WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — For generations, K&W Cafeteria wasn’t just a restaurant — it was a ritual. A tradition.

On Monday, that tradition ended abruptly as employees arrived to open the doors, only to learn that all the restaurant's locations were closed for good.

At the Hanes Mill Road location in Winston-Salem, the news broke just as General Manager Daniel Proffitt poured his morning cup of coffee.

“They let us know this morning that there would not be another morning here at K&W.”

Proffitt said he had no idea the day would bring what he described as "sorrow ... sorrow at the weight of the people that I can't do anything for."

Customers were just as shocked.

For Bobby Williams, stopping by K&W after work wasn’t just a habit — it was a part of everyday life. For seven years, he came a

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