About See all 4221 South H Street Bakersfield, CA 93304 For customers hungry for a more authentic dining experience, HomeTown Buffet invites you to come as you are and experience a unique restaurant concept See more "High quality food at affordable prices in a family atmosphere. The buffet concept was created by Bill Knudson and Jerry Kent, who opened the first location in Downey in 1983. 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. Last week, the buffet chain Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes announced all 97 of its restaurants are closing permanently. Gage's salmonella poisoning was particularly severe because of a pre-existing health condition. These Adored Buffet Restaurants Are Now Closed for Good And in Nov. 2021, a third user tweeted, I havent fully been myself since HomeTown Buffet closed.. Sales at the chain were down 62%in 2020. I act like Im OK, but deep down, I miss HomeTown Buffet, another Twitter user wrote in May 2021. The restaurant also has a take-out option. The Downey, California-based company has been in operation since 1983 and currently has locations across the United States. Reservations are not required unless dining as a group or large tour. For broad-menu buffet concepts, the shutdown may well speed a complete shift away from that style of service that has been happening gradually for years. Its new owner, BBQ Holdings, is also declining to bring it back. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. 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. 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. As with almost every one of our peers, buffet restaurants took the brunt of the loss of sales during the pandemic and as such, the path to success requires hard choices to be made, including the rationalization of our overall footprint, said VitaNova Brands CEO and co-founder Jason Kemp, according to Nations Restaurant News. Sales last year increased 0.8%, though unit count declined 1.2%, according to Technomic. Buffets are able to cut costs by focusing on the behavioral psychology of how we eat at a buffet. Note: Cheapism does not accept or publish guest blog posts. That means. Can you believe there was a time when you donned your Sunday best to go to Old Country Buffet? to reopen as many Furrs as possible, contingent upon pandemic restrictions and landlord negotiations, she said. VitaNova shut down the locations in March when the coronavirus pandemic began. Hometown Buffet - CLOSED Unclaimed Review Save Share 53 reviews $$ - $$$ American 3000 Gateway St Ste 726, Springfield, OR 97477-1033 +1 541-746-3220 Website See all (13) Ratings and reviews 53 RATINGS Food Service Value Atmosphere Details CUISINES American Meals Lunch, Brunch, Breakfast, Dinner FEATURES Seating, Wheelchair Accessible According to the location finder on its site, today there are only a total of 17 Old Country Buffet restaurants left in the country, and sales were down more than 37 percent in 2017. Apparently what the Gages didn't know was that a month before they ate there, the Laramie County Health Department had fined the restaurant for 18 health violations because of others reporting sickness. Hometown Buffet has been unable to keep up with these changes and will likely continue to decline until it is eventually forced to close its doors for good. Hometown Buffet is a chain of all-you-can-eat buffet-style restaurants. HomeTown Buffet - Home - Facebook The companys closure leaves Golden Corral as the only major national buffet chain still in operation. Marketplace is a division of MPR's 501 (c)(3). Yet broad-menu buffet chains have generally struggled to adapt to thecoronavirus environment. Two of the largest Golden Corral franchisees filed for bankruptcy since the pandemic began, and one of them shut down 16 locations permanently. 1996: HomeTown Buffet is acquired. Hometown Buffet holds liquidation auctions, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Hometown Buffet holds liquidation auctions across Southern California, Wicks Brewing Co. in Riverside closing after 10 years, Shake Shack sets date for Victoria Gardens grand opening, Monday, March 13, Where to get a free Oreo Bundlet this Monday, March 6, KFC brings back Double Down, a sandwich with fried chicken replacing bread, How the cookie crumbles: Girl Scouts new Raspberry Rally sells out on the first day, Laura Whitehurst, Redlands Unified hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit, Conditions for snowed-in Crestline mobile home park pretty bleak, California home-price drops bigger than U.S. declines, San Bernardino mountain residents frustrated after volunteer helicopter efforts are restricted, Gracie Abrams behind Good Riddance message in Los Angeles sky, Dine 909: New restaurants coming to San Bernardino, Upland and Redlands, Reactions mixed as Redlands prepares to launch Morning Market on State Street, San Bernardino County restaurants shut down by health inspectors, Feb. 23-March 2, Police dog debate is barking up the wrong tree, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. It also added an online foodservice offering through ToGoKitchens.com, which offers brands owned by VitaNova. Hometown Buffet Locations Near Me + Reviews & Menu Despite its name, Hometown Buffet is not a regional chain; it has locations in almost every state except for Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of the buffet-style restaurants closed in March 2020. Fast casuals not only do a very good job with high quality and healthier fare, but many of them, like Panera Bread, are offering drive-throughs and express pick-ups, he said. (These aren't the only eateries to say goodbye to, here are 9 Restaurant Chains That Closed Hundreds of Locations This Summer.) Have no fear; we've compiled a list of all the CT Hometown Buffet locations. Like several other closed buffet chains, though, its store count dwindled in recent years as fast-casual dining started to dominate. Trying to find a Hometown Buffet? 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. 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 . Tristano noted that many buffet chains have tried to expand their business in the past by introducing takeout models, but experienced limited success. 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. By the time the pandemic hit, it had only 16 locations in four states. The company was based in Downey, California. Theyre looking for restaurants that offer fresh food, a variety of menu options, and an inviting atmosphere. In addition, many consumers are now looking for restaurants that offer healthy options, something that mostbuffets lack. St aint been right since they closed down HomeTown Buffet, one person tweeted in Sept. 2020. 2023 Minnesota Public Radio. The restaurant offered all-you-can-eat buffet dining for a set price. HomeTown Buffet was already struggling before the pandemic hit, so it's no surprise that this beloved chain has gone under. Best Hometown Buffet Near Me - Yelp All Rights Reserved. Get the best food tips and diet advice The chain is known for its all-you-can-eat buffet style, which allows customers to sample a variety of dishes. These Adored Buffet Restaurants Are Now Closed for Good, 9 Restaurant Chains That Closed Hundreds of Locations This Summer. Theyre redoing their menu, paying more staff to attend to customers, and trying to partner with delivery services to boost takeout sales. FMP expanded the chain to over 200 locations by 2000. After closing all restaurants, this list is now closed. Hometown Buffet announced that it would be closing down all of its restaurants this week, news that sent shockwaves through the already beleaguered restaurant industry. And in Las Vegas, which is known for its higher-end buffets, one resort is doling out a lot of money to ensure its survival. California alone has 23. Remember when you used to have to put on pants to go pick up take-out at your favorite restaurant? Everybodys happy.. Buffets have always been a family favorite for after church so it makes sense that with the decline of church attendance in the U.S.follows the decline of buffet frequenting. Four locations of these buffet restaurants in three states are officially closed. In June 2020, FMP Management ceased operations, entering bankruptcy itself. This is a complete list of all HomeTown Buffet locations, along with their geographic coordinates. 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. But BBQ Holdings CEO Jeff Crivello said a day after the auction that the buffet restaurants would stay closed. 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). What happened to the all-you-can-eat destination? Restaurant Business reported on HomeTown Buffet and its sibling chainsTahoe Joes, Old Country Buffet, Ryans, Fire Mountain, and Furrsin April 2021. Locations outside of Southern California being liquidated include Fairfield, Santa Maria, Stockton, and Turlock in auctions closing Tuesday through Friday.