Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic

by 
Ezra Carmel
 on 
May 3, 2023
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic

For some time, traffic to the dining industry has been impacted by inflationary pressures on consumer spending. Various restaurant categories have seen a decline in visits, and yet, some chains – and formats like “eatertainment” – are weathering the storm. 

Buffet restaurants – with their combination of value and variety – have shown to be another successful venture in dining. We dove into the location analytics for the restaurant space and three of the largest buffet chains – Cicis, Golden Corral, and Pizza Ranch – to take a closer look at the trends driving visits to buffets.

In Line for Visits

In 2021, pandemic restrictions gave way to strong visitation trends in multiple restaurant categories, with buffets experiencing some of the most dramatic increases in visits. After months of being stuck inside, consumers likely found eating at home was getting somewhat repetitive and excitedly returned to buffets and the seemingly endless variety they offer. 

Since January 2021, buffets outperformed their comparable restaurant peers in terms of baseline visit growth. And though both Fast-Casual and Full-Service chains – like Chipotle and The Cheesecake Factory, respectively – have also found relative success, buffets experienced larger visit growth than both dining categories. 

Notably, in 2022 when inflation began to dominate headlines, buffets’ baseline visit growth started to soar. Likely, diners choosing to eat out became increasingly concerned with getting value for money and buffets became a popular choice. 

Self-Serving Value 

At a time when many consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending, buffets have continued to drive visits by maintaining their value perception. Trade Area Analysis of three major buffet chains – Golden Corral, Cicis, and Pizza Ranch – using the Census 2019: (5-year ACS) dataset revealed that in 2022 all three chains had trade areas with a median household income (HHI) below the national benchmark. And all three chains also had trade areas with a percentage of non-family households that was higher than the national benchmark. 

For diners, an all-you-care-to-eat buffet at a fixed price seems like a good way to fill up without being surprised by the bill. This could be why many lower-income consumers have recently been flocking to buffet chains.

But for visitors with children in tow, buffets may not be such an attractive value proposition – even with kids pricing. These visitors might not expect young diners to be hungry enough to make an all-you-care-to-eat buffet worthwhile, which could explain why visitors from non-family households are making up a relatively large percentage of buffet visitors. It would appear that lower-income visitors who aren’t paying for a crowd, are most drawn to a buffet meal. 

Second Helpings

Whether it’s because buffets provide many choices to keep eating out fresh – or because they offer bang-for-a-buck – visitors are now frequenting buffet chains more often. 

In Q1 2023, all three chains analyzed grew their percentage of repeat visitors compared to Q1 2021. Pizza Ranch had the highest percentage of repeat visitors of the bunch, which could be connected to having a trade area population with both a relatively high median HHI and percentage of non-family households. Pizza Ranch visitors from non-family households might find the most value in a buffet and have a somewhat larger budget to do so more frequently.

Plate-Up

Since consumers emerged from pandemic restrictions and returned to their favorite restaurant chains, buffets have been piling on visits. It seems that value and variety are driving the recent buffet boom which has seen a surge in both repeat visits and visits overall. As inflationary woes continue, buffets are in position to continue to drive traffic from throngs of hungry diners. 

For more restaurant updates and location intelligence insights, visit Placer.ai.

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Fitness at its Fittest: Staying Strong in 2023
Movie Theaters, Off-Price, and Home Improvement: May 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index - May 2023 Recap
What’s Working for Bath & Body Works?
Why Are Specialty Grocers Thriving in 2023?
The CAVA Craze: A Location Intelligence Perspective on the Mediterranean Marvel
How Will Primark’s US Expansion Impact Target?
All Eyes on Eyewear
Northwestern U.S. Grocery Dive
Return of the Lunch: Salad Chains Are Thriving
Retail Media Networks – Off the Beaten Track
Bet Your Bottom Dollar: Discount and Dollar Stores Drive Foot Traffic
Ulta & Lululemon: Discretionary Spending On The Up
The Score After Q1: Sporting Goods Chains
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs
Off Price: Strength in The Face of Retail Challenges
Visits Improve for Home Improvement
Walmart, Target & Wholesalers in Q1 2023 – The Return of Mission-Driven Shopping?
Department Store Roundup: Q1 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: April 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index, April 2023 – A Rebound on the Horizon?
How Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Impact the Retail Space?
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic
Thrift Stores: Vintage Visits Drive New Age in Apparel
The Windy City: A Hub of Post-Pandemic Opportunity
Diving into Dining Traffic - Q1 2023
Bring On The Joe
A Dollar (or more) For Your Thoughts: Five Below and pOpshelf
Dining Out With The Cheesecake Factory
Retail Foot Traffic Recap – March 2023
Digging Into 2023: McDonald’s and Chipotle Update
Placer.ai Office Index: March 2023 Recap
How Did Key Retail Categories Perform in Q1 2023?
Northeastern USA Grocery Dive
Movie Theaters Storylines for 2023
Ollie's Bargain Outlet: Discounters are Evolving
Leveraging Brick-and-Mortar Retail in 2023
America’s Evolving Work Patterns: A Deep-Dive into New York and Chicago
Placer.ai Mall Index March 2023
Tuning Into Record Stores
Five Franchises To Watch in 2023
What’s Next For Domestic Tourism?
It’s Showtime! Movie Theaters in the Spotlight
5 Limited Time Offers (LTOs) Driving Restaurant Traffic
Department Store Deep-Dive: Belk
Regional Grocery Chains Staying Ahead of the Competition
Five Chains that Rightsized for Success
Unlocking the Potential of Offline Retail Media Networks
Dining Out With Darden
What’s in Store for Self-Storage?
Nike & lululemon Update: Strong Performance Amid Expansion Plans
Many Ways to Win: Midwest Grocery Deep Dive
Retail, Reinvented: The Rise of the Pop-Up Shop
Navigating a New Normal in Business Travel & Commutes
Placer.ai Office Index: February 2023 Recap
Retail Categories Staying Strong in Volatile Environment
Ulta Beauty: Poised for Success into 2023
Placer.ai Mall Index February 2023: Reasons for Continued Optimism
Catching Up With DICK’s & Hibbett
The Miami-Dade Arena: An Advertising Slam Dunk
Car Washes Revving Up Visits
Tuesday Morning and Sunrises in Home Furnishing
Dining & Valentine’s Day Recap
2023: The Year of the Discount Store
Aldi’s Success Highlights Growing Demand for Value Groceries
5 Retail & Service Categories Holding onto Pandemic Gains in 2023
Visitor Insights from Super Bowl 2023
2023 First Look: Home Improvement Update
How Are Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs Faring in 2023?
Department Store Deep-Dive: Nordstrom
Off-Price: Taking Off in Uncertain Times
Checking in On Middle-Class Hubs
Who Attends the Super Bowl?
Placer.ai Office Index: January 2023 Recap
Focusing On Fitness: Q4 and January Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: January 2023 – Returning Mall Normalcy?
Location Intelligence Insights Into Concert Attendance
Winning Dining Strategies for 2023
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Location Intelligence Breakdown: Coffee Caps-Off 2022
Digitally Native Brands Lean Into Brick & Mortar
Washington, D.C. Population Changes & Migration Trends
A Location Intelligence Perspective on Macy’s Rightsizing
Amazon-Powered Shopping: The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Grocery?
Cold Weather, Hot Visits: Diving into Winter Resorts
Wawa and 7-Eleven: Leaning Into the “Slurpee Effect”
2022 and Beyond: Catching Up With McDonald’s & Chipotle
Let’s Have Some Fun! Going Out Is In
Placer.ai’s Q4 2022 Quarterly Index
Placer.ai Adds Industry Executives to Leadership Team To Drive Company's Next Phase of Growth
5 Emerging Retail Formats: 2023’s Brick-and-Mortar Evolution
Grocery Update: Zooming in on the Lone Star State
2022 Office Recap: The Year of the TGIF Work Week
What Lies Ahead for Brick-and-Mortar Luxury in 2023
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: December 2022 Recap
Looking Back on 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season
Post-Pandemic Migration Trends in New York
Top Retailers for 2023
The Live Sports Advertising Opportunity
Domestic Migration to the Mountain States: Small Shifts with Big Implications