2023-05-08 10:34:42
If the pandemic has come to pull the rug out from under the feet of the all-you-can-eat buffets, the latter would have seen their traffic jump since the lifting of health measures, even surpassing pre-pandemic visits.
“People wanted to get back to the buffets,” CEO of the American buffet chain Golden Corral, Lance Trenary, said in an interview with “Restaurant Business” magazine, according to CNN Business on Friday.
Indeed, buffet-goers have reportedly flocked to buffets since they reopened, to the point where major US chains – Golden Corral, Cicis and Pizza Ranch – reportedly noted a 125% increase in visits last March, compared to January 2021, according to the American media.
This data comes from Placer.ai, an online tool that tracks foot traffic in restaurants and stores.
At Golden Corral, sales would have started to climb again around March 2022, reaching a 14% increase last year compared to its pre-pandemic data, the CEO reportedly said.
But their growing popularity is also a symptom of inflation, which is pushing more middle-class and lower-income families toward all-you-can-eat buffets, Placer said. The increase in crowds would thus be closely linked to that of the price of food in supermarkets, according to CNN.
“It shows that people are looking for value,” said RJ Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.
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