When Chef Sam Diminich and Your Farms Your Table Group set out to transform the former Mattie’s Diner space in Charlotte’s Plaza Shamrock neighborhood, the goal was to introduce more than a new restaurant. Grey’s Diner & Community Kitchen was designed as a modern revival of the classic American diner, blending nostalgia, locally sourced ingredients and the hospitality for which Diminich’s MICHELIN recognized Restaurant Constance is known.
Named after Diminich’s son, Allan Grey, the concept was rooted in family, community and accessibility. The 100-plus-seat restaurant would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with familiar diner favorites made with locally sourced ingredients, an extensive vegan selection, a full beverage program and a restored late-1940s diner car anchoring the space.
With the opening representing a significant expansion for the Your Farms Your Table Group, Ascent Strategic Communications was retained to build anticipation, generate meaningful earned media coverage and introduce Grey’s to Charlotte diners ahead of its April 2026 opening.
Ascent developed and executed a strategic media relations campaign designed to position Grey’s as a new Charlotte gathering place with a story worth telling, rather than simply another restaurant opening.
The campaign began with a curated media and influencer strategy targeting key Charlotte food, lifestyle, neighborhood and business contacts. The Friends & Family preview strategy included targeted invitations to local food writers, influencers and community voices, with select media invited to experience the restaurant before opening day.
Ascent also developed the supporting pitch materials and media assets needed to tell the story from multiple angles, including:
The team also developed a formal press release announcing the opening date, incorporating the restaurant’s menu, hours, design, sourcing and positioning.
Rather than relying solely on the opening announcement, the strategy was designed to create multiple opportunities for coverage before, during and after launch. Media were invited to experience the restaurant firsthand during Friends & Family, while follow-up outreach targeted those unable to attend. The ongoing strategy also identified opportunities around Chef Sam, the resurgence of the American diner, farm partnerships, recipes and Grey’s role within the Charlotte community.
Ascent’s launch strategy generated more than 25 earned media placements and significant social amplification surrounding Grey’s opening, introducing the restaurant to Charlotte audiences across food, business, lifestyle, television and industry media.
In a crowded Charlotte restaurant market, Grey’s Diner had the challenge, and the opportunity, of making a memorable first impression while introducing a concept with several distinct stories to tell.
Ascent’s strategy successfully moved the conversation beyond “new restaurant opening” to establish Grey’s as a story about family, nostalgia, accessibility, local sourcing and community. Coverage consistently highlighted the restaurant’s unique combination of diner familiarity and Chef Sam’s culinary perspective, while the breadth of coverage helped build awareness among potential diners, neighborhood audiences and the broader Charlotte hospitality community.
Most importantly, the campaign established Grey’s as a place designed not simply for a first visit, but for becoming part of the neighborhood’s everyday rhythm: a place to grab coffee, bring the family, sit at the counter, linger with friends and return again and again. That positioning was central to the restaurant’s identity from the outset.
Photo by Peter Taylor Photography.
