Why did the buffet go to therapy? Because it had too many issues to plate!
And while this buffet may have some issues, some customers may need to go to therapy after attending it.
Located in Taylor, Michigan, TikToker Antoine (@antoineruffin580) posted a video of his local Golden Corral on Mar. 4, and it has already received 251,300 views as of Saturday. Arriving for the 6pm dinner-time buffet, Antoine claims the restaurant was heavily understaffed and just an overall wreck.
“Don’t go to Golden Corral in Taylor,MI and this was at 6:00pm dinner time 4 employees in site not doing nothing,” the text overlay on the video reads.
For the next minute and 37 seconds, Antoine made his way around the entire restaurant and buffet, panning to the different issues he saw.
From sticky serving spoons and empty platters to trash on the floor, Antoine made sure to point out the worst.
“All this money and This what y’all paying for,” Antoine says.
While the video depicted the grill portion of the buffet being fired up and running, it seemed as though almost every other dish was left close to empty. Though it was unclear whether Antoine had left the establishment shortly after filming, it was clear this Golden Corral was not up to his expectations.
Now, it may not come as a surprise to many readers that during the pandemic, the popularity of buffets plummeted. According to The Street, many restaurants and facilities got rid of the concept entirely due to safety concerns, even after the mandates were lifted.
Lance Trenary, the president and CEO of Golden Corral Corporation, even told TODAY.com in 2021 that COVID-19 put a serious strain on the industry.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the restaurant industry and our segment specifically,” Trenary said.
Yet, from a consumer perspective, buffet culture may be on the rise once again. In spring 2023, foot traffic in some of the largest buffet restaurant chains was up by 125% compared to January 2021.
@antoineruffin580 ♬ original sound – Antoine Ruffin580
One Golden Corral enthusiast even considered the restaurant to be “the dining hall of adulthood,” in a recent report at the Daily Dot. Believing that the chain is a life-saver for those in their 20s, this buffet-lover swears by their positive experiences.
In a follow-up video, Antoine revealed he got a full refund and claimed he “won’t go there again.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Golden Corral via the website’s contact portal and Antoine via TikTok direct message.
