As Hurricane Florence slowly makes her way to the Charlotte area, most restaurants are deciding to remain open. However, with widespread power outages expected, those plans might change quickly. Here are a few things to remember if you have a reservation you don’t want to give up and feel safe getting on the road, or change your mind and decide to stay in.

Don’t no-show. Restaurants will staff based on how reservations are looking. If you have a reservation you don’t show up for, the restaurant is asking staff to come in during the storm for nothing. They’ll be traveling in a hurricane, get less tip, and all because people didn’t call to cancel their reservation.

Check social media before you go. Restaurants may have to close on short notice, but each owner I spoke to said they’d post the closure on Facebook and Instagram. Hello, Sailor, Kindred, Stagioni, Barrington’s, and The Stanley are among the restaurants on reservation system Resy, which gives restaurants the ability to text their guests to let them know they must close. Aix en Provence owner Patrick Garrivier says they will be calling each reservation in case of a closure.

Things may not be as smooth as a normal day. The city is going to see different storm impacts in different areas, and some restaurants may find all of their staff members can’t make it in. Don’t take it out on your server if service is slower than usual; just be grateful that while most of the city is hunkered down, cooks and servers left the safety of their homes to make you dinner.

Stay safe, friends! —Kristen Wile

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