“Buffets have always been a big attraction because offering cheap eats gets people in the doors.

Stutz said buffets have long been a popular amenity at casinos, but fear of the coronavirus has reduced demand for the self-service eateries where hundreds, if not thousands, of people might touch the same serving utensils every day. Golden Acorn Casino doesn’t have a buffet.Ĭasinos in Las Vegas began reopening Thursday at reduced capacity, but so far none have announced plans to relaunch their buffets, according to Howard Stutz, executive editor of the Las Vegas-based industry publication CDC Gaming Reports. Casino Pauma, the last local casino to reoen for business will return on Friday but without its buffet. And officials had no comment on when or whether the buffets will reopen at Pala Casino, Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center and Pechanga Casino Resort in Temecula. Sycuan Casino officials say they’ll be making several changes to their buffet, but it will be one of the last amenites to reopen at the El Cajon resort. Barona has temporarily turned its buffet dining room into a smoking room during its phased reopening. Now, the buffet restaurant is being operated as a sit-down cafe with a la carte ordering.Īll the other local casinos have yet to announce reopening dates for the buffets. But on Monday, a reservations clerk said by phone that the all-you-can-eat buffet concept closed on Friday, June 5.

When Viejas reopened in May, it was offering all-you-can-eat service in its 550-seat buffet on Fridays-Sundays only. (Pam Kragen / The San Diego Union-Tribune) The exceptions, at least so far, are casinos in Jamul, Alpine and Valley Center, that are offering an all-you-can-eat menu in their reduced-capacity buffet dining rooms, but with seated table service. Most of the region’s tribal-run casinos have reopened for business in the past two weeks, but virtually all of their buffets remain closed. Some will never return, like San Diego’s 42-year-old Souplantation restaurant chain, which announced the permanent closure of its 97 restaurants in May. Roadside billboards from El Cajon to Rainbow regularly promoted endless portions of lobster tails, crab legs and prime rib at absurdly low prices.īut because buffets have been linked worldwide to coronavirus transmissions, all self-service restaurants have been closed nationwide since pandemic shutdowns began in mid-March. As competition for visitor dollars has heated up between local casinos in recent years, one of the most-popular ways the Indian-run gaming venues have built customer loyalty is their all-you-can-eat buffets.

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