Golden Corral closes buffet restaurant locations across six states
Golden Corral has been closing restaurants across the U.S., but the buffet chain is not exactly waving the white flag. Over the past nine months, six Golden Corral locations have shut down across several states, including Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Idaho and Texas. While that might sound like the beginning of a bigger retreat, the company says it's still growing.
Golden Corral told USA TODAY that six new restaurants are currently in development, with two already under construction. The chain also expects to keep expanding into 2027, and some of the locations that recently closed could eventually reopen under new franchise owners.
Six locations have closed
The closures have happened for different reasons, and some locations simply disappeared without the owners publicly explaining why. The Canton, Ohio, restaurant closed Feb. 1 after serving the community for more than 20 years. In Alton, Illinois, the location shut down April 30 after its owners said it was no longer financially sustainable.
Davenport, Iowa, followed on July 6, while the Boynton Beach, Florida, restaurant closed July 26 after its lease ended and the business underwent operational changes. The Boise, Idaho, location closed in September without a publicly stated reason. Then came Brownsville, Texas, where the restaurant closed Sept. 14. Its franchise owner reportedly pointed to required renovations and rising costs, including rent.
Golden Corral is still building new restaurants
Despite the closures, Golden Corral is also putting money into expansion. Two new locations are currently under construction in Knoxville, Tennessee and Kissimmee, Florida. Four more are in the pre-construction phase in Baytown, Texas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Spanish Fort, Alabama; and St. Petersburg, Florida. The company says many of the recently closed locations could also reopen if new franchise owners take them over.
Texas still dominates the Golden Corral map
Golden Corral's footprint remains pretty massive. Texas currently has the most locations, with 47 restaurants, while Florida follows with 31 and North Carolina has 26. Georgia has 18, California has 17 and Virginia has 14.
There are also 12 locations each in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, while several states have only one Golden Corral left, including Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
The buffet isn't dead
The closures do show the pressure facing restaurant operators, particularly when rent, renovations and other operating costs start eating into the business. But Golden Corral's expansion plans tell a different story from a chain that's simply disappearing. With six new restaurants in development and more potential franchise takeovers ahead, the company seems to be betting that there's still plenty of appetite for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
So if your local Golden Corral recently vanished, don't assume the entire chain is on its way out. It may simply be a change of address.
Source: USA Today
