Char-Grill Benson — Restaurant in Benson

Restaurant Review: Char-Grill, Benson, NC

Having previously enjoyed my visit to Char-Grill in Benson, North Carolina, I was looking forward to returning for another meal. However, my experience this time was far from what I expected, and I feel compelled to share my concerns.

Upon entering, I noticed what appeared to be the manager wiping his face and nose with the bottom of his apron—not once, but twice. This immediately raised red flags regarding cleanliness and hygiene. Seeing a food service professional engage in such unsanitary behavior is not only unappetizing but also a serious health concern.

For my meal, I ordered a steak burger with a side of coleslaw and tea. While the food itself was decent, my appetite was diminished when I observed another alarming issue: the same individual, who seemed to be in a managerial role, handling raw meat and then cooked meat without changing his gloves. This is a clear violation of food safety regulations, as cross-contamination can pose significant health risks to customers.

Food handling standards exist for a reason, and I expect any restaurant, especially one with a strong reputation like Char-Grill, to adhere to them. While I appreciate the quality of their food, witnessing such blatant disregard for basic hygiene made it difficult to enjoy my meal.

I sincerely hope management takes these concerns seriously and implements proper training and enforcement of health codes. A great dining experience is not just about taste—it’s about trust. Until these issues are addressed, I would be hesitant to return or recommend this...

The food here is always good, fresh, and hot. However, the service is terrible. If I could leave zero or negative stars for service, I would. The cook has a rotten disposition. I don't know if he just doesn't like working there or what, but he has a bad attitude. My family and I stopped on the day after the ACC basketball tournament in March 2024, and we were wearing our NC State gear. He very loudly commented about how he was tired of seeing all these State fans coming in and that he should put some some "special sauce" on our food.

On our most recent visit (10/13/24), we waited for our food for about 15 minutes. When I went to the counter to inquire, this same cook started yelling at one of the other workers out in the lobby and asking him, "Does he need something?" (referring to me) instead of just asking me. I told the worker that we were still waiting for our food. Turns out that our order and three others after us never made it to the cook, which is understandable. Mistakes happen. When I received our order (22 minutes after placing it), I didn't get an apology, a "Thank you for your patience", an offer for a free apple pie, or any acknowledgment of their mistake.

My family and I like the food, but the staff here really needs some customer...

I was going through the drive thru this evening to grab some food for my family and when I get to the speaker I sit there for a good five minutes with no one speaking to me when finally someone told me that the speaker was broken and to pull up to the window to order. When I get to the window and tell them my order and pay for the food, I then have to wait for about 30 minutes waiting for my food, which keep in mind is just a couple of burgers with nothing special on it. I’m occasionally glancing through the window and when I do all I see is about 3-4 employees just standing around doing absolutely nothing with no care of what’s going on. When I finally get my food and get back to the house? I go to pickup the bag and the bottom busts out and everything falls to the floor of my truck. All I can say is that I loved chargrill for a long time but this new wave of staff is something of disappointment. And it will be a right good while before I give them my business, hopefully they’ll get some better staff in there and if it’s management then some new management.

(Edit: I’m not saying all the staff is bad, usually they’re pretty good but tonight was just no the night. I just don’t feel good enough to go back for...