Introduction: The Price of All-You-Can-Eat Buffets
This is a $9 pizza buffet. And this is a $100 luxury buffet that has 10 different kitchens and over 250 types of food. The question is whether they’re actually worth the price of admission. So to find out, I’m traveling to some of the best and worst all-you-can-eat buffets across the United States. Thanks to Zakdock for sponsoring this episode.
CeCe’s Pizza: A Cheap Buffet with Mixed Reviews
When you search for the worst buffets in America, there are a few that consistently rank at the very bottom of the list. And one of those is CeCe’s Pizza. At its peak in the late 2000s, Cece’s had approximately 650 locations in the US, but in 2025, less than half of those are still in business. Their food has been described as stiff and flavorless with quality that leaves a lot to be desired. The location I’ll be going to has a 3.8-star rating on Google and a 2.5-star rating on Yelp. Some of the reviews for this specific location cite pizza that tastes like cardboard, grandmas being asked to wait outside if they’re not paying for the buffet, and a disgusting aftertaste and mouth sores that have remained for over 7 hours. I think Jackson G summed it up pretty eloquently in his two-star review.
The Buffet Experience: Is It Worth the Price?
Overall, what can you expect? It’s CeCe’s, right? The food here is below average, but that’s what you’re paying for. For a $7 buffet, this deal is beyond the grasp of the human realm. And I agree with him. Despite all the negative press, this still feels like it’s a really good deal. At $8.99, this is the cheapest buffet I’ll be going to. And at each one, I’ll show you what that price gets you, what I ate, and whether I think it was worth the money. At the end, I’ll also award some superlatives for things like best quality, best variety, and best overall.
The Buffet Spread at CeCe’s
So, at CeCe’s, $8.99 gives you access to the full buffet, but does not include a drink. A regular drink is an additional $1.99. And personally, I was glad to see that these old-school plastic cups are still in use. The decor was exactly the same as the last time I went to a CC’s, which was about a decade ago. Between the pictures of children on the wall, the arcade, and the TV playing episodes of Bluey, it definitely felt like it’s more oriented towards kids. That was reinforced by the number of grandparents I saw there with their grandkids over the course of my meal, which was honestly kind of wholesome.
The Buffet Experience: Food and More
For plate number one, I started with salad and pasta. And I know that that’s going to decrease my ability to put away pizza, but come on, I’m trying to have a balanced meal here. Both the salad and the pasta were fine. No complaints from me. For plate number two, I got a breadstick and two slices of pizza, one pepperoni and one cheese. Just starting off with the classics. For plate number three, I got something similar to like a supreme pizza and then a slice of mac and cheese pizza. The mac and cheese pizza was not good.
Quirky CeCe’s Features
All right, for plate number four, I went with barbecue and buffalo chicken. Flavor-wise, these were both fine. In terms of fullness, I still felt like I had room to make a few more trips. I think it helped that the crust wasn’t that thick. On my way to get those slices, I got locked into a game of chicken with an older lady that was going the wrong way on the buffet line. That’s always a tough one because you’ve got to respect your elders, but at the same time, we can’t just be starting from the dessert end of the buffet and moving back towards the plates. That would be total anarchy.
The CeCe’s Conclusion
Okay, plate number five was spinach and then Hawaiian. The spinach one was actually one of the best slices I’d had so far. As I was finishing that plate, I noticed that every table had these scratch marks in the wall. It got me thinking—what is that? Is that just from kids going crazy with silverware? One thing I noticed is that CeCe’s has takeout, but I’ve never heard of anyone I know getting takeout from there. If you’re watching this and you or someone you know has gotten takeout from CeCe’s, please let me know in the comments.
Moving On to Golden Corral
Next up, I’ll be heading to another buffet that appears time and time again on lists of the worst buffets in America. They cost slightly more than CeCe’s at a whopping $16.99 per person, and that buffet is Golden Corral. Unfortunately, they have been described as the Walmart of restaurants and have faced allegations of poor sanitary practices.
The Golden Corral Experience
The reviews for this specific location describe it as lackluster at best, and a restaurant full of people who seem to have never been in a restaurant before. They also cite having to wait your entire meal before getting a refill on your drink, food that was dried out and not very edible, and buffet items that were either lacking labels or labeled incorrectly. I was there at dinner time, and I am neither a kid nor a senior, but my understanding is that none of the prices include a drink.
The Food at Golden Corral
When I entered the corral, the buffet was much larger than CeCe’s, with salad on one side, main courses and grill items in the middle, and then dessert on the other side. Right off the bat, I started to notice some of the labels being off, like that one review had mentioned. For example, if you’re looking for mini steak burgers, you’re out of luck. Same with the fried okra. The barbecue pork ribs were actually just like a roast of some sort.
The Golden Corral Verdict
Even though my first plate was kind of eclectic, I would say that it wasn’t bad. The flavor profile for the wing was pretty basic, and it wasn’t hot temperature-wise, which is a little concerning, but the texture was surprisingly good. The Brussels sprouts were not seasoned at all. They were just kind of mushy and tasted bland. And the pulled pork was fine, but again, would have loved some sauce.
Shady Maple: The Largest Buffet in the U.S.
Next up we’re headed to the third buffet priced at $26.99 per person. This one happens to be the largest buffet in the United States: Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Larger doesn’t always mean higher quality, but when you search for the best buffets in America, Shady Maple consistently ranks at the top.
The Unique Charm of Shady Maple
Shady Maple is located in Lancaster County, which has the largest concentration of Amish people in the country. The restaurant actually started as a roadside farm stand and expanded into a market and eventually added a cafeteria, which evolved into the smorgasbord we see today. The building is approximately 110,000 square feet and seats 1,500 people.
The Impressive Food Selection at Shady Maple
When it comes to the buffet itself, I mean, this thing was huge. In the middle, you’ve got salads and soups. There are traditional Pennsylvania Dutch sides like fried chicken, ham balls, and roast duck. At each end, there’s kind of a dessert cul-de-sac with pies, ice cream machines, and other goodies.
The Shady Maple Verdict
For me, I think it’s probably the best intersection of price and quality. You’re not going to need to take out a loan, and you’re also not going to have to worry about food safety. The burger and the dessert were especially impressive to me.
The Luxurious Bakanal Buffet at Caesars Palace
Last but not least, we’re headed to the most expensive buffet in this video, which costs a staggering $91.99. This is the Bakanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s the largest buffet in Vegas, and the price tag is a reflection of that.
A Feast Fit for a King
The Bakanal Buffet has 10 different kitchens and over 250 dishes from around the world. It’s been recognized as one of the best buffets in the country, but it comes with a hefty price tag.
The Experience at Bakanal Buffet
The seafood section had shrimp, crab legs, and octopus. There were various meat dishes, a Mexican area with tacos, and even an Italian section. I enjoyed my meals, especially the tacos, brisket, and dessert options.
Is Bakanal Worth the Price?
As vast and impressive as this place is, I’m going to say it’s not worth the price. You could get a really nice meal from a different restaurant and still pay less than what I paid here. Or, you can go to CeCe’s 10 times for the price of Bakanal once.
Buffet Superlatives
Finally, here are some superlatives for these buffets:
- Best Deal: CeCe’s
- Best Quality: Bakanal
- Best Variety: Bakanal
- Best Overall: Shady Maple
Final Thoughts on Buffets
I want to make sure these videos aren’t totally wasteful, so I totaled up all the money I spent at buffets in this episode, doubled it, and made a donation to Feeding America. If there are any buffets you think I should try, make sure you let me know in the comments.
