Brief 9: All-You-Can-Eat Buffets Are Back. Here Are Some of the Best.
In The News
All-You-Can-Eat Buffets Are Back. Here Are Some of the Best.
Rising food prices are sending diners back to an old standby: the buffet. The Wall Street Journal’s Adam Chandler visited Good Time Country Buffet, a Southern-style spot in New York’s East Village that has drawn crowds since it opened last month. For $26.99, you get unlimited trips through about two dozen dishes. Co-founder David Yun’s pitch comes down to simple math: “Even a bowl of salad with some protein is like $25 these days.” Yelp’s annual trend report found searches for all-you-can-eat buffets up 252% over 2025.
The growth goes well beyond one new hotspot in New York. KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot has opened 165 locations in five years and now operates in nearly 40 states. Fogo de Chão has grown from 60-some US locations to nearly 115 in four years. Last year, Technomic named it Gen Z’s favorite full-service restaurant, helped by a $20 lunch market table and an all-you-can-eat churrasco for about $30 more.
To me, the buffet comeback is less about the cheapest meal and more about knowing exactly what you’ll pay for a good night out. With the holidays coming and budgets stretched, I’d expect more brands to compete on value. The ones that win won’t just cut prices. They’ll know which parts of the experience matter to their customers, and that starts with knowing who those customers are.
Inside EPIC
Fogo de Chão and KPot are getting the headlines, but many of us grew up with Golden Corral as the buffet. So I wanted to see who’s loyal to the original. Using EPIC’s consumer insights platform, I compared Golden Corral fans to Gen Z and Millennials and to the general US 18+ population.
A few things stood out:
• A loyal, established base. 35.2% of Golden Corral fans are 65 or older, compared with 22.2% of US adults. Only 26.2% are Gen Z or Millennials, compared with 45.6% of US adults.
• Value seekers with room to splurge. They’re 77% more likely than the average adult to be coupon enthusiasts, and 82% more likely to be luxury buyers.
• Not a low-income crowd. 23.8% have household incomes of $200K or more, right in line with US adults (23.0%).
• Different platforms. Golden Corral fans are more likely than average to be on Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to be on TikTok and Reddit.
• Race day regulars. They’re 30% more likely to have a social affinity for NASCAR. Gen Z and Millennials are 25% less likely.
So what does that mean for brands? I see the buffet comeback as an innovation story. Fogo de Chão and KPot didn’t invent all-you-can-eat. They took a familiar format and made it feel new again, with things like cooking at your own table and a $20 lunch. The original still has a loyal following, though. Golden Corral’s fans skew older, love a deal but will also splurge, and are more likely than the average adult to be on Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest, and less likely to be on TikTok. They’re also more likely to follow NASCAR.
For brands heading into the holidays, I think you have to do both. Keep showing up for your core customers where they already are, whether that’s a Facebook feed or race day, and test new formats and channels like TikTok to reach the next generation. You can’t do either well if you don’t know who you’re building for.
Consumer Corner: What I'm Into This Week
Listening: The Daily | Tricks, Treats, and Trends
Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year.
Watching: The World Series
Brewers vs. Rays, two teams that have never won it all. The Brewers ended a long drought this week and the Wisconsin teams continued the streak with another nice win on Thursday Night Football.
Eating: Spaghetti alle Vongole
One of my all-time favorites. Simple, fast, and in my opinion, better than anything on a buffet line.
