All-you-can-eat buffets are are being resurrected! In fact, the are  MORE popular now than before COVID.  The easing of the pandemic is part of it, but it’s also because people are looking for value right now. Consumers site that they want more for their money, and don’t mind quantity over quality (or fancier) food.

Three years ago, when you could barely leave the house in less than a hazmat suit, restaurants were put through the gauntlet to adapt to ever changing policies. First there was table spacing, then a decrease in capacity, sneeze guards, eradicating menus and 86 entire things from the menu…  it seemed like all-you-can-eat buffets might be gone for good.  But now, they’re coming back stronger than ever!!

A company that tracks restaurants says that this spring, visits to three leading buffets:

Golden Corral,

Cicis,

and Pizza Ranch

They were up 125% in customers from 2021.  That’s a faster rate of growth than other types of restaurants.

Reasons for the comeback: part of the reason is the easing of the pandemic.  Some people are no longer concerned about people touching and breathing over the same food that they’ll be eating , not to mention using the same serving utensils when dishing up food.

Experts also say that there’s more to it than that.  There’s also the COST.  Higher-end restaurants are raising prices due to inflation (for both cost of food and labor).  So people are going to buffets looking for VALUE, seeking “more bang for their buck.” Grab your stretchy pants, all you can eat is back!

 

(CNN)