‘We make it the best we can’: Cajun restaurant opens in Temple amid industry challenges
Husband and wife team brings Cajun cuisine to Central Texas as restaurants statewide face rising costs
TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) - A husband and wife team with 30 years of restaurant experience have opened Lollipops, a Cajun restaurant in Temple, despite facing a month-long delay from a gas leak and statewide industry challenges including rising food costs and declining revenue.
Sharon and Geoffrey Beverly previously operated a Cajun restaurant in Round Rock for 10 years. As they approach retirement, the couple decided to relocate to a smaller town with a more intimate dining space.
“To just be in a place and smaller restaurant where we can interact more with the customers and get to know them and have small conversations and build that repeat of customers coming in,” Sharon Beverly said.
The restaurant, located at 15 North 7th Street, had to delay its opening when a gas leak forced closure during what was supposed to be their first month of operation in September.
“It’ll take us some months to regenerate that revenue we missed out on because we weren’t able to open,” Beverly said.
The setback comes as restaurants across Texas face mounting financial pressures. According to a recent Texas Restaurant Association survey of more than 50 operators, 88% reported increased food costs in the third quarter, while 89% saw labor costs rise. Nearly 60% of restaurants experienced decreased traffic, and 67% reported declining profit margins.
The industry outlook has steadily worsened throughout 2025, with operators’ confidence dropping from 57 out of 100 in the first quarter to 48 in the third quarter.
Beverly said Lollipops has seen a spike in meat and vegetable prices and is implementing cost-control measures to maintain profitability.
“We’re making sure we’re not over portioning and that what we prep is being sold,” she said.
The TRA survey found that 58% of restaurants have seen increased costs on food and beverages due to tariffs, while 56% report decreased customer traffic from immigration enforcement activities.
Despite the financial challenges, Beverly emphasized the restaurant’s commitment to authentic Louisiana cuisine.
“You can’t ever shorten home-cooked meals. If it’s a home-cooked meal it needs to be the right recipe. So we stick with our recipes,” she said. “Every day’s not a perfect day, but we make it the best that we can.”
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