55 burgers, 55 fries, 55 tacos… Buffets, declared dead in recent years, are back on the menu for US diners. Although the self-serve industry saw a steep pandemic drop-off as germ-weary customers said “pass” on shared tongs and communal food bars, demand has piled back up. Buffet mainstay Golden Corral says business is up 20% so far this year, and three leading US buffet chains (Golden Corral, Cici’s, and Pizza Ranch) saw a 125% spike in customer visits between January 2021 and this March.
All-you-can-imagine: Buffets are attracting customers by appealing to the TikTok crowd with snap-worthy spreads (picture: charcuterie boards, towers of crab legs).
All-you-can-buy: In buffet hotspot Las Vegas, the Bellagio reopened its signature buffet, while Sin City’s largest buffet, at Caesars Palace, underwent a $10M renovation.
Unlimited breadsticks, unlimited power… From diners to drive-ins to dives, foot traffic increased at almost all restaurant types last quarter as folks favored eating out. Family-friendly Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants beat Wall Street expectations in its earnings report last week with same-store sales increasing by 4%. And while the pandemic forced some restos to shift strategies, those shifts look like they’re paying off: Chipotle's expansion into small towns is generating record opening sales.
Customers are still shoppin’… for value. Despite inflation, Americans are making space in their budgets for deals. Visits to dollar stores are up, even among those with $100K+ incomes. Buffets, which let diners help themselves to endless plates of shrimp for one fixed price, offer people peace of mind that they’re getting their money’s (and belly’s) worth.