Facebook Page Connects York County’s Restaurant Industry With Community

ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) A Facebook page originally meant to connect local restaurants is now connecting the community with local eateries and helping wait staff that have struggled due to COVID-19.

Rock Hill Eats is a Facebook group that started two years ago and has grown to connect more than 15,000 people to York County’s local restaurants.

Mike Brabham, founder of the Rock Hill Eats Facebook page says, “With so many things changing during COVID, some restaurants choosing to take out only, curbside, dining when available, shortening their hours, it’s just a lot going on and the residents can’t really look at all these different websites to try to figure out when their favorite restaurants gonna be open so it’s just a great place where you can find tons of information in one place.”

Not only has Rock Hill Eats been able to connect different restaurants from around the county, they’ve also been able to help wait staff that have been struggling through the pandemic, by raising thousands of dollars that were distributed to those who signed up.

Brabham says, “when when all this started early in the year we did think I do do use this platform to help foods so we did create a virtual tip jar, that’s one of the things that we did early on with so many food service workers out of work and struggling, they make their living and support their families mostly tips, and when that wasn’t available we wanted to do some things so we have that program. We had 350 local York County food-service workers sign up for it.”

Many restaurants are having trouble hiring previous employees back and are struggling with staff. Rock Hill Eats now offers a Jobs section in the group where employers can post available jobs.

In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with the page’s founder about it’s new impact in our area.