Then Old Country Buffet declared bankruptcy a third time in 2016 (so much for inspiration from Aaliyah). Per USA Today, the acquisition was a little shaky, with sales falling 22 percent below Ovations' expectations. As of early 2020, there are only six Hometown Buffet locations still in business. 52 Hometown Buffet Locations in California (CA, US) City Shortcuts: Anaheim Eureka Fresno Moreno Valley Salinas San Leandro Hometown Buffet in 92802-3015 at 1630 W Katella Ave Hometown Buffet in 92806-4104 at 2190 E Lincoln Ave Bakersfield Hometown Buffet Bell Hometown Buffet Calexico Hometown Buffet Cerritos Hometown Buffet Chico Hometown Buffet In Oct. 2021, BBQ Holdingsthe parent company of the barbecue restaurant chain Famous Daveswon a bankruptcy auction for Fresh Acquisitions LLC, agreeing to pay $5.2 million in the deal. Buffets LLC, also filed bankruptcy at the same time. To be sure, all restaurants are going to reopen to a vastly different environment in the coming months, and its likely the environment will be quite different for some timeat least until there is a vaccine. As with almost every one of our peers, buffet restaurants took the brunt of the loss of sales during the pandemic and as such, the path to success requires hard choices to be made, including the rationalization of our overall footprint, said VitaNova Brands CEO and co-founder Jason Kemp, according to Nations Restaurant News. Yet buffets might be in a bind for a while. As of today, 284 Golden Corral dining rooms have safely reopened across the country. In 2018, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and announced that it would be selling itself to Ovation Brands, a subsidiary of Buffets, Inc. No-buffet rules aren't keeping Golden Corral from reopening its restaurants. Hometown Buffet is a buffet-style restaurant chain with locations across the United States. Now he thinks we will see the removal of salad bars, and in place, prepared food thats packaged and portioned. That means those self-service drink stations at many fast-food restaurants will be gone for the time being. One of the big differences between the chains, according to Restaurant Business, is consistency in ownership. Last October, the company said it was permanently closing four buffet units, including two Hometown Buffet restaurants in California, a Ryans in West Virginia and an Old Country buffet in Chicago. Despite their best attempts, it's not easy to keep it warm enough or cool enough to avoid bacterial growth. See all (3) Enhance this page - Upload photos! Hometown Buffet has been unable to keep up with these changes and will likely continue to decline until it is eventually forced to close its doors for good. These closures signal a change in the way that people are choosing to dine out. The chain was founded in 1984 and currently has locations in 34 states. The buffet restaurant format was very popular in the 1980s, but as Americans tastes changed, the demand for all-you-can-eat restaurants waned. Old Country Buffet closes last Illinois restaurant California alone has 23. The nations most recognizable buffet chain survived COVID-19, but not without some serious damage. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and was purchased by Ovation Brands in 2009. And who could blame them? It sort of reminds me of how big of a deal Chinese banquets are, said Small, whos Chinese-American. Even if Old Country Buffet did start partnering with Uber Eats, it seems like something that wouldn't work well. Hometown Buffet provides families a friendly environment to gather for a meal. Now that we're smarter about food-borne illnesses, fewer people are willing to eat anywhere that requires a "sneeze guard," and we can't blame them. } Old Country Buffet simply can't compete with the modern vibes and fresh fare that fast casual restaurants like Qdoba and Sweetgreen deliver so effortlessly. Try our delicious grill. It's not very likely you'll get your delivery driver to bring you seconds unless, of course, you pay him a second time, too. Overall the spaces are more efficient for a high volume of people, but staff and patrons alike have plenty of room to prepare and scarf down some legit Southern style pot roast and fried chicken. 1996: HomeTown Buffet is acquired. HomeTown Buffet was already struggling before the pandemic hit, so it's no surprise that this beloved chain has gone under. Before COVID, the companies . All-you-can-eat restaurants have been on the decline in recent years, as customers are increasingly health-conscious and prefer fresh, made-to-order food. The company has recently announced that it will be closing all of its Hometown Buffet locations, including their flagship location in Downey, California. On Monday, a sign on the front door of the restaurant in the Shasta Crossroads center on Churn Creek Road. Old Country Buffet, Ryan's, HomeTown Buffet owners declare bankruptcy Asked about the fate of other banners, the spokeswoman said it was up to the courts.. PLEASE NOTE: This company's store count has changed due to COVID-19 related circumstances. Restaurant Business reported on HomeTown Buffet and its sibling chainsTahoe Joes, Old Country Buffet, Ryans, Fire Mountain, and Furrsin April 2021. The concept of the buffet, which was once popular among restaurants, is now declining in popularity. But as restaurant chains have become more sophisticated, diners have become more selective about where they choose to eat. The company was founded in 1983 and has been in business for over 35 years. Have no fear; weve compiled a list of all the Hometown Buffet locations. The company is privately owned, by Investors Management Corp., a company chaired by the same man who opened the first location. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Breaking news: Wildly popular HomeTown Buffet in Salinas abruptly closes doors, no warning to roughly 30 employees, told to return this afternoon for final check.. pic.twitter.com/70G4Z4DXhC. Hit hard by the pandemic, parent company Garden Fresh Restaurants subsequently filed for bankruptcy, opting to liquidateall of the sister chains 97 locations. The Food and Drug Administration has released a series of best practices for restaurants, which include discontinuing self-serving stations that require customers to use common utensils or dispensers, like salad bars and buffets. 1999: Company purchases 80 percent stake in Tahoe Joe's, Inc. Company History: Buffets, Inc. is one of the most successful businesses in the restaurant industry, owning and operating 388 eating establishments in 36 states and franchising another 24 in ten states. All restaurants burn through cash when they are closed. Even if the closed restaurant locations could be reopened immediately, the debtors believe that the short-term costs of maintaining the leases would outweigh any potential long-term benefits from operating the restaurants therein, the filing stated. All Rights Reserved. The social distancing as it relates to buffets is a challenge, said Roslyn Stone, chief operating officer for Zero Hour Health, which helps restaurant operators with food safety and health issues. 11 reviews. Sherry Buenrostro has operated La Nacional Mexican Buffet in Columbus, Georgia, along with her husband and parents-in-law, for nearly 20 years. Can you believe there was a time when you donned your Sunday best to go to Old Country Buffet? But its footprint has shrunk: Parent company Rave Restaurant Group operated 155 Pizza Inns at the end of 2019, but the Pizza Inn website shows only about 140 locations open currently. That means. The HomeTown Buffets in Chula Vista, and Bakersfield, Calif., the Ryan's in Charleston, W. Va., and The Old Country Buffets in Chicago were hit hard by the pandemic. But Cicis sales declined 1.4%. You rely on Marketplace to break down the worlds events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. Hometown Buffet has been closed for months, but has rebranded itself Hometown Buffet AYCE Marketplace, standing for All You Can Eat, in an attempt to combine the buffet concept with table service. Life before food delivery apps was archaic! If fewer people are making it to service on Sunday, then it makes sense that the post-church lunch at Old Country Buffet is also on the decline. According to an article published by the San Antonio Business Journal, no HomeTown Buffet locations remain open. The chains website shows 11 open locations, a stark decline from the 28 that K&W hadbefore the pandemic. day, 2022 Galvanized Media. This North Carolina-based cafeteria buffet declared bankruptcy in September 2020, and loyal patrons have far fewer locations where they can chow down on Southern comfort staples. Even places like Five Guys and Shake Shack (which is, after all, leading the burger revolution) are trying to make the average hamburger joint a gourmet-ish experience but it still better be quick! At this restaurant, clients can try nicely cooked fried chicken, pot roast and roasted chicken. Yes, they do have a wide variety of food choices at Old Country Buffet but they don't really specialize in any of it. As with many restaurants on this list, HomeTown Buffet has faced bankruptcy in the past. Cicis, where you can famously down all the Mac & Cheese pizza, pasta salad, and cinnamon rolls you can handle for as little as $6, emerged from bankruptcy in 2020with under 300 locations, down from the 420 it had at the end of 2019. In addition, the restaurant offers seasonal specialties and uniquely prepared desserts. What happened to the all-you-can-eat destination? The Real Reason Buffet-Style Dining Is Disappearing - Mashed.com As restaurants reopen, many regulations explicitly forbid buffets and self-service. Eli Lilly announced a cap on insulin costs. San Antonio-based Fresh Acquisitions LLC listed assets of between $1 million and $10 million, and liabilities of between $10 million and $50 million, according to its bankruptcy filing, which was made in the Northern Texas Division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Representatives from Ovation didn't even show up for the first hearing. Anyone who grew up going to church remembers the agonizing wait for that last processional hymn at the end, and the promise of a delicious plate of hot food on the horizon. ), had more than 500 family-friendly steakhouse buffet restaurants, operated 155 Pizza Inns at the end of 2019, The Most Cringe-Worthy Commercials of All Time, 30 American-Themed Restaurants and Attractions Around the World. Hometown Buffet Best Hometown Buffet Near Me See All Ralph's Barbecue 220 BBQ, Buffets 1400 Julian R Allsbrk Hwy, Weldon, NC Closed Naan Stop Indian Cuisine 214 Indian Restaurants, Buffets 2812 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC Closed Start Order Pizza Inn 22 Pizza, Italian, Buffets 1250 Coble Blvd, Henderson, NC Closed Pizza Inn 35 Pizza, Italian, Buffets VitaNova shut down the locations in March when the coronavirus pandemic began. We have no immediate plans to reopen any of the buffet brands, he said, reports Restaurant Business. There are currently six Tahoe Joe's operating today, a spokeswoman for VitaNova Brands told Nations Restaurant News. The closure of Hometown Buffet is just the latest example of a once-popular restaurant chain struggling to stay afloat in recent years. Several of Fresh Acquisitions affiliates, including Buffets LLC, also filed bankruptcy at the same time. Although the restaurant has been temporarily closed since March due to COVID-19, the permanent closure is a result of its expiring lease and inability to negotiate a favorable extension, company officials said. And many of them already had financial problems and limited options from potential investors from the get-go. This Is Why You Don't See Many Old Country Buffets Anymore - Mashed.com Broad-menu buffet concepts now face a longer timeline for that reopening. Simply click on the Hometown Buffet location below to find out where it is located and if it received positive reviews. A Virginia staple since the 70s, Country Cookin offered down-home favorites such as country fried steak and cornbread, but homey grub alone couldnt save it from the pandemic. Last week, the buffet chain Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes announced all 97 of its restaurants are closing permanently. The company has not said if they will be sold or simply shuttered. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the buffet-style restaurants closed in March 2020. Although locations in Florida and Georgia are closing, there are plans to keep over 20 locations open. She said her family, including her grandparents, would pack themselves into a minivan and head off to a buffet together. The decline of the all-you-can-eat buffet is a trend that is being mirrored across the restaurant industry. After Buffets, Inc (who owns chains like Old Country Buffet, Home Town Buffet, and Ryan's) filed for bankruptcy in 2012, they closed 16 percent of their restaurants, according to Forbes. Anthony Wedo, the CEO of Old Country Buffet's parent company, Buffets Inc., was even on the CBS hit show Undercover Boss in 2013 in an effort to reinvigorate the company's name after it fell on hard times. Theyre looking for restaurants that offer fresh food, a variety of menu options, and an inviting atmosphere. This grilling-focused buffet chain is the final domino to fall in the Fresh Acquisitions bankruptcy. Parent of Old Country Buffet and Ryan's Declares Bankruptcy Hometown Buffet has been a staple in the community for over 30 years, but its recently closed its doors. Lunch buffet fans lost the place where they could slurp soup, get their greens, and indulge in endless bread and soft serve in March 2020, when Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes shut their doors. Hometown Buffet was one of many buffet chains to suffer as a result. Old Country Buffet has a new owner, BBQ Holdings, but executives there say they have no plans to breathe new life into the once-extensive chain, which was down to just under17 locations from hundreds at the beginning of 2019,according to Mashed. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the fall of 2020, citing a huge decline in dine-in business and trouble negotiating rent relief with landlords. Most closed early in the health crisis, including Souplantation, which declared bankruptcy in May. Number 8860726. While the buffet is mocked for purportedly having low-quality food choices, its a place that many have special memories of and will miss if it disappears. to reopen as many Furrs as possible, contingent upon pandemic restrictions and landlord negotiations, she said. April 21, 2021 Ben Coley. The company faces stiff competition from other buffet chains, as well as from fast casual restaurants that offer made-to-order meals. Hometown Buffet in Beaverton, OR WEAK MANAGEMENT "Was suppose to have a business meeting at this branch in Elk Grove California Arrival-ed at 10:45." Hometown Buffet in Elk Grove, CA complete buffet "very nice buffet.. had a late lunch, paid the lunch price at 215, then at 300 dinner items were p." Hometown Buffet in St Louis, MO Hometown Buffet was founded in 1983 and was based in Downey, California. Amanda has a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree in digital journalism from Loyola University Chicago. Find a Hometown Buffet near you or see all Hometown Buffet locations. Since then, Hometown Buffet has continued to close locations and is now down to just over 30 restaurants. It may be the end of an era for one of Americas favorite places to fill up and then some: the buffet. } else { By Jonathan Maze on May 14, 2020. Is this the end of the buffet? - Restaurant Business Like its sister chains, it was in deep trouble before the pandemic hit, and Google News was full of stories detailing the abrupt closings of local restaurants. You can buy the iconic soup bowl on Amazon. There are also other operations outside of restaurants that rely on self-serving stations, which include grocery stores like Whole Foods. The parent company of Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation has gone into liquidation, and the two largest Golden Corral franchisees pursued debt protection. The VitaNova spokeswoman said the recovery of buffet-style restaurants will depend upon the easing of dining restrictions. We've already established that Old Country Buffet isn't a great choice for anyone who's watching their diet, but the chain has a reputation for being unhealthy in a whole other way, too. The decline of the buffet is due to a variety of factors, including the rise of health consciousness and the popularity of healthy eating, the rise of food delivery and takeaway options, and the increasing cost of food. Do not sell my personal infoPrivacy PolicyContact UsRSS. You may not think buffet when you think Pizza Hut, and thats exactly what the company wants. if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { There is no word yet on other buffets opening back up at places like Whole Foods and some hotel chains. Two of the largest Golden Corral franchisees filed for bankruptcy since the pandemic began, and one of them shut down 16 locations permanently. Unfortunately, despite the national spotlight, the franchise has continued to close up shops. Hometown Buffet is a chain of all-you-can-eat buffet-style restaurants. Is Hometown Buffet Out of Business - Chartresource Eater reported that Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (which cost $100 million to design) is allocating $2.4 million to remodel the area, with changes that will affect food counters and service equipment. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. 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. But now the pandemic is forcing them to shift away from the buffet into a service model. I remember being in this really fancy, sort of posh buffet environment, and my sister and I standing there in front of the shrimp, loading our plates up, Small said, laughing. The latest from Restaurant Business, sent straight to your inbox. In addition, many consumers are now looking for restaurants that offer healthy options, something that mostbuffets lack. The publication noted that former parent company Buffets Inc. had 650 locations in 2006. Sadly, in 2020, the pandemic-battered company announced plans to liquidate, and closed all locations by June 2022. All-you-can-eat buffets are no longer as popular as they once were, and many restaurants are struggling toadapt to this change. At one point the only thing Americans loved more than eating, was eating at a buffet. Hometown Buffet lists 20 locations in California on its website, where it describes the liquidated restaurants as reopening soon.