A Charlotte Tradition, Family-Owned Since 1992

For more than three decades, Trio has been proud to call South Charlotte home.

We opened our doors in January 1992 at the corner of McMullen Creek Parkway and Highway 51 with a simple belief: great food, genuine hospitality, and a welcoming place to gather never go out of style.

More than 30 years later, that belief still guides everything we do. Trio is a 100% locally owned, family-owned restaurant, and our story is really a story about people. It's about the guests who have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, milestones, and everyday moments around our tables. It's about the team members who have grown their careers here. And it's about a family that has been fortunate enough to carry Trio into its next chapter.

Where People Become Family

One of the things that makes Trio special is the longevity of the people behind it.

Executive Chef James Bailey joined the company in 1993 as a dishwasher while still in high school. Today, he leads our kitchen as Executive Chef.
Chef John "Ryan" McCall returned to Trio in 2015 after years with the restaurant group, bringing fresh ideas and techniques to our menu while also overseeing our catering and delivery operations.

Our management team has followed a similar path. Emma Crutchfield began as a hostess in 2003 before becoming part of our management team, while Lisa Rockwell joined us as a server in 2008 and grew into a leadership role.

And then there's Gary "Cutt" Robinson, who has been part of Trio since the very beginning.

From the Beginning to the Next Chapter

Gary "Cutt" has managed Trio since its opening in 1992, building on a career in foodservice that began years earlier in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Along the way, he learned lessons that have remained central to the way Trio operates: cleanliness, organization, teamwork, and taking pride in the work.
In December 2021, just one month before Trio's 30th anniversary, Gary and his son, Charles "Dane" Robinson, became the owners of Trio.

For us, that moment represented more than a change in ownership. It was the continuation of a family story and a commitment to the restaurant, its team, and the South Charlotte community that has supported us for generations.

The Trio We Are Today

While a lot has changed since 1992, the things that matter most have not.

We believe our guests should be greeted warmly, served attentively, and made to feel at home. We believe our team should work together and step in wherever they're needed. And we believe a restaurant is about more than what's on the plate-it's about the experience and the people sharing it.
Our goal is simple: to be a restaurant our community can count on.

A place for a great meal.

A place to celebrate.

A place to catch up with friends.

A place where familiar faces feel like family.

We are proud of where we've been, grateful for everyone who helped us get here, and excited about where we're going.

After more than 30 years in South Charlotte, we're still doing what we've always set out to do: serve great food, take care of our guests, take care of our team, and be a welcoming part of our community.

Thank you for making Trio part of your story.