All-You-Can-Eat Buffets Surge in Popularity
Yelp searches for all-you-can-eat buffets rose 252% from 2025 as diners look for value and specialty cuisines.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Comfort Food
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Yelp searches for all-you-can-eat buffets have increased 252% from 2025, as rising food prices push diners toward unlimited dining options. Smaller, specialized buffet spots offering Southern, Uzbek, Korean and Brazilian cuisine are drawing particular attention.
Why it matters
Rising grocery and restaurant prices are steering Americans toward flat-price, all-you-can-eat dining. The shift shows how cost pressures are reshaping where and how people choose to eat out.
Yelp searches for all-you-can-eat buffets rose 252% from 2025. Good Time's unlimited Southern-style buffet costs $26.99, while KPot's prices range from $31.99 in Oklahoma City to $36.99 in New York.
The players
Yelp
Yelp is a crowdsourced review platform whose search data is cited as a gauge of consumer dining interest.
Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian steakhouse chain known for its churrasco-style tableside service and unlimited meat offerings.
KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
KPot is a Korean barbecue and hot pot chain with restaurants in nearly 40 states.
The details
Good Time, which opened in Manhattan in September, serves unlimited Southern-style comfort food for a flat price. Tashkent's Uzbek hot bar in New York City instead charges by weight, at $10.99 to $11.99 per pound for takeout containers.
Timeline
September 2025: Good Time opens in Manhattan.
2025: Tashkent's West Village location opens.
Over the past four years: Fogo de Chão nearly doubles its U.S. footprint to about 115 locations.
Market Landscape
The rise of flat-price buffets reflects competition among chains like Fogo de Chão, which has nearly doubled its U.S. footprint to about 115 locations over four years. Independent operators are carving out niches with cuisines such as Uzbek and Southern comfort food.
A $20 all-you-can-eat dinner at Der Dutchman or a $20 unlimited lunch at Fogo de Chão can stretch a household food budget further than ordering à la carte. Diners should compare per-person buffet prices with their typical restaurant bill before choosing.
The takeaway
Flat-price buffets can offer predictable costs for groups, but weigh portion control and food quality against the price. Specialty buffets with weight-based pricing may suit diners who want to sample a few dishes.
Further reading
Explore more comfort food coverage to see how value-focused dining is reshaping American restaurants.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Beltway Report.
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Have you chosen an all-you-can-eat buffet over a regular restaurant to save money lately?
