Hands-on and Hungry: Midlands restaurants embrace interactive dining experiences

Workers in the restaurant industry are observing a trend of guests gravitating toward a more interactive style of eating. 

Several Midlands restaurants are emphasizing their interactive menus and catering to the audience.

“I just think that interactive dining is not something, in South Carolina, that we’ve ever had before,” said Alex Elkins, server at both MOA Korean BBQ & Bar and the Melting Pot. “That’s why people like it.” 

MOA seats patrons around a grill, where they can either cook various meats themselves or have a server provide full service right at the table.

The Melting Pot supplies guests with a hands-on experience where they can dip various foods into cheese or chocolate fondue, also right at the table.

“Coming in, having family, having an experience, not going through a drive through window … I think that our culture takes for granted spending time together with people while eating,” Elkins said.

Sean Kim, CEO of MOA and 929 Kitchen & Bar, noticed Korean food becoming popular in Columbia. He decided to join the University of South Carolina’s culinary program to learn how to use the trend to his advantage.

“Right after I got out of the program, I tried to open the smallest size (restaurant) I could handle and see if I could just catch up the trend,” Kim said. “It went well.”

Kim realized there was an appetite for Korean food in Columbia after the success of 929 Kitchen & Bar.

“Korean culture is very trendy these days,” Kim said. “But still, … half of the customers have never had this experience (of interactive eating) before.” 

The diners enjoy both the food and the interaction that comes with it, Kim said. 

Those two restaurants focus on a do-it-yourself way of indulging. Interactive eating also comes in other styles.

Hibachi-style eating is an interactive dining experience where chefs cook in front of you, often including patrons in the preparation. 

Kaitlin Mettz, manager of Sukiya Japanese Steakhouse, said guests often leave with new friends. 

“They definitely come for the entertainment with the hibachi chefs – and then (they’re) also meeting new people around the grill,” Mettz said. “They’ll be (from) different parties. They get to know each other a lot.”

Elkins said the dining process is becoming something bigger and more important than it used to be.

“It just matters,” Elkins said. “We eat every single day. It’s such a big part of everyone’s life. Having the ability to sit down and make it an experience, you remember it. And you really do enjoy it.”