Two shakes of delicious cuisine and a scoop of outstanding customer service makes the perfect recipe for 

 success. Megan Brent, owner of The Perfect Pear, is committed to creating excellent dining experiences for each customer, each day.

    With a long-standing love of food and appreciation for the service industry, Megan opened The Perfect Pear in 2008. “I had always worked in restaurants,” Megan says. Prior to becoming a business owner, Megan worked as Director of Catering for a large family restaurant in Virginia. “When I was doing that, I found my niche,” she recalls. 

     Inspired by that experience, Megan had dreams of starting her own catering company. When she moved to Perry with her husband, Richard, Megan decided to turn her dream into a reality. 

    Perry embraced The Perfect Pear, and Megan’s catering company became a local success. With time, Megan saw more potential with her business and decided to expand from catering to include a restaurant. It is a decision she has never looked back on. “It’s like having company,” she says of running a restaurant. “People are always coming over to eat with you.” 

    If the cute name and warm staff do not charm you, the menu certainly will. “Our Perfect Pimento Cheese

  definitely keeps our lights on,” Megan says of one of their best-selling items. The ‘Megnificent’ Crab Dip, a play on words involving Megan’s name, remains a true crowd favorite. You can also order Grown up Mac and Cheese topped with roasted chicken or filet mignon, a Bahn Mi Sandwich with pickled vegetables, or Pecan Pie Bread Pudding. 

    The Perfect Pair has truly made a name for itself. “We won 100 Plates Local Love from the Georgia Department of Tourism,” Megan says proudly. It is a true honor to be recognized for outstanding cuisine. For winning, The Perfect Pear was featured in the Georgia Eats Magazine. Megan also received an official letter with a sticker attached. “I’ve never been so excited to get a sticker in the mail,” she says laughing. 

     Apart from the amazing food, each staff member works to create an inviting, cozy atmosphere for the customers. “Probably one of my favorite things that people have said over the years is how great it feels, like they’re in someone’s home and not just a restaurant,” Megan says. She speaks of her small group of employees with appreciation for the enthusiasm and light they bring to the restaurant every day. 

    “We’re definitely a little family for sure,” she says sweetly. “We’re too small not to know what’s going on in each other’s lives.” Through the good and the bad, they encourage, support and celebrate one another. “We’re a team. We band together to get things done.” 

    Richard has also stepped in when Megan needed the extra help. A music enthusiast, he is right at home 

 running the Allman Brothers Band Museum. “He’s a plethora of knowledge when it comes to guitars,” Megan says with admiration. Among other things, Richard curates the museum and even travels to pick up guitars on loan for their exhibits. Passionate in their prospective fields, Megan and Richard themselves make The Perfect Pear.

    In a town as close knit as Perry, Megan finds community involvement extremely important. “I sit on the board of directors for The Perry Chamber of Commerce and The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau,” Megan says. They also have participants from The Halo Group working with them at The Perfect Pear. In addition, Megan was named The Chamber’s Business Woman of The Year a few years ago. 

     The city of Perry has given back to Megan as well. “Perry is amazing to all of its small businesses,” she says. “We already knew that Perry was wonderful to us, but during the height of Covid-19 we could not have been supported more by the community.” Megan describes lines of cars that wrapped around the block to get a delicious to-go meal during this time. Because of the community’s support, The Perfect Pear remained open throughout the entire crisis. 

    “I’ve never been big on advertising,” Megan admits. “We’ve been so fortunate that our reputation has been great. People tell other people about us and that has worked for the last 14 years.” Their ability to maintain business solely on reputation speaks highly of the quality of their food and staff. 

    Megan still enjoys the catering aspect of her business. “We’ve gotten to go through so many seasons [with people],” she says. After catering a couples’ wedding, Megan is often called back to cater their baby shower, birthdays and other events. “There are so many families that we’ve really gone full circle with,” she says. Through the years, The Perfect Pear is there to celebrate milestones with their customers. 

    While business at The Perfect Pear restaurant is good, catering demand is even better. “I’m taking the 

 catering aspect of The Perfect Pear to Houston Lake Country Club,” Megan announces. “Their resources are much greater so it’s going to be a win-win for everyone.” The partnership will give Megan more room to grow as a mass caterer, and she could not be more excited. 

    Megan reflects on her years with The Perfect Pear and the creative expression it has allowed her. She says the restaurant is an extension of her and that customers get to see the real Megan when they dine at The Perfect Pear. “But it’s more than that,” she continues. “It’s the fellowship and the fact that they do pick The Perfect Pear when they can go anywhere else. That means so much to me.” 

     Consider The Perfect Pear the next time you get hungry. Their delicious cuisine will quench your hunger, and their warm friendly smiles will have you coming back for more. As Megan likes to put it, “Pick the Perfect Pear!”