Winter Park restaurant Hen & Hog pleads for community support

Restaurant struggling due to rising food costs, parking issues, owner’s health issues, business says

Nach-yo burger with bacon jam, Doritos, cheddar cheese, and bacon aioli on a brioche bun from Mason Jar Provisions. (Mates)

WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Hen & Hog restaurant is asking for people in Winter Park and Orlando to come out to support his business.

The business took to social media Thursday to explain the situation it finds itself in.

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“It has been a tough year so far with many changes and adjustments to our business plan. We need your love and support now more than ever,” the Facebook post read.

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The owner of the restaurant, Chef AJ Haines, has also struggled with recent health problems, according to the post, though it also points to other challenges.

“Chef’s recent surgeries have been one of the hardest things to overcome, parking issues and rising prices of food and supply chain issues have affected us all,” it reads.

The post does not explain Haines’ health issues, but other recent posts, including a GoFundMe page, go into further detail. They state that Haines had to undergo surgeries in January and that he recently suffered some complications from those surgeries. Those complications forced the restaurant to close for several days, according to the business’ social media.

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Hen & Hog — located at 221 W. Fairbanks Ave. — opened its doors in September 2022. Before that, Haines ran a similar concept in downtown Orlando called Mason Jar Provisions, which closed in June 2022, two years after it opened.

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Hen & Hog is not the only Central Florida restaurant to recently take to social asking for support.

Pom Moongauklang, the owner of Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria, also recently took to social media to ask for support.


About the Author:

Thomas Mates is a digital storyteller for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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