After the closure of the Buffet at Luxor on March 30, only seven buffets remain on the Las Vegas Strip, down from as many as 70 that dominated the tourist corridor in their heyday.
Changing consumer tastes, mounting costs and the pandemic drastically reduced an attraction that was once ubiquitous: fixed-price, self-serve, all-you-can-eat meals from dawn to late night.
The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars, designed for $100 million and open since 2012, remains the gold standard of the largest remaining buffets. More than 250 menu items, including daily chef's specials, are presented in a nicely appointed, 25,000-square-foot space. There are 10 kitchens and nine stations throughout the venue.
"No doubt about it, [it has the] widest variety, smoothest running operation, just of getting a lot of people in, a lot of people out, making sure they have fantastic food while they're there," said Al Mancini, a Las Vegas food writer for more than two decades.
Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan is best known for routinely having individually plated servings (which also helped limit waste) when it opened in 2011.
Although buffets are "utilitarian" and generally not designed to appeal to foodies, Wynn and Bellagio on the luxury end "have enough special touches" to make them worthy of consideration, Mancini said.
MGM Grand, Circus Circus and Excalibur, all with limited hours, also still offer buffets on the Strip. And beyond there, South Point farther south on Las Vegas Boulevard; Ayce at the Palms just west of the Strip; Main Street Station downtown; and the suburban Rampart Casino are among the other properties where guests can still enjoy buffets.
Why they were popular
At their height, buffets attracted those who were on a budget and wanted something quick, Mancini said. The variety also appealed to those dining in larger groups, those who wanted to try new foods and those traveling with children with sometimes finicky appetites.
"It's a chance to try new things without committing to them," said Mancini, creator of Las Vegas restaurant guide NeonFeast.com. "If you go to a food court and you decide you want to try a banh mi (a Vietnamese sandwich) for the first time, it's not an expensive purchase. But if you don't like it, you just wasted your money on a banh mi. If you go to a buffet and you decide you want to try Mongolian barbecue for the first time and you hate it, then no problem. Throw it away. Get something else.
Like long-gone 99-cent shrimp cocktails, buffets are part of Las Vegas' lore, Mancini said.
"There's something very Vegas about the excess of filling your tray all the way to the top with something and walking it back to your table with no concern over whether you're going to finish it at all," Mancini said. "It is pure Scrooge McDuck excess, and that is what people come to Las Vegas for. It offers people that chance to just feel like what they think it means to be super rich."
Often featuring food inspired from around the world, buffets historically were designed to retain gamblers on property and cater to late-night crowds. But what began as loss leaders for resorts became increasingly sophisticated and more expensive with special meat or seafood dishes on certain nights. And the lines to get in and get that first tray often became longer.
"They got so popular that the competition to create the super buffet, or the most luxurious buffet, got so high that they were no longer inexpensive and they were no longer quick," Mancini said.
As the number of buffets withered, Vegas attracted more celebrity chefs and became more of a foodie destination. The spaces that used to house buffets became food courts or halls, with several vendors competing to satisfy guests' appetites. Food halls still have the speed, variety and low price points, but they can also feature celebrity chefs, Mancini said.
Aria's buffet, for example, turned into Proper Eats Food Hall. The Rio turned its beloved Carnival World Buffet into Canteen Food Hall. Green Valley Ranch in Henderson turned its well-regarded buffet into two traditional restaurant spaces.
Mancini said he doubts that the number of buffets is going to rebound but rather asks what's going to come in and replace the food hall. It's an evolution he likens to showgirls becoming performers such as Dita Von Teese doing burlesque and low-limit table games such as roulette and blackjack becoming animated on machines.
"Vegas is going to evolve," Mancini said. "It's always going to give people what they want, and as long as people have the buffet in their mind as part of the quintessential Las Vegas experience, there are going to be people at casinos trying to find ways to evolve them and make them more competitive with the other food offerings on the property."
Buffet tips
Check property websites or call ahead for prices, as well as hours and days of operation since most are now limited. Special seating areas, alcoholic drink add-ons and packages in which items are brought to the table may be available.
Loyalty club members frequently get discounts or line passes at buffets. Line passes, for an extra charge, are available at others. Some buffets offer free or reduced rates for children. Prices typically increase throughout the day and on weekends.
A few tips for eating at buffets: Guests should be aware of any time limits, often 90 minutes to two hours; guests must always get a fresh plate when they return to the self-serve food area; guests are still expected to tip the attendants, who remove the plates from tables and serve beverages; guests are discouraged from taking food out, and there are no to-go boxes; rather than filling up on pastas, breads and sugary, carbonated beverages, guests can find more value by seeking the proteins found at the omelet, meat-carving, seafood and other specialty stations.