North Carolina woman gets after-church dinner at Japanese steakhouse. Then the ceiling collapses: ‘What I thought was a feather’

A Sunday dinner at a popular Japanese steakhouse in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, took a frightening turn on July 19, 2026, when part of the ceiling collapsed into a crowded dining area at Arigato Japanese Steak & Seafood House. The incident injured several people, including diner Shantise Jones, who said she initially believed something harmless had drifted down from above.

Jones had stopped at the restaurant after church when drywall and insulation suddenly fell from the ceiling. Speaking with local media after the incident, she recalled, “What I thought was a feather” quickly turned into something much more serious as debris struck diners seated below. Emergency crews responded to the restaurant.

According to local news outlet ABC11, Jones suffered injuries after the falling material hit her during the collapse. Video recorded inside the restaurant showed insulation and broken ceiling material scattered across tables and the floor while customers rushed to help those who had been struck.

A witness recorded what happened

Witness Myana James, who recorded the aftermath, told Storyful that her family had gathered at Arigato to celebrate a birthday when the collapse happened without warning. “It all happened so quickly, and I was grateful that my family was safe. It could have been much worse,” James said.

The incident also drew widespread attention online after James’ videos from inside the restaurant circulated on social media and news sites. The footage showed customers standing in shock while debris covered part of the hibachi dining area and employees assessed the damage.

The Winston-Salem Fire Department responded to the restaurant after receiving reports that a customer had been struck by falling debris. Health officials later inspected the building and determined that the damage remained limited to an isolated section of the ceiling rather than a structural failure affecting the entire restaurant.

 Jones told local media, in part, “[T]his stuff can happen anywhere. Not just Arigato’s. It can happen anywhere. But because it happened, something has to be done as far as getting it looked at.”

Restaurant management also addressed the incident after investigators examined the damaged area. According to ABC11, Arigato’s manager said an inspection found that the drywall and insulation above the dining room had been improperly installed. According to the inspector, he said, the drywall support was inadequate, causing a portion of the ceiling to collapse.

The restaurant reopened on July 21, two days after the collapse. Management said repairs had been completed following the inspection. As of the restaurant’s reopening, authorities had not announced any additional penalties or code enforcement action related to the incident.