Dampf Good BBQ Abandons Durham Expansion After Backlash Over Social Media Views
Nick Dampf, owner of the Michelin-recommended Texas-style barbecue food truck Dampf Good BBQ, has cancelled plans to open its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in downtown Durham. The decision follows intense community backlash over the owner's past social media posts expressing conservative Christian views, including opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion. While Dampf maintains that his business welcomes all customers, local activists and officials argued that his views conflicted with Durham's progressive identity and LGBTQ-friendly culture. The restaurant will remain at its current location in Cary and continue searching for a new permanent site elsewhere.