Lizard’s Thicket reopens one of two restaurants closed by COVID staffing shortages

The Lizard’s Thicket restaurant at 402 Beltline Blvd. reopened 2 weeks ago after temporarily closing in June due to COVID constraints for the chain.

Owner Bobby Williams made the decision to close two of the 14 Midlands Lizard’s Thickets through the summer because of staffing shortages.

“It’s been very good. We have a lot loyal customers there,” said Williams about the Beltline restaurant. The Airport Road location near Columbia Metropolitan Airport will remain closed because it is mostly a center for catering services and the demand for catering is still low, according to Williams.

Williams decided to keep the busiest Lizard’s Thicket locations open and concentrate staff at those locations. Older staff members were nervous about working during the pandemic, and staff members at locations with busy drive-thrus were stressed out, which caused a staffing shortage, said Williams.

In a June press release, the Williams family stated they would issue reopening plans in August, but the Beltline location reopened quietly in late October.

“We just did the best we could to spread people around and keep the busy restaurants open, but they will all open eventually,” said Williams. “You know it seems like we’re having another spike in cases, so I don’t know when exactly it will be.”

Restaurant hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the restaurant will be open on Thanksgiving Day until 7 p.m.

This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.