Fast Food Chains To Conquer America

scotchandcigar

All I wanted was some steak
Feb 13, 2009
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Vacationland
By the way, stumbled on this little article opener:

The era of the bottomless buffet is past. Old Country Buffet is dead, and a visit to Golden Corral is perhaps better left to those actively seeking death. But not too long ago, there was another all-you-can eat chain that loomed like a tall pine over the national scene: Ponderosa Steakhouse.
That was probably written during Covid. But Americans are known for learning nothing from the past, and going back to old habits. It's like when gas prices spike, people start looking at electric cars and downsizing. But then they go right back to their giant SUVs when prices come down.
 
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Wolf

Well-Known Member
Oct 11, 2008
33,309
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Phoenix
I'm not crazy about Golden Corral, I eat there if some friends wanted to go.

To me, they are way over priced, not so great food, way over crowded and not trying to discriminate. Quite a few over weight people. I guess that's why Golden Corral likes to hurdle them in?

When I use to live in Houston, I use to eat at Luby's.
 
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IdRatherBeSkiing

Sherbet is NOT and NEVER WILL BE ice cream.
Oct 11, 2008
26,715
13,428
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Toronto, ON
Our favourite buffet in Canada pre-Covid was "Tuckers Marketplace". It gave out free meals on your birthday. With my birthday and my son's, i cleaned up with 2 free meals. Just drinks and my wife's meal. Of course it closed during covid.

Prior to covid, my wife had a Chinese buffet she liked which we attended on her birthday. They gave her 15% off. But she prefered the food and I liked it too. Not just Chinese food but other stuff as well. It was called "Imperial Buffet". One day they had a sewer backup in he kitchen. That was all she wrote for them. They never re-opened. My guess is too much cost to totally clean and likely rebuild the kitchen. The space sits there empty now for 5 or so years. I imagine any restaurant that wants to go in there has to do that cleanup. Imagine its quite smelly in there now too.
 
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Aaron

Moderator
Oct 10, 2008
15,444
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South Louisiana
I always end up leaving a take out buffet with a reasonable amount of food, and not an overflowing smorgasbord. What is my problem.
 

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
49,120
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Toledo, Ohio
Never eaten at Golden Corral. But I miss Ponderosa with their buffet

Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse are a chain of buffet/steakhouse restaurants that are a part of Homestyle Dining LLC based in Plano, Texas. In 1989 there were almost 700 Ponderosa locations. By 2003 there were less than 400 locations. By October 2022 only 17 Ponderosa locations remain open.

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By the way, stumbled on this little article opener:

The era of the bottomless buffet is past. Old Country Buffet is dead, and a visit to Golden Corral is perhaps better left to those actively seeking death. But not too long ago, there was another all-you-can eat chain that loomed like a tall pine over the national scene: Ponderosa Steakhouse.
The new catch-phrase at university dining halls it "All you care to eat." It's supposed to sound like less of a challenge to keep kids from becoming overly-wide. Or is it under-tall?
 

sadchild

Dude
Mar 28, 2016
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NH
www.asimplecomplex.com
If you rent the apartment above an all-you-can-eat buffet, can you get home from work Friday night, pay once, and eat all weekend until you go back to work Monday morning? Because technically, you never left the building.
 

HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
49,120
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Toledo, Ohio
I hope they don't jinx it by growing too fast.
I'd hate to see them in the companies that may be going out of business thread before I get to eat there.
 

MonoStereo

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2020
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Kansas City
I hope they don't jinx it by growing too fast.
I'd hate to see them in the companies that may be going out of business thread before I get to eat there.
I've never been, either...but I've also heard from some who have that while it's good it's probably also overrated. Living in KC, it'll be interesting to see if we eventually get one. They have to have an eye on the crazed response Whataburger got here, even if that was Pat Mahomes-fueled.
 
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HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
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Toledo, Ohio
I haven't tried Whata or Whalbergers yet either, I won't go out of my way to try them for the reason that you mention, but I'm willing to,
 

MonoStereo

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2020
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I haven't tried Whata or Whalbergers yet either, I won't go out of my way to try them for the reason that you mention, but I'm willing to,
Same here - the Whataburger thing was so ridiculous that stories about it would lead off local TV news. In a city. Stuff like that is why I pretty much don't watch TV news anymore. Just embarrassing. I figure they're in the same boat as Five Guys - perfectly fine, but I already have access to local places that are better for half the price.
 
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HecticArt

Administrator
Oct 19, 2008
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Toledo, Ohio
That's kinda what I expect, and why I won't go out of my way to eat there.
I've been near a few, but not when it was either convenient to stop in, or when they were open.......which I suppose is inconvenient if you want to stop in....
 
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MonoStereo

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2020
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Kansas City
We have some Wahlburgers here in KC, but I think they're based in Hy-Vee grocery stores. And none near me, so I don't see that happening anytime soon. Sorry, Marky Mark. And sorry, Donnie.
 
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