2023 was a ‘record year’ for locally owned Lincoln restaurants

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Last year was a good one for local restaurants, as several opened new locations in Lincoln.

Eschliman Commercial Real Estate and Grow Lincoln compile an annual list of the places that closed and opened.

In 2023, they noticed an interesting increase in one category.

“It was a record year for restaurants that are locally owned,” Robin Eschliman said. “Usually, we run somewhere between 70% and 80% of the restaurants that open in Lincoln that are local, but this year, it was over 90%.”

And Ted Eschliman said this trend isn’t unique to Lincoln; it’s happening in other cities as well.

“What was surprising was the absence of national chains,” he said. “We’ve talked to other developers, and that seems to be a consensus.”

But one type of restaurant that Robin said tends to struggle is a food truck that’s transitioning to a sit-down location.

She said there are many differences, like the culture.

“If you have a food truck and you run out of food, that’s a point of pride,” she said. “And you tell everyone on social media, ‘We’re out of food.’ You do that in a brick-and-mortar restaurant, that’s a little different story.”

SoulFULL Cocina is one of the food trucks that expanded its business to a building location in 2023.

Margaret Jones, a cook and cashier, said it’s no walk in the park.

“You have to be wanting to put the time in,” she said. “It’s not just walk in, open the door and you’re a multimillionaire. It’s hard work.”

And that’s why Jones said local restaurants tend to stick together.

“We try to support each other,” she said. “It’s just not the restaurants; we try to support the coffeehouses, everybody because that’s what helps them grow.”