Lil' Chef reopens smoke-free
Lil' Chef reopened its doors to a new and smoke-free environment Monday after being closed for interior renovation since July 5.
The 24-hour family restaurant, located at 1720 S. Mission St., now features a completely renovated dining room with new seating, new tile flooring instead of carpeting and new paint instead of wallpaper.
Owner Jim Steele said the renovation changes, costing more than $100,000, were well worth it.
"I'm absolutely pleased with the dining room," he said. "It's open, its clean. I don't know why I didn't do this earlier."
Steele said the smoke-free atmosphere will make cleaning the dining room easier for his staff.
General Manager Jamie Martin said he has heard great feedback from customers regarding the restaurant's decision to go smoke-free.
"Before we would have empty tables in the smoking section and a line at the door," he said. "A lot of people don't want to eat with smoke around them."
Mount Pleasant residents Chuck and Boots Alexander said they have been eating at Lil' Chef for years and said the new changes are a welcome change.
"We always have breakfast at the Big Boy and then come here for lunch," Chuck Alexander said. "We've been doing that for more than 30 years."
The Alexander's were just a few of the many that approved the non-smoking shift.
They said the restaurant is now cleaner and the addition of tables and not only booths makes it easier for customers to sit down.
"With tables, heavier people can get in and out more," said Boots Alexander. "They couldn't do that with the booths."
Many people on the wait staff are also pleased with the changes.
Waitress Kathy Gore said the restaurant is more open without the division of smoking and non-smoking rooms. She also said the atmosphere is cleaner and friendlier.
Even though Gore is a smoker, she said the decision to go non-smoking will benefit business.
"Non-smoking will be good for business and great for the restaurant. We've even had some of our smokers come in," she said.
Alexander said he plans on coming through Lil' Chef's doors many more times.
"This is really a first-class restaurant now," he said. "This is going to be great, I love it."
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