Loris landmark Shorty’s Grill closed dinner services amidst soaring food prices and wages

Loris staple restaurant Shorty’s Grill limited their hours this week to breakfast and lunch service due to price soaring and lack of kitchen staff.

Beloved owners of Loris restaurant Betty and “Shorty” Conner made the hard decision to close dinner services for their restaurant, Shorty’s Grill, on Saturday. Between the prices of food soaring, lack of workers, and gas, they knew something had to change.

“We have always owned and operated a decent, family oriented place here and it has turned into something more than we have ever anticipated in our life,” Betty Conner said.

Shorty’s Grill posted on their Facebook page Tuesday announcing the changes. The post says, “We cannot keep employees working under current situations and food costs have soared and wages as well. So, for our sanity this temporary situation has to be set in place until we can get regrouped and possibly open back up in the near future.”

The post got more than 300 shares and more than 100 comments. While loyal customers are upset about the time changes, most are rallying around the restaurant in support.

The couple, who have owned the restaurant for 43 years, said they were heartbroken to make the change.

Betty said the family cried together Monday, when the time change was put into place.

“It was like having a death in the family,” she said.

Nick Conner, the son of Betty and Shorty who now runs the restaurant, said he’s struggled finding workers. While wages have increased in food service positions in Myrtle Beach, family owned, small restaurants don’t always have the means to keep up.

“Between the gas prices, and the wages, and the food costs, it’s just unbearable,” Nick said.