Why You Don't See As Many Buffets In Casinos Anymore

Professional hosts know that a fed guest is a happy guest, and this rule is no different when it comes to casinos. After all, if you have a bad time at the craps table, what better way to heal your wounds than eating your feelings at the buffet? Casinos and buffets go together like betting and poker. After the pioneering Buckaroo Buffet opened in 1946, Las Vegas saw an explosion of casino-adjacent buffets featuring food items ranging from crab legs to deli sandwiches. But over the last few years, the ubiquitousness of the iconic casino buffet has begun to dwindle. These days, Vegas is still considered a food mecca, but not when it comes to offering visitors all-you-can-eat style dining. Of the 175 casinos that pack the streets of Las Vegas, there are only about 10 to 15 buffets still operating.

Buffets were never a huge value proposition for casinos, but they were a great, family-friendly way to get gamblers to stick around and build up sustenance for another round at the poker table. However, changing casino demographics and dietary interests began to eat away at the popularity of the casino buffet. But the pandemic, combined with changing socialization preferences, is really what changed the dinner bell to a death knell for casino buffets. 

The buffets that are still alive and kicking have been forced to modernize to keep up with ever-changing restaurant trends. Not only have buffets grown in size and luxe offerings, but they've moved their chefs to the forefront of the kitchen so diners can see their food prepared out in the open. Despite a surviving appetite for the nostalgic all-you-can-eat era of the casino world, most proprietors have turned their back on the buffet in favor of the flashier, more, millennial-friendly food hall.

A food hall is basically the cooler, older sister to a food court. As opposed to a buffet where a group of chefs keep trays stacked with prime rib (and other goodies) toasting under heat lamps, food halls are home to an eclectic collection of individual grab-and-go restaurants most often encircling a shared seating area. Food halls speak to more mobile and health-conscious demographics who are not necessarily interested in sitting in the same place for over an hour, gorging themselves on lasagna until they're in physical pain. Additionally, food halls offer more variety and flexibility when it comes to dining options which is a win for the casino and its patrons. If a restaurant is not performing, it's easy to swap it out for something more popular without dismantling the whole dining system. 

While self-service cantinas might have fallen out of fashion, there are still casinos white-knuckling the bygone buffet setup. So if you're looking for a place for uninterrupted people-watching and food-gorging, check out Bacchanal Buffet at Ceasar's Palace or The Buffet at Wynn.