Nigel's Good Food

What Nigel's Good Food does

Nigel's Good Food is a privately held, family-owned restaurant group founded by Nigel Drayton and Louise Drayton in the Charleston, South Carolina area. The group operates two Nigel's Good Food casual-dining locations (Hanahan and Ladson) specializing in Charleston soul food and Lowcountry cuisine — including signature items such as Geechie Wings, Whiskey Shrimp, Shrimp and Grits, and a Meat-and-Three offering — as well as a third concept, Slaughter House BBQ and Brew. The Hanahan location is open Monday through Saturday 11am-8pm, and the North Charleston site features full bar service with specialty cocktails.

The company sells primarily through dine-in service at its physical locations, supplemented by online ordering via the Chownow platform, catering through the EZCater marketplace, and branded native mobile apps on iOS and Android. Revenue is transactional, generated per cover and per order; no subscription, membership, or licensing model exists. Menu pricing is not publicly disclosed. Marketing is organic and digital-led, leveraging Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and earned-media visibility through TripAdvisor and the Geechie One Awards, where the restaurants have repeatedly been ranked #1.

The business is founder-financed with no institutional capital, no parent company, and no disclosed headcount or revenue figures. Technology is commodity restaurant stack (WordPress on Magratech, third-party ordering platforms, native apps) with no proprietary AI, data, or software assets. The competitive position rests on local brand reputation, chef pedigree, and Charleston-area location density rather than technology or scale advantages.

Name

Nigel's Good Food

Legal name

Nigel's Good Food

Website

https://nigelsgoodfood.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nigel's Good Food is a family-owned Charleston, SC restaurant group operating two soul food and Lowcountry dining locations plus the Slaughter House BBQ and Brew sub-brand, serving local diners with dine-in, bar service, online ordering, and catering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)

Keywords

• Soul food restaurant
• Lowcountry cuisine
• Full bar service
• Event catering services
• Online food ordering

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from customers dining at restaurant locations ordering from the full menu including entrees, appetizers, sides, and beverages including full bar service.
2. Online Ordering: Revenue from online food orders placed through the Chownow platform for pickup at restaurant locations.
3. Catering Services: Revenue from catering orders placed through EZCater platform for events and groups.
4. Mobile App Orders: Revenue from food and beverage orders placed through the iOS and Android mobile applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nigel's Good Food operates soul food and Lowcountry cuisine restaurants in the Charleston, South Carolina area, serving dine-in customers, takeout, online orders, and catering. The menu features signature items such as Geechie Wings, Fried Green Tomatoes, Whiskey Shrimp, Shrimp and Grits, Old Fashioned Kool Aid, and a "Meat and Three" soul food option, with a full bar at the North Charleston location.

Product overview

Nigel's Good Food is a restaurant group operated by Nigel and Louise Drayton, consisting of two Nigel's Good Food restaurant locations (Hanahan, SC and Ladson, SC) and a BBQ joint called The Slaughter House. The restaurants specialize in soul food and Lowcountry cuisine, featuring signature menu items including Geechie Wings, Fried Green Tomatoes, Whiskey Shrimp, Shrimp and Grits, and a Meat and Three option. The North Charleston location includes full bar service. The company offers online ordering through Chownow and catering through Ezcater, with mobile apps available on Apple App Store and Google Play.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Slaughter House BBQ and Brew: A BBQ joint operated by Nigel and Louise Drayton alongside their Nigel's Good Food restaurants.

Products and services

• Nigel's Good Food - Hanahan Location Physical restaurant location in Hanahan, SC at 7000 Bowen Pier Dr Unit 2, open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, serving soul food and Lowcountry cuisine with dine-in, takeout, and online ordering.
• Nigel's Good Food - Ladson Location (Nigel's Good Food II) Second restaurant location (Nigel's Good Food II) at 9616 HWY 78 Ladson, SC 29456, located next to the Coastal Carolina Fair Grounds in the Piggly Wiggly Shopping Center. Serves Goose Creek, Summerville, and Moncks Corner areas.
• The Slaughter House BBQ and Brew A BBQ joint and brew pub owned by Nigel and Louise Drayton, separate from the Nigel's Good Food restaurant locations.
• Online Ordering via Chownow Online food ordering service for pickup at restaurant locations, powered by the Chownow platform at https://ordering.chownow.com/order/10914/locations.
• Catering Services via EZCater Catering service for events, group dining, and special occasions ordered through the EZCater marketplace at https://www.ezcater.com/catering/nigels-good-food-hanahan.
• Branded Mobile Ordering App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS and Android enabling customers to order food online for pickup, powered by Chownow. Available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Full Bar Service Full bar service with specialty cocktails, wine, and beer, including craft cocktails and mixed drinks, happy hours, and specialty bar drinks. Available at the North Charleston location.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ChownowcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform partner enabling customers to place food orders for pickup through the Chownow system. Orders placed via https://ordering.chownow.com/order/10914/locations
• EZCatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering marketplace partner enabling event catering orders through EZCater platform at https://www.ezcater.com/catering/nigels-good-food-hanahan
• Apple App StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile app distribution partner for iOS application at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nigels-good-food/id1512271992
• Google Play StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile app distribution partner for Android application at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chownow.nigelsgoodfood

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Famous Dave's: Public BBQ restaurant chain with full-service dining, catering, and retail sauce lines. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food's BBQ concept on cuisine and catering offerings, but operates nationally at significantly larger scale.
• Sylvia's Restaurant: Harlem-based soul food institution with national brand recognition and broader distribution/retail reach. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on soul food positioning and founder-led brand heritage, but operates at a much larger scale and reach.
• Cracker Barrel: National casual dining chain focused on Southern comfort food and a country-store retail experience. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on Southern cuisine and casual family dining, but operates at vastly larger scale and geographic reach.
• Mission BBQ: Multi-unit American BBQ chain with a patriotic, community-focused brand. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food's Slaughter House BBQ and Brew subsidiary on BBQ cuisine and multi-unit format, though at a much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Husk Restaurant: Charleston-based Southern cuisine restaurant group with a focus on Lowcountry ingredients and elevated regional fare. Closely comparable to Nigel's Good Food in its Charleston market, Southern/soul food positioning, and full-service dining experience.
• Poogan's Porch: Charleston Southern comfort food restaurant and bar in a historic downtown home. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on Charleston market, full-service Southern cuisine, and full bar program.
• Jestine's Kitchen: Long-standing Charleston, SC soul food restaurant known for fried chicken, lowcountry sides, and a casual, family-style atmosphere. Directly comparable to Nigel's Good Food on cuisine category, geographic market, and casual sit-down service model.
• Martha Lou's Kitchen: Iconic Charleston soul food institution serving traditional Southern plates in a small, family-run setting. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on cuisine, local cult-brand status, and small-unit family ownership.
• The Glass Onion: Charleston Lowcountry restaurant serving Southern staples with a casual, community-driven atmosphere. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on cuisine, geography, and casual sit-down service model.

Regional players

• Callie's Hot Little Biscuit: Charleston-born Southern food concept with multiple locations and catering reach. Comparable to Nigel's Good Food on Charleston heritage, Southern menu focus, and catering channels, though specialization is narrower (biscuits).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFLGNggVudc7-DnnZ2pWDTQ/videos?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/nigelsgoodfood
• Instagraminstagram.com/nigelsgoodfood
• Xx.com/nigelschefnigel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nigel's Good Food