If you’re anything like me, you spent a lot of the ’90s and 2000s inside a Cici’s Pizza – celebrating soccer seasons, great report cards, birthdays, really anything that called for a gathering of lots of kids and a party.
Because let’s face it – hungry kids + buffet means you get your money’s worth!
And at that time, I fondly remember Cici’s as being pretty innovative.
It was certainly the first time I’d ever had apples and cinnamon on a pizza!
(Or macaroni on a pizza, for that matter.)
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But let’s face facts – times change!
And if you’ve been to a Cici’s lately and noticed that it feels a little…tired…well, I can’t say I blame you.
I felt the same way after visiting a local store a few weeks ago.
And I think that’s really NOT because Cici’s has declined…because, to my eye, it hasn’t.
It’s because our standards have gotten so much higher!
And here’s why…
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The fact of the matter is that the pandemic wiped out a ton of lower-performing buffets (think Old Country Buffet, for example), and as a result the remaining pool of buffets is inherently better.
Plus, there have been all kinds of new entrants with new food, new service models, etc.
(I mean, just for example – Texas de Brazil…is a buffet! But it’s obviously on a whole different level from a Cici’s.)
So it’s no surprise that loads of buffets are looking quite a bit better these days.
Here are 9 whose fans would, I think, absolutely argue they’re better than Cici’s at this point.
Starting with a personal favorite…
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Where you’ll find them: Golden Corral is in 39 states plus Puerto Rico…and growing fast!
What makes the buffet great: Every part of Golden Corral’s buffet is pretty good, let’s be clear about that to start. But the key differentiator for me is the fact that you can load up on both steak and shrimp – essentially an all-you-can-eat surf ‘n turf – straight from the buffet!
That’s amazing, and absolutely has to position Golden Corral as one of the best buffets out there.
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Where you’ll find them: Shoney’s was originally founded in Charleston, West Virginia, but actually has its heaviest presence now in Eastern Tennessee. (Although you’ll find plenty of Shoney’s sprinkled throughout the South and Midwest.)
What makes the buffet great: Honestly, my favorite thing about Shoney’s buffet is their breakfast food. From the French toast sticks, to the biscuits and gravy, to the sausage and pancakes…it’s all quite good! I think of Shoney’s as the all-you-can-eat brunch place that was doing it long before anybody else caught on. It’s a longtime staple in my house.
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Where you’ll find them: Sizzler downsized and went through bankruptcy during the pandemic, so they’re now mostly on the West Coast and in Puerto Rico.
What makes the buffet great: Most of Sizzler’s food is pretty standard buffet fare – warm, filling, and lots of it. But their standout to me is their wings – I love a great chicken wing (or, you know, three dozen), and unlimited is just about the best thing! Plus, I love a good soft serve sundae, and they’ve got lots of good stuff.
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Where you’ll find them: Texas de Brazil is in 23 states (mostly near big population centers), plus several Middle Eastern countries.
What makes the buffet great: Honestly, Texas de Brazil’s salad bar is my favorite on the list. There aren’t many other places that you can get delicious grilled asparagus, several different types of great cheese, Brazilian cheese bread, potatoes au gratin, lobster bisque, and (of course) all the traditional accoutrements.
Plus, Texas de Brazil is a Brazilian steakhouse, where staff carry skewers of meat around and slice off a little tableside for anyone who wants it. You can get all-you-can-eat file mignon, flank steak, sausage, beef ribs, lamb chops, picanha, chicken wrapped in bacon, lamb, and more…as long as you have room for it!
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Where you’ll find them: Fogo and Texas de Brazil are mostly in the same markets – Fogo’s in 25 states (including DC) and has a presence internationally in Brazil and Mexico.
What makes the buffet great: I’d say Fogo’s setup is generally a little superior to Texas de Brazil’s, but their buffet itself is actually a little weaker. You can get salads, plenty of smoked meats and cheeses, fun fruit (I’m a fan of dragonfruit, myself), and their feijoada, a bean stew with lots of sausage and rice, and the selection is good, but not quite as good as Texas de Brazil’s.
On the tableside meat, though, they’re clearly superior in my view. You can get crab cakes or lobster tail with their indulgent churrasco option, plus plenty of picanha, chicken, lamb chops, Brazilian sides, and more.
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Where you’ll find them: There are over 6,000 Pizza Huts around the USA (plus plenty more worldwide), but there’s no reliable data that I can find about how many of them are still buffets. There are certainly several around me, and I’ve heard from readers in several states that they still have some, but – well – there you go.
What makes the buffet great: I mean, it’s all the great Pizza Hut favorites – just unlimited! I’ve always had a weakness for Pizza Hut’s thin crust pizza, which I think is clearly the best of the chain options out there. I also love their breadsticks and cheese bread. And, depending on the buffet, you can get all that and more.
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Where you’ll find them: Big Boy is in just five states – at least for now – North Dakota, Michigan, Ohio, Nevada, and California. (Why that combination? I will never know. They’re definitely Midwestern.)
What makes the buffet great: I’ve always preferred breakfast buffets, and theirs is top-notch. (Not quite Shoney’s, but really – few are.) Their dinner buffets are pretty good too, especially when they do seafood. And their prices are fantastic.
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Where you’ll find them: Pizza Ranch is in 15 states, mostly smack-dab in the middle of the USA (think Midwest + Plains States), with more on the way!
What makes the buffet great: They’ve got plenty of non-pizza options which are good (the potato wedges are a good addition any time), but obviously…it’s a pizza buffet! So you should get the pizza. Plus, if you don’t see a preferred pizza at the buffet…just ask, they’ll make it, put it out on the buffet, and ensure the first slice is delivered to you. Also get their skillet cookie. Just trust me on that one.
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Where you’ll find them: HuHot is in 17 states, with their easternmost location in Indiana and their westernmost on the Idaho/Washington state border. They’re densest in the Midwest (think Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri).
What makes the buffet great: You can basically make your own stir fry, with whatever meats, veggies, noodles, and sauces you want. What’s not to love?
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I couldn’t leave without giving Cici’s some love. They’ve been serving up great slices for a long time, even if they’re objectively worse than some of the others on this list.
Where you’ll find them: Cici’s is in 22 states, mostly in the South (and especially in Texas).
What makes the buffet great: I’m all about the dessert pizzas. Cinnamon + apple…yes please. Cinnamon + cream cheese frosting…yes please.
And let’s face it, they do a pretty good job of the traditional favorites too!
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So there you have it – nine buffets that can credibly argue that they’re better than Cici’s at this point.
Certainly their fans think so!
And while I know it can be hard to directly compare steak to pizza to burgers to chicken…
I do think there’s enough similar about all of them that you can reasonably render an opinion on who’s best.
And speaking of which, I’m curious…
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1) Have YOU eaten at all ten of the buffets on this list? Which was your favorite and why?
2) Do you think Cici’s has “lost a step” vs the competition?
Leave a comment and let me know!
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