40 years of Thicket 🍗

Lizard'sThicket
Lizard's Thicket

Photo by @COLAtoday

Lizard’s Thicket the locally-owned, mostly-Midlands restaurant group that’s known for its Southern meat-and-threes – will celebrate 40 years in in the biz this December. Here’s a look at some cool numbers that made them who they are today.

1977 | The first Lizard’s Thicket opened on Broad River Rd., Dec. ‘77. (They almost opened the first location in Five Points, where Yesterday’s is.)

14 | The locations throughout the Midlands, plus one in Florence

25 | The different types of vegetables you’ll find on the daily selection board on any given day 🌽

4 a.m. | The time morning employees wake up to make biscuits + do kitchen prep

6 | The pieces of fried chicken our team got to make with the Thicket staff back on National Fried Chicken Day

40,000 | The cups of coffee sold each month ☕️

4,800 | The eggs they go through every day 🍳

40 | The years the same family has owned + operated the business

$0.99 | The cost of all desserts during Restaurant Week, Oct. 12-22 🍰

$5 | The cost of-limited edition 40th Anniversary coffee mugs that’ll be sold at all locations on Sept. 27, while supplies last. (All proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia, Sharing God’s Love + Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter.)

6 min read / Free Times

More from COLAtoday
Dining in Columbia is always a fresh experience, with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
Free concerts return to the Koger Center lawn this year with 10 Levitt AMP shows spanning spring Saturdays and fall Thursdays.
Women’s History Month is in full swing in Columbia — here are a few ways to support local women in the arts.
Six Columbia organizations receive $280,512 from the Knight Foundation to support arts programming, Finlay Park activation, and civic engagement initiatives.
The Fireflies revive the Capital City Bombers at Segra Park July 10–12 with throwback merch, promotions, and Columbia baseball history.
Birds like the ruby-throated hummingbird will be appearing in Columbia in the spring — find out where you can go to catch a sighting.
South Carolina Ballet’s William Starrett received the Order of the Palmetto during the company’s 65th anniversary performance.
Plan your day at the 44th annual St. Pat’s in Five Points with this quick guide to music, the parade, races, and more.
Columbia arts leader Larry Hembree will receive One Columbia’s 2026 Stephen G. Morrison Visionary Award, honoring decades of cultural leadership.
Nearly 200 free wellness classes — from yoga to Zumba — launch at Finlay Park starting Monday, March 16.