Southern cafeteria culture reaches the end of the line
The cafeteria has been a cultural and culinary touchstone in the South for generations. But recently, many of these restaurants have shuttered their doors. In 2025, the long-serving North Carolina chain K&W Cafeterias closed its last location, marking the end of an era. But the spirit of the communal serving line still lives on in a few remaining restaurants. This week, we visit one of them in search of the perfect tray and find out what’s lost when the cafeteria serving line stops.
Featuring:
Nikki Miller-Ka, food and travel writer and contributor for The Assembly
Links:
The Assembly: The…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.