As of early 2020, there are only six Hometown Buffet locations still in business. 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. But by April 2021, only six locations were open, all of which were Tahoe Joes steakhouses, according to Restaurant Business. As of 2019, there are 97 Hometown Buffet locations across the United States. Sherry Buenrostro has operated La Nacional Mexican Buffet in Columbus, Georgia, along with her husband and parents-in-law, for nearly 20 years. He underwent a two-week hospital stint and multiple surgeries, and as of 2015 remained in constant chronic pain. Cheapism may earn a commission if you buy through a link on our site. The leaders of Golden Corral are clearly very loyal to the brand. Will this be the end of an era? EIN: 41-0953924. Though there may still be hope for a reimagined Furrs to emerge as an all-you-can-eat marketplace,theres little evidence that any locations survived the Fresh Acquisitions bankruptcy. Hometown Buffet is a restaurant that has been in business for over 20 years, but they announced on their website that they will be closing down in 2020. However, in recent years, the company had been struggling financially and had been forced to close down several locations. The concept of the buffet, which was once popular among restaurants, is now declining in popularity. 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. It's never a great idea to eat food that's been sitting out. Golden Corral Corporation reached out to ETNT! As always, the safety of our teams, guests, and communities remains our highest priority. The companys closure leaves Golden Corral as the only major national buffet chain still in operation. Check out this old Old Country Buffet training video. Buffets also make a point to use smaller serving utensils with the more expensive grub. Choice overload is a thing, which is why niche restaurants are so popular in a time period when our choices are endless. Does Ryan's still exist? Theyre redoing their menu, paying more staff to attend to customers, and trying to partner with delivery services to boost takeout sales. To stay up-to-date on all restaurant news, sign up for our daily newsletter! Per USA Today, the acquisition was a little shaky, with sales falling 22 percent below Ovations' expectations. Parent company VitaNova Brands, based in San Antonio, Texas, announced the closures, saying it allows them to focus on a new line of restaurants. We have no immediate plans to reopen any of the buffet brands, he said, reports Restaurant Business. The company was founded in 1984 in Downey, California, and currently has more than 200 locations. Fielding Buck has reported throughout Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles. ToGoKitchens.com, which offers brands owned by VitaNova. Since buffets tend to cut as many corners as possible when it comes to buying their food, it's safe to say they aren't exactly making eggs from local farmers their number one priority. Hometown Buffet is a chain of restaurants that offers a buffet-style meal including all-you-can-eat food and drink. There are also other operations outside of restaurants that rely on self-serving stations, which include grocery stores like Whole Foods. 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. 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. In the bankruptcy filing, Fresh Acquisitions listed its largest unsecured creditor as supplier Dynamic Foods of Lubbock, Texas, which is owed about $4 million. The California auctions began on Dec. 7 with such items as dining tables, childrens booster seats, and Easter decorations with bidding often starting at a few dollars. 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. All-you-can-eat buffets are ripe with chances to pick up bacteria and illnesses, and the general public is wising up to this knowledge. The demise of Hometown Buffet is a sign of how much the all-you-can-eat buffet model has fallen out of favor with American diners. 3790 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005-2050 +1 503-627-0336 Website Menu. Similarly, many other buffet concepts shut their doors, including Sweet Tomatoes, HomeTown Buffet, Old Country Buffet and others. Pizza Huts dine-in restaurants, most of which feature menu service and an all-you-can eat buffet, used to be the cornerstone of the chain, but theyre quickly fading into oblivion. The Hometown Buffet closure is just the latest in a string of buffet-style restaurant closures. That doesn't include its sister restaurants, Hometown Buffet and Ryan's. I dont know how long we will last because were very small, she said. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. 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. You know how sometimes there are so many choices of shows and movies to watch now, that you can't even make a decision and end up not watching anything? Buffets are able to cut costs by focusing on the behavioral psychology of how we eat at a buffet. if( navigator.sendBeacon ) { Sign up here. If the family does go to church and eat afterward, they're probably eating atChipotle afterwards. The company is based in Downey, California. According to a neurologist that testified at the August 2014 court hearing, Chris suffered brain damage from the salmonella, which has resulted in persistent nausea, balance issues, coordination issues, cognitive defects, emotional control issues, and speech problems. Home Town Buffet was a subsidiary of VitaNova Brands. This once-ubiquitous buffet was among the chains that shuttered as a result of parent company Fresh Acquisitions bankruptcy in 2021. For a list of stores that were open prior to this change, please contact our Customer Service . But it, too, was already struggling, and was ultimately brought down for good in parent company Fresh Acquisitions bankruptcy. Hometown Buffets decline began in earnest in 2010, when the company was sold by its parent corporation ( buffets, Inc.) to an investor group led by Food Management Partners. VitaNova Brands, which manages Fresh Acquisitions restaurants through an agreement with the company, is providing a debtor-in-possession loan of $3.5 million, and said it would focus on operating the Tahoe Joes and Furrs AYCE Marketplace banners going forward. California alone has 23. Ovation brands also owns Old Country Buffet, Ryans Grill, Fire Mountain, and Tahoe Joes Famous Steakhouse. From the kitchens, items include ice machines, deep fryers and dented serving pans. However, one thing is clear: the days of the all-you-can-eat buffet may be numbered. Hometown Buffet is a buffet-style restaurant chain downey with locations across the United States. Hometown Buffet operated 123 locations in 26 states across the United States. St aint been right since they closed down HomeTown Buffet, one person tweeted in Sept. 2020. Auctions in Bell Gardens, Covina, and Montebello close Wednesday, Dec. 16 while an auction in Burbank closes Friday, Dec. 18. The VitaNova spokeswoman said the recovery of buffet-style restaurants will depend upon the easing of dining restrictions. 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. The restaurant offered all-you-can-eat buffet dining for a set price. } else { Despite their best attempts, it's not easy to keep it warm enough or cool enough to avoid bacterial growth. There are also 16 Old Country Buffets locations in 10 states. There have only been three CEOs in the entire history of the chain, which was founded in 1973 in North Carolina. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the buffet-style restaurants closed in March 2020. Below are the latest Hometown Buffet menu prices. Sadly, in 2020, the pandemic-battered company announced plans to liquidate, and closed all locations by June 2022. I feel like just to still have a business to come back to, to still have my employees back with me that definitely is a positive, she said. The loss of this restaurant chain has certainly not gone unnoticed online. Hometown Buffet is a buffet-style restaurant chain with locations across the United States. All restaurants burn through cash when they are closed. 13 reviews $$ - $$$ American. Last week, the buffet chain . Hometown Buffet provides families a friendly environment to gather for a meal. Related:Local Burger Chains the Rest of the Country Needs. By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 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. The judge granted the Gages $11.37 million when lawyers failed to respond in timely manner. Note: Cheapism does not accept or publish guest blog posts. A majority of these are reopening soon. Five locations reopened as "AYCE Marketplaces" in summer 2020. Sales last year increased 0.8%, though unit count declined 1.2%, according to Technomic. According to Gallup polling, the 42 percent of adults polled said they attended church in 2008. FMP also scooped up Furrs in 2015 after that chain declared bankruptcy the year prior. 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. Visitors don't highly appreciate ice cream and chocolate frappe at HomeTown Buffet. At this restaurant, clients can try nicely cooked fried chicken, pot roast and roasted chicken. with the below statement: Metro Corral Partners, a Golden Corral franchise entity, notified us in advance of their intention to file voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization. The closure of Hometown Buffet is just the latest example of a once-popular restaurant chain struggling to stay afloat in recent years. Okay, so if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again and again. Three states have 28 Hometown Buffets. Another fond memory: her grandma taking out some paper napkins and wrapping up a few dinner rolls to go. Amid the recession of the mid-2000s, however, Buffets declared bankruptcy in 2008 and again in 2012. While Tristano said this crisis doesnt necessarily spell the end of the buffet as a concept, he foresees many of these restaurants closing. According to its website, there currently are 14 Ryan's buffet locations in 10 states. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. On top of all that, Tristano said many buffets occupy spaces with a very large square footage, which means higher rent. Bidding at the website Auction Nation closed at noon Monday, Dec. 14, on restaurants in Lakewood, Loma Linda, and Torrance. But as restaurant chains have become more sophisticated, diners have become more selective about where they choose to eat. Anyone who wants to eat local is more than likely going somewhere other than Old Country Buffet and the number of people that applies to is steadily rising. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. 25, 2018. Winsight is a leading B2B information services company focused on the food and beverage industry, providing insight and market intelligence to business leaders in every channel consumers buy food and beverage convenience stores, grocery retailing, restaurants and noncommercial foodservice through media, events, data products, advisory services, and trade shows. There is less environmental impact if you transport produce from the local farm instead of trucking it across the country. Even if Old Country Buffet did start partnering with Uber Eats, it seems like something that wouldn't work well. 5. All restaurants burn through cash when they are closed. As with many restaurants on this list, HomeTown Buffet has faced bankruptcy in the past. Related:Age Pays: 130+ Senior Discounts (Some Starting at Age 50!). Just like streaming services and at-home theater systems make you never want to leave your house to see movies anymore, delivery apps are making dining at restaurants, including Old Country Buffet, seem obsolete. The new owners immediately began closing down locations, and by 2013, the chain had shrunk to just over half its size. Farm-to-table menus full of sustainable, locally sourced ingredients are all the rage now. 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 . The first Lubys opened in the 40s, and the chain ballooned to more than 200 locationsin the mid-90s. PLEASE NOTE: This company's store count has changed due to COVID-19 related circumstances. There have only been three CEOs in the entire history of the chain, which was founded in 1973 in North Carolina. Hometown Buffet locations that closed earlier this fall include Downey and Hemet. Sales at the chain were down 62%in 2020. Trying to find a Hometown Buffet? var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); The chain was founded in 1984 and currently has locations in 34 states. By then the parent company, Buffets, Inc. had been acquired by Ovation Brands. Yet another pizza buffet thats had a rough go of it, Gattis is primarily a Southern chain that prides itself on freshness, and most locations have game rooms to draw in kids. One of the big differences between the chains, according to Restaurant Business, is consistency in ownership. Hit hard by the pandemic, parent company Garden Fresh Restaurants subsequently filed for bankruptcy, opting to liquidateall of the sister chains 97 locations. 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. That goes right to the basic model of the buffet concept, which is based on the idea of allowing consumers to get an endless supply of food whenever theyve emptied their plates. Get todays need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence. The company was founded in 1983 and has been in business for over 35 years. By the time the pandemic hit, it had only 16 locations in four states. It opened seven new locations in 2017,and sales rose 3.7 percent. However, in recent years, the company has been struggling to keep up with the changing landscape of the restaurant industry. The restaurant also has a take-out option. 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. If Old Country Buffet wants to start offering exotic grain bowls, baby kale salad, and artisanal ice cream with savory flavors, maybe it can stand a chance. 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. Try our delicious grill. But Cicis sales declined 1.4%. 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. The company plansto reopen as many Furrs as possible, contingent upon pandemic restrictions and landlord negotiations, she said. Hometown Buffet has been a staple in the community for over 30 years, but its recently closed its doors. Long gone are the days when you can only order pizza or Chinese food to your front door. 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 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 Copyright 2023 Market Realist. The company is compensating all vacation, sick time, and any other benefits. All-you-can-eat buffets have also come under fire for being wasteful and contributing to rising obesity rates. Restaurant Business reported on HomeTown Buffet and its sibling chainsTahoe Joes, Old Country Buffet, Ryans, Fire Mountain, and Furrsin April 2021. Some businesses are getting creative in order to survive, with one St. Louis grocery store converting their salad bar into a mini-booze bottle buffet. 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. The competition for takeout and off-premise food is very high. And who could blame them? But BBQ Holdings CEO Jeff Crivello said a day after the auction that the buffet restaurants would stay closed. All four haven't seen a customer since. Then Old Country Buffet declared bankruptcy a third time in 2016 (so much for inspiration from Aaliyah). The parent company of Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation has gone into liquidation, and the two largest Golden Corral franchisees pursued debt protection. By Jonathan Maze on May 14, 2020. After the 2008 Chapter 11 filing, the chain reduced some of its 626 locations and slashed debt by a whopping $700 million. That makes Golden Corrals performance fairly impressive. Its the same idea: theres all this food and its a big gathering.. Get the best food tips and diet 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! All-you-can-eat buffets are also a victim of changing dietary habits. You may not think buffet when you think Pizza Hut, and thats exactly what the company wants. However, in recent years, the company has been struggling to keep up with the changing landscape of the restaurant industry. Almost $50 million in debt is weighing the parent company, 1069 Restaurant Group, down. Fresh Acquisitions and its affiliates are party to 71 restaurant leases, which include 57 locations where restaurants have ceased operations, the company said in a filing with the bankruptcy court seeking relief from its rent burden. The parent company of Furrs Fresh Buffet, Ryans, Old Country Buffet, Hometown Buffet and other concepts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week. The owner of HomeTown Buffet and other buffet dining chains filed on Monday for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, blaming a lawsuit that was not disclosed when its current owner bought the businesses in August. Chain Restaurants That Are Closing Locations, this old Old Country Buffet training video, Local Burger Chains the Rest of the Country Needs, Age Pays: 130+ Senior Discounts (Some Starting at Age 50! 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. Not all closed, to be sure: Sizzler is still operating with a takeout menu, for instance. And we're not just talking about broken froyo machines at the lunch rush. 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. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); The first Hometown Buffet opened in 1984 in San Bernardino, California. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Hometown Buffet was an American buffet restaurant chain founded in 1983. Unfortunately, despite the national spotlight, the franchise has continued to close up shops. Hometown Buffet is a chain of buffet-style restaurants founded in 1983 in Downey, California. It's been a tough year for all-you-can-eat neighborhood restaurants, and there are four other buffet closures to know about. 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