Buffets are some of my favorite places to go. Who’s with me?
After all, where else can you know:
Exactly how much you’re going to spend…
And that you’ll be pleasantly (or unpleasantly) full at the end?
It’s a win-win.
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Buffets have had a rough go of it since the pandemic, with social-distancing and enhanced cleanliness requirements, plus a general decline in foot traffic leading to hundreds of buffets closing their doors forever.
However, some are flourishing.
And some have emerged even better than ever.
Here are America’s nine best buffet chains, ranked from “worst” (which is still pretty good! You had to be top nine to get on this list) to best:
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Ponderosa’s an old favorite, and although there are only about 20 left in the USA at this point, it’s still worth a visit if you’re in the Midwest, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, or the western parts of Virginia and North Carolina.
My two cents? Load up on the fried chicken, chicken wings, and chicken biscuit pie. (The pizza is fine, but really if you want pizza you should go to a Cici’s.)
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I have a lot of fond memories of Cici’s as a child, especially their dessert pizzas.
You probably remember them – the cinnamon apple filling on top of a sweet crust, drizzled with cinnamon sugar.
Just absolutely fantastic.
I’ve also always appreciated that Cici’s has a lot of innovative pizza ideas – where else can you get pizza topped with macaroni?
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Sizzler’s reach has declined some in recent years, and it’s now primarily on the West Coast and Puerto Rico.
But you know what hasn’t changed?
Their awesome buffet, including unlimited wings(!), pasta, tacos, salads, soft serve ice cream, and more.
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Most people know Pizza Hut for its carryout pizza, but there are still Pizza Hut buffets around the USA and the world – just not as many as there used to be.
If you love all your Pizza Hut favorites and love even more the chance to eat an unlimited amount – it’s worth finding a local Pizza Hut buffet!
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Big Boy (a Midwestern staple) runs breakfast and dinner buffets every day, and while they’re not as cheap as they used to be, the quality and quantity certainly justify the price.
And some Big Boys even have an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet on Friday nights! So if you’re looking for a cheaper and more filling alternative to Red Lobster…go there!
(Also, kids under 5 eat free with an adult buffet purchase, so that cuts down on the costs somewhat).
Get the hotcakes and load them up with bacon and hashbrowns – you’ll be in heaven.
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If you’re not from the South and have never had Shoney’s, I’m genuinely sorry.
Because their breakfast buffet is genuinely amazing.
I have lots of fond memories of loading up on French toast sticks, warm syrup, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy, and sausage right after church.
The rest of their food is just “ok” – generic salad bar, jello station, that sort of thing – but their breakfast buffet is top-notch.
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Texas de Brazil is not really the kind of restaurant you think of when someone says “buffet” – but let’s face it:
A) There’s one charge for the meal;
B) You can pick from lots of different options;
C) It’s all you can eat.
So it counts!
Texas de Brazil is a Brazilian-style steakhouse, where the meat is brought on huge skewers and sliced off at the table.
It’s delicious. I recommend any of their steaks.
It’s also quite a bit pricier than our #2 option, however, which is why it narrowly lost out to…
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Golden Corral is genuinely one of the best buffets I’ve ever eaten at.
And it’s an amazing value for the price, too. (That’s why it edged out Texas de Brazil.)
In fact, given all the well-documented difficulties buffet restaurants have faced over the last several years…it’s truly amazing to see Golden Corral expanding and adding new restaurants.
Something’s working, for sure.
And after all – where else can you get unlimited steak and shrimp together?
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Fogo de Chao is not cheap, but it is genuinely worth every dollar you’ll spend.
From the incredibly high-end buffet salad bar, to their signature picanha steak, all the way to their amazing cheesecake brulee dessert…Fogo has got the goods.
Like I said, worth every dollar, no question.
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So there you have it – America’s nine best buffet chains, at least according to me.
Sorry to those who didn’t make it, including Old Country Buffet!
But here’s the big question:
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What do YOU think?
Agree? Disagree?
Someone great I left off the list?
Let us know in the comments!
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