If there’s one societal casualty stemming from the pandemic that nobody really thinks about, it’s the prominence of the all-you-can-eat buffet.
According to CNN, Old Country Buffet, Furr’s Fresh Buffet, Cicis, Souplantation, and Sweet Tomatoes all filed for bankruptcy at around the same time in 2021 due to occupancy restrictions, bans, and general health concerns over Covid-19.
There’s good news to report though: all-you-can-eat buffets are making a comeback!
According to data from Placer.ai, which tracks foot traffic at restaurants and stores, visits to Golden Corral, Cicis, and Pizza Ranch were up 125% since January of 2021, which outpaced the growth of visits to fast-casual chains and full-service restaurants during the same period!
Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary told Nation’s Restaurant News, “People wanted the buffet back.”
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The bounce back in business for all-you-can eat buffets is attributed to the fact most people are no longer hesitant over people touching and breathing over the same food that they'll be eating, nor using the same serving utensils.
Plus, higher-end restaurants are raising prices due to inflation, so people are flocking to buffets looking for value.
Plus where else can you go to get pepperoni pizza and orange chicken at the same time?