurant |
| Founded | November 28, 1935 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Founder | Grady T. Allred, Sr. |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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North Carolina, Virginia |
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Key people
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Gary Allred (Chairman and CEO) Dax Allred (President ) Todd Smith (Executive VP) |
| Products | Homestyle food |
| Owner | Piccadilly Restaurants |
K&W Cafeterias Inc. is a well-known chain of restaurants in the southeastern United States. They serve food in a cafeteria style, meaning you pick your food from a line. K&W is famous for its traditional Southern dishes, like fried chicken, turnip greens, and homemade desserts. Since 2022, K&W has been part of Piccadilly Restaurants. Its main office used to be in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Contents
The Story of K&W
Starting a Restaurant
Grady T. Allred, Sr. was one of the people who started K&W Cafeterias. He began working in the restaurant business on Thanksgiving Day in 1935. This was at a small place called the Carolinian Coffee Shop in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Carolinian Coffee Shop was owned by brothers Thomas, Kenneth, and William Wilson. Their brother-in-law, T.K. Knight, was also an owner. In 1937, the restaurant changed its name to K&W Restaurant. The K&W came from the first letters of Knight and Wilson.
Grady Allred Takes Over
Later, Grady Allred bought a part of the K&W Restaurant. After working with his partners for a few years, he bought their shares. Around 1941, Mr. Allred became the only owner of K&W Restaurant.
The K&W Restaurant kept doing well at its first spot in Winston-Salem. But then, a fire caused it to close for several months. After repairs, it reopened as a mix of a restaurant and a cafeteria.
The cafeteria style became very popular. Because of this, Mr. Allred decided to make the whole place a cafeteria.
Moving Locations
K&W stayed at its first location in Winston-Salem for a long time. However, a city project made them move. They moved to a new spot at 720 Coliseum Drive in Winston-Salem.
Grady Allred, Sr. passed away in 1983. His family's third generation continued to run the restaurant chain.
K&W Cafeteria, Mercer, West Virginia
Challenges and Growth
On January 18, 1988, a K&W restaurant in Winston-Salem was destroyed in an accident. The building was badly damaged. The hotel next to it was also hurt. Luckily, the restaurant was closed at the time.
In 1991, K&W started offering food to go. This was called the To Go Shop. In 2009, K&W began offering Catering services. They would provide food for events like weddings and business meetings.
Many other cafeteria chains struggled in the 1980s and 1990s. But K&W continued to do well and grow.
Recent Times
On September 6, 2020, K&W announced it had to file for a special kind of protection. This was because the COVID-19 pandemic made it hard for restaurants. The company worked through this challenge. By September 2021, they had fewer locations and employees, but they were back on track.
On August 16, 2022, the president, Dax Allred, shared big news. Piccadilly Restaurants bought K&W and its 11 locations. As of May 2025, K&W operates 9 locations. These restaurants are in North Carolina and Virginia.