Once-Struggling Buffet Restaurant Chains Making A Comeback

Most people have dined at a buffet-style restaurant at least once in their lives. These establishments are ideal for groups with picky eaters in tow as well as diners seeking a hearty meal on a budget. While they may not hold the same sway they once did with consumers, a few have experienced renewed popularity after the rise and fall of all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. Consider that many struggling chain restaurants in general, including Olive Garden and Pizza Hut, have made comebacks recently, showing that it's possible to turn things around. 

We did a little digging and uncovered a few buffet chains that also seem to be on an upward trajectory after experiencing some setbacks. Cicis Pizza, Golden Corral, and Mr Gatti's Pizza have all been making waves as of late, whether celebrating major milestones, working on brand updates, or embarking on continued growth and expansion.

It's a challenging time for the restaurant industry due to an unpredictable economic climate. Yet, buffets offer the novelty of getting to choose from a wide variety of dishes, which could give them a slight advantage over more traditional, full-service restaurants.

Cicis Pizza is a family-focused buffet restaurant that offers access to fun game rooms and a variety of pizza as well as other foods. The restaurant made its debut in Texas in 1985 and now operates locations throughout approximately 30 states.

While you'd be hard pressed to find a person who doesn't enjoy the tempting combo of all-you-can-eat pizza and arcade games, Cicis has faced some substantial obstacles. For example, Cicis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2021, citing the effects of the pandemic as a major reason since the pizza chain's dine-in service is its primary draw.

However, things definitely improved for Cicis in the ensuing years. In 2024, the brand actively sought franchisees to continue its expansion. And this year, Cicis Pizza celebrates its 40th anniversary, indicating its staying power. PMQ Pizza also ranked the restaurant as the 16th largest pizza chain in the U.S. in 2025, an impressive showing when you consider the top spots are occupied by huge brands like Domino's, Pizza Hut, and Little Caesars.

Founded in North Carolina in 1973, it's safe to say that Golden Corral played a big role in popularizing the buffet concept in America. It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the chain, but Golden Corral was able to pull itself from restaurant ruin resulting from the waning desire for buffet-style dining and allegations of poor sanitary practices.

Additionally, the restaurant capably weathered challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting its buffet concept by having servers portion out food to customers to limit exposure. This willingness to adapt is ushering in a brand-new era for the restaurant.  

For instance, Golden Corral is executing a new unified commerce platform to make for a smoother operational process across the chain. It's also experimenting with a tweaked and rebranded version of its buffet concept, which was originally dubbed "Homeward Kitchen" but now goes by "Golden Corral Favorites" to maintain brand association. This concept is closer to a fast-casual dining model in that restaurants will feature drive-thrus to accommodate convenience-minded customers. As for the menu, dishes will be taken directly from Golden Corral's buffet lineup — much to the delight of existing patrons.

Mr Gatti's Pizza earned a place on our list of pizza buffets that still exist today, alongside Cicis Pizza and select Pizza Hut locations. The chain, which is primarily situated in the South, was founded in Austin, Texas, in 1969 and has steadily grown since ... at least, mostly.

The restaurant fell on hard times in 2019 when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, at which point the chain owed creditors between $10 million and $50 million. However, the brand emphasized that its sales figures were robust at the time of the filing and that the financial problems it experienced resulted from challenges with its lender. 

These days, Mr Gatti's Pizza has improved its fortunes, as it continues to expand to new locations. At the close of 2024, the restaurant boasted 234 new locations (either in development or already opened) and experienced a .4% boost in sales. The chain has also struck a deal with Walmart that will result in 12 new locations being developed inside Walmart stores throughout Oklahoma and Texas. These in-store Mr Gatti's Pizza locations should be up and running by the end of 2025.