All-you-can-eat dining makes a comeback as Americans look for more bang for their buck
With grocery and restaurant prices climbing, Americans have a hearty appetite for all-you-can-eat and buffet-style dining.Yelp searches for all-you-can-eat buffets jumped 252% from 2025, The Wall Street Journal recently reported.While major chains like Golden Corral often dominate the buffet landscape, the outlet highlighted five other spots offering everything from Southern comfort food and Uzbek specialties to Korean barbecue and Brazilian steakhouse fare. AMERICA'S BIGGEST BUFFET CHAIN CRACKED THE CODE TO ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT PROFITSHere they are below:Rising food prices are driving renewed interest in all-you-can-eat buffets and other generous, value-focused dining options.(iStock)Since opening in September, Good Time has brought Southern-style comfort food to Manhattan, with dishes such as Salisbury steak, collard greens, dinner rolls and peach cobbler.Unlimited servings cost $26.99, according to the Journal.
Co-founder David Yun said the goal was to offer "something affordable" and evoke "the humble buffet that really brings you back to that memory."DOLLY PARTON'S FAVORITE SOUTHERN DISHES, FROM CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS TO BANANA PUDDINGTashkent's Uzbek hot bar, also in New York City, features dozens of prepared dishes, including plov, stuffed cabbage, manti dumplings and pastries. Tashkent Supermarket carries Uzbek and Central Asian foods.(Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)Customers pay by weight, unlike the all-you-can-eat buffets.
The Journal reported that takeout containers typically cost $10.99 to $11.99 per pound.GROCERY STORE SWITCH COULD SAVE AMERICANS MONEY WHILE SHAKING UP DINNER ROUTINESSince opening last year, Tashkent's West Village location has put a spotlight on Central Asian cuisine, with food bloggers helping to draw attention to its hot bar, The Guardian reported.KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot lets diners cook meats, vegetables and noodles at the table, barbecue-style or in hot broth. Korean barbecue is growing in popularity, and KPot (not pictured) i...