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january 2024
South Carolina Restaurant Inspections to get a Farm-To-Table Makeover in 2024 A new sheriff is coming to town for restaurants and other foodservice venues.
Be a part of our award-winning Restaurant Week South Carolina campaign!
The S.C. Department of Agriculture will start handing out the health and cleanliness grades that public dining establishments must display at the start of the government’s new fiscal year on July 1.
As the voice of the restaurant industry, the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association is dedicated to promoting our world-class culinary and beverage community right here in South Carolina. Established in 2010 by the SCRLA, Restaurant Week South Carolina is an 11-day celebration of our state’s vibrant culinary scene.
to-hand” marketing stewardship year-round and to ensure ongoing success, we continually develop new promotional programs and encourage the spirit of innovation.
The new duties are part of a state law designed to restructure the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, which has handled the inspections for decades.
Restaurants aren’t the only business to benefit from Restaurant Week. It helps increase tourism, therefore increasing revenues for hotels, stores and other local businesses. We use the Restaurant Week campaign as a platform to showcase our state’s restaurant diversity, while helping build its culinary reputation. Marketing efforts target consumers interested in food, beverages and travel.
The agriculture agency will now be responsible for all retail food-safety inspections, including commercial kitchens, school cafeterias, catering businesses, grocery stores and some convenience stores. It is also taking over DHEC’s manufactured food programs, which oversee the safety of soft drinks, cheese and dairy products, bottled water and ice.
Restaurant Week gives local, regional, and national food lovers the opportunity to enjoy amazing values during brunch, lunch and/or dinner at a number of participating restaurants. Restaurant Week’s goal is to position South Carolina as one of the top culinary destinations in the nation by increasing awareness of the many dining opportunities available in the state, as well as stimulating business and revenue for restaurants. From fine to casual dining, participating restaurants will may feature new menu items, offer fan favorites, and/or develop your own multi-course menu during Restaurant Week South Carolina. This is the perfect time to find new customers, generate repeat business, and grow the bottom line. Our Restaurant Week campaigns are a powerful business tool that offers full “brand-
January 2024 • SCRLA.org
Our newly rebranded website offers maximum exposure, as all of the RWSC marketing is directed and/or linked to this site. Consistently, Restaurant Week campaigns have generated more than 2-million page views year after year with diners eager to view Restaurant Week specials across the state. Visit SCRLA.org/RestaurantWeekSC to learn more and sign up today!
The food-safety transfer is a natural fit, according to the Department of Agriculture, which has regulated wholesale food manufacturing for nearly 50 years. The agency also regulates animal feed safety, specialty food producers, and produce farming and already has specialized labs that conduct a variety of regulatory testing. The agency “has a great reputation for protecting the public and working with South Carolina businesses,” Hugh Weathers, the state’s agriculture commissioner, said in a
written statement. “These new duties will strengthen our ability to assure food safety while also streamlining services for businesses.” About 115 workers now based in DHEC’s restaurant inspection division will transfer to the agriculture department’s Consumer Protection Division. Restaurants will be held to the same standards and regulations as before, but the shift means a new sign sporting the inspection grade and agriculture department logo will start showing up on eatery doors. The department will “have even more involvement in every step of the food system, from when it’s grown to where it’s eaten,” Weathers said.
WE DO FRESH BETTER Visit Syscofoodie.com