Sherry Buenrostro from La Nacional Mexican Buffet knows that firsthand. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcyin the fall of 2020, citing a huge decline in dine-in business and trouble negotiating rent relief with landlords. Fresh Acquisitions LLC and 14 other affiliated companies which collectively own Old Country Buffet, Ryan's, HomeTown Buffet, Country Buffet and Fire Mountain, Furr's and Tahoe Joe's . At one point the only thing Americans loved more than eating, was eating at a buffet. Yet buffets might be in a bind for a while. All-you-can-eat buffets are a dying breed. The buffet chain, which was founded in 1983, was once a staple of American dining, but it had fallen on hard times in recent years. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and was purchased by Ovation Brands in 2009. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. The company is privately owned, by Investors Management Corp., a company chaired by the same man who opened the first location. Two days later Chris experienced renal failure and septic shock. It may be the end of an era for one of Americas favorite places to fill up and then some: the buffet. Most guests point out that the staff is courteous here. See all (3) Enhance this page - Upload photos! Undercooked chicken is no joke. 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. Today's healthier eating trends are better for us, but horrible for all-you-can eat chains like Old Country Buffet. By then the parent company, Buffets, Inc. had been acquired by Ovation Brands. 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. In addition, the restaurant offers seasonal specialties and uniquely prepared desserts. Why buffets are meaningful to a lot of Americans. Representatives from Ovation didn't even show up for the first hearing. It gets worse. But if more families are opting to sleep in on Sunday mornings, it's probable they're just eating lunch at home. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); Reference: hometown buffet closing 2020. https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2021/04/21/owners-of-classic-buffet-brands-declare-bankruptcy.html, 10 Ways Shopping at an Online Pharmacy Will Save You Time and Money, Where Do You See Your Business in 5 Years Time. That means. Here's a look at all the once-mighty buffet chains that have recently closed locations or disappeared altogether. DOWNEY Hometown Buffet has permanently closed its Downey location, effective Nov. 6. On Monday, a sign on the front door of the restaurant in the Shasta Crossroads center on Churn Creek Road. The company has not said if they will be sold or simply shuttered. Related: 22 Things You Didn't Know About Jell-O. In 2014, The Gages sued Old Country Buffet and Ovation Brands for permanent damage to his health and medical costs associated with treating salmonella poisoning. Last August, VitaNova, which previously had been known as Food Management Partners, said it was converting some of Furrs locations to the AYCE Marketplace concept, which features a table-service, all-you-can-eat offering. Visitors don't highly appreciate ice cream and chocolate frappe at HomeTown Buffet. Sign up here. Yes, Sizzler is still around, and the pandemic hasn't made it any easier for this throwback of a steakhouse and buffet chain to hold on. By the time FMP Management bought the company (then called Ovation Brands) in 2015, the company only had 300 locations, and it declared bankruptcy again in 2016. Now the world (and its many cuisines) is at your lazy fingertips. Like several other closed buffet chains, though, its store count dwindled in recent years as fast-casual dining started to dominate. The chains website shows 11 open locations, a stark decline from the 28 that K&W hadbefore the pandemic. The buffet industry has seen better days. The company has recently announced that it will be closing all of its Hometown Buffet locations, including their flagship location in Downey, California. Yes, they do have a wide variety of food choices at Old Country Buffet but they don't really specialize in any of it. 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. Ovation brands also owns Old Country Buffet, Ryans Grill, Fire Mountain, and Tahoe Joes Famous Steakhouse. While Tristano said this crisis doesnt necessarily spell the end of the buffet as a concept, he foresees many of these restaurants closing. 2023 Minnesota Public Radio. After all, a buffet's most enticing factor is the one price, all you can eat aspectand, of course, the endless opportunities to go for second helpings. Guidelines like these are either pushing buffets to shut down entirely, like in Souplantations case, or at the very least, prompting both nationwide chains and local buffets to alter their business model and restaurant design. Competing chains Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes have been through a bankruptcy filing, and the parent company of Old Country Buffet and HomeTown Buffet has been through multiple such filings. The company also lists multiple disputed breach of lease claims totaling more than $2 million, as well as several other rent and sales tax debts. The chain is known for its all-you-can-eat buffet style, which allows customers to sample a variety of dishes. 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. Hometown Buffet is a buffet-style restaurant chain with locations across the United States. Addressing federal recommendations would require a vastly different model than the one theyve employed. According to an article published by the San Antonio Business Journal, no HomeTown Buffet locations remain open. For example, more expensive protein items like fish or beef are available in smaller portion sizes and further down the line, after they give us access to huge, heaping portions of the cheap stuff like rice and potatoes. Buffets, Inc. which includes the chains Old Country Buffet, Hometown Buffet and Ryans is also looking at new ways of operating, and may move towards one-on-one service, according to a spokesperson from Buffets parent company, Food Management Partners. As a result of these factors, Hometown Buffet has closed many of its locations in recent years. Have no fear; weve compiled a list of all the Hometown Buffet locations. 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. By 2017, another poll indicated that the rate of weekly church attendance was down to 38 percent. Not all closed, to be sure:Sizzler isstill operating with a takeout menu,for instance. 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. Why did HomeTown Buffet close? 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. Restaurant Business reported on HomeTown Buffet and its sibling chainsTahoe Joes, Old Country Buffet, Ryans, Fire Mountain, and Furrsin April 2021. Theyre redoing their menu, paying more staff to attend to customers, and trying to partner with delivery services to boost takeout sales. Gage's salmonella poisoning was particularly severe because of a pre-existing health condition. The kitchens are semi-open and the aisles in the dining area are wider. Hometown Buffet is a chain of restaurants that offers a buffet-style meal including all-you-can-eat food and drink. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Food-poisoning cases have also affected the reputation of buffets, with Souplantation experiencing an E. Coli outbreak in 2007 and one Old Country Buffet diner getting infected with Salmonella in 2010. Hometown Buffet is a buffet-style restaurant chain downey with locations across the United States. The leaders of Golden Corral are clearly very loyal to the brand. Reopening regulations and consumer skittishness could force changes in thesubsector that had been in decline for some time. Offers may be subject to change without notice. On October 1, 2010, Nebraska couple Chris and Heather Gage dined at an Old Country Buffet in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Similarly, many other buffet concepts shut their doors, including Sweet Tomatoes, HomeTown Buffet, Old Country Buffet and others. I think its a permanent change. This shift in consumer behavior has had a negative impact on Hometown Buffets business, and the company has struggled to keep up with its competition. Eli Lilly announced a cap on insulin costs. The company is compensating all vacation, sick time, and any other benefits. Four locations of these buffet restaurants in three states are officially closed. The leaders of Golden Corral are clearly very loyal to the brand. Anyone who's trying to shed some pounds might see images of endless bins of greasy food as a straight-up recipe for fatness, so more than likely, they're staying away. This buffet chain serving endless pizza, salad, and dessert has been going strong for more than 60 years and still has dozens of restaurants spread across the South. Auction Nation has held recent auctions at Hometown Buffets in other states. Long gone are the days when you can only order pizza or Chinese food to your front door. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e. Scott left in 1989 to start HomeTown Buffet, but the two chains merged in September 1996. Those concepts might have an easier adjustment to the new reality. On top of all that, Tristano said many buffets occupy spaces with a very large square footage, which means higher rent. New service models have been developed to comply with variations in local guidelines and provide our guests an enjoyable Golden Corral experience. Ovation Brands, which used to operate Old Country Buffet and Hometown Buffet, filed for bankruptcy three times between 2008 and 2016. At this restaurant, clients can try nicely cooked fried chicken, pot roast and roasted chicken. Hit hard by the pandemic, parent company Garden Fresh Restaurants subsequently filed for bankruptcy, opting to liquidateall of the sister chains 97 locations. The restaurant also has a take-out option. You just sit down and go get your food, Torres said. The . HomeTown Buffet and several affiliated buffet chains on Monday filed for its third Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in eight years, according to court documents, potentially affecting more . Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. There have only been three CEOs in the entire history of the chain, which was founded in 1973 in North Carolina. By Jonathan Maze on May 14, 2020. The concept of the buffet, which was once popular among restaurants, is now declining in popularity. And who could blame them? Nation's Restaurant News is part of the Informa Connect Division of Informa PLC. single But other major chains are still trying to preserve the options theyve typically offered. The VitaNova spokeswoman said the recovery of buffet-style restaurants will depend upon the easing of dining restrictions. The locations are permanently closed as of Oct. 9. Federal recommendations on reopening restaurants note that they should discontinue self-service operations. Buffets, like many other businesses throughout the U.S., have closed out of safety precautions, and may not be able to return once the COVID-19 crisis is over. The company was based in Downey, California. MoviePass is coming back, but are moviegoers? Another fond memory: her grandma taking out some paper napkins and wrapping up a few dinner rolls to go. As of 2019, there are 97 Hometown Buffet locations across the United States. Asked about the fate of other banners, the spokeswoman said it was up to the courts.. Related:Age Pays: 130+ Senior Discounts (Some Starting at Age 50!). The chains new owners hope to turn things around with more of a focus on delivery. By Jonathan Maze on Jun. Since then, Hometown Buffet has continued to close locations and is now down to just over 30 restaurants. When the pandemic started, Fresh Acquisitionsonce a subsidiary of FMP Managementhad 90 restaurants between HomeTown and the other brands. So many people are skipping buffets that this sector of the industry is declining more than you might think. But now the pandemic is forcing them to shift away from the buffet into a service model. every day. Broad-menu buffet concepts now face a longer timeline for that reopening. The parent company of Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation has gone into liquidation, and the two largest Golden Corral franchisees pursued debt protection. HomeTown Buffet. Parent company VitaNova Brands, based in San Antonio, Texas, announced the closures, saying it allows them to focus on a new line of restaurants. Hometown Buffet operated 123 locations in 26 states across the United States. According to its website, there currently are 14 Ryan's buffet locations in 10 states. 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. It's never a great idea to eat food that's been sitting out. And any diet-conscious person who does eat at Old Country Buffet will likely cost the chain money, so that's not any better. 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There is less environmental impact if you transport produce from the local farm instead of trucking it across the country. advice every day. "This was an incredibly difficult decision but these locations were already suffering from declining sales before the pandemic," Jason Kemp, the VitaNova Brands president says in a statement, "with expiring leases without our ability to extend under favorable terms, we needed to make the tough call to redirect our resources to other locations in order to continue to operate our restaurants under our new concept of AYCE (all-you-can-eat) and Marketplace.". 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. The guidelines also mention buffets that use common utensils or dispensers.. Hometown Buffet provides families a friendly environment to gather for a meal. Real talk: People also probably feel classier eating at Golden Corral since the word "buffet" isn't in the name. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); It opened an additional seven locations and now has 489, and average unit volumes increased. Five locations reopened as "AYCE Marketplaces" in summer 2020. These closures signal a change in the way that people are choosing to dine out. Simply click on the Hometown Buffet location below to find out where it is located and if it received positive reviews. buffet restaurants have been hit hard by the rise of fast casual chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread, which offer fresh, made-to-order food at a similar price point. At the beginning of October, news surfaced that Metro Corral Partners, which owns over 24 locations of the iconic buffet and grill Golden Corral, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The endless scroll struggle is real. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. Its not easy for them to just shift gears and operate like conventional restaurants or start making deliveries, especially during a pandemic (with Round Table Pizza being an exception). Buffet restaurants have faced many challenges in recent years, from increasing food costs to competition from fast casual restaurants. } April 21, 2021 Ben Coley. And many of them already had financial problems and limited options from potential investors from the get-go.