The recent snowstorm that hit Hattiesburg caused delivery delays to local restaurants, leading to Ed’s Burger Joint running out of several popular menu items.
The snowstorm disrupted delivery routes, affecting shipments to most restaurants in the city, which typically receive their stock from Jackson. However, Ed’s Burger Joint, which sources many of its ingredients from the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, was hit particularly hard.
“Every distributor that we had coming from the coast and New Orleans was unable to send out our shipments for multiple days after the snowstorm,” said John Richardson, the kitchen manager at Ed’s. “We ran out of chicken, gravy, ice cream, and milk.”
Richardson added that when deliveries finally resumed, Ed’s was among the last to receive its supplies due to being overlooked in the process.
Although Ed’s is best known for its burgers, the restaurant’s chicken and ice cream are also popular items. The snowstorm’s impact was especially noticeable as customers sought these out-of-stock items.
“So many people came in following the snow, more than I expected to come in,” said Jax Lofton, a freshman at the University of Southern Mississippi and an employee at Ed’s. “People complained heavily about the fact that we were out of so many items.”
The shortage created stress for employees as they dealt with frustrated customers trying to order unavailable items. Lofton also mentioned that the deck outside of Ed’s was still partially frozen, requiring extra caution when moving between the building and outdoor seating.
Despite the challenges, Richardson reassured customers that Ed’s Burger Joint would never run out of its most popular menu item.
“Our burger meat is sourced locally, and we always make sure that we have enough of the beef we use for it,” said Richardson. “No one will ever not be able to get a burger at Ed’s.”
With the snow now thawing, delivery trucks have resumed regular shipments. However, Richardson noted that severe weather could continue to cause delays if it disrupts delivery systems again in the future.