Founder of Harold’s Diner passes away; Hilton Head staple vows to carry on his legacy

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WTOC) - A popular Hilton Head Island diner known for quick service, comfort food, and witty insults is mourning the loss of its founder.

Harold’s Diner announced the death of former owner Chuck Hyatt in a post shared on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Thursday morning.

For nearly 26 years, Harold’s, located off William Hilton Parkway, has been a go-to stop for locals and visitors, serving breakfast and brunch in what many describe as an “in-your-face” dining experience.

Customers order at the counter, watch their food cooked right in front of them, and, as the diner’s culture suggests, are typically “in and out” in about 12 minutes.

Hyatt opened the diner with the help of his longtime friend and high school classmate, Scott Muscarella, who became his business partner.

Muscarella said Hyatt had worked in several restaurants on the island before deciding he wanted to open a place of his own.

Muscarella remembers when Hyatt brought him the opportunity.

“He came and said, ‘Hey, I got this opportunity,’” Muscarella said. “And he showed it to me, and I’m like, ‘Why would you want to buy this shack off the side of the road?’ My wife said no, and I said yes.”

Muscarella said Hyatt cleaned up the property and opened the diner in about five days.

Hyatt handled the day-to-day operation inside the small restaurant, while Muscarella managed the financials and the diner’s social media presence.

What set Harold’s apart, Muscarella said, was the atmosphere Hyatt intentionally built: a mix of classic diner fare, fast turnover, and sometimes edgy humor delivered with one-liners that weren’t for everyone.

“As the sign says, ‘This is not Starbucks. It’s time to move on,’” Muscarella said. “There is no lingering; we’ve got to roll those people in and out of the stools.”

Some customers laughed at the banter; others didn’t. Muscarella said that was the point — it was the experience Hyatt wanted.

“Some of the fun ones were like, ‘Hey, shut the door, you’re letting the flies out,’” Muscarella said. “Which of course everyone thinks is funny, and then you know someone will say, ‘What are you having to drink? Water.’ And he would say, ‘Toilet or tap.’”

Beyond the diner’s well-known personality, Muscarella said Hyatt left a mark on the local food service community by giving many employees an early start in the industry.

“When you look at the number of people he worked with through the years, some of which are those who own their own restaurants that learned from Chuck,” Muscarella said. “There are a lot of folks who had chances to work at the diner and make a living, getting their way through high school or getting their way through college. Then a lot more that are quite frankly food and beverage lifers.”

Muscarella said the diner has been operating for about the last year without Hyatt at the helm, and staff members are focused on keeping the food and service consistent as they head into another busy tourism season.

“Chuck didn’t set it up to be just dependent on him,” Muscarella said. “He was a very important and big part, it is what it is, but while there never will be another Chuck, Harold’s will continue to do well.”

Harold’s Diner hours: Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.