Wicked spoon at Cosmopolitan hotel, $24 Lunch, $41 Dinner
Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace. $26 for breakfast and $50 for weekend dinner.
By Ed Komenda Las Vegas Sun http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/nov/08/goodbye-cheap-strip-buffet-todays-diners-more-conc/
In Las Vegas’ older days, a "good" buffet meant a cheap buffet.
The judging criteria was simple: the cheaper, the better.
When it comes to buffets today, what qualifies as “the best” has dramatically changed. Now, it’s about the highest quality.
"Twenty years ago, it was about kitschy-ness,” said Jeffrey Frederick, vice president of food and beverage at Caesars Palace.
Buffets once were dark, cafeteria-style eateries lined with trays of stacked discount grub baking under heat lamps. Patrons paid next to nothing to stuff themselves silly – a couple of bucks at most – and that’s if casinos didn’t fork over free buffet tickets with a complimentary room.
Throughout the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, buffets were among Las Vegas’ biggest loss leaders. That’s when gambling revenue still reigned on the Strip.
Inside the low-value eateries, tourists and locals would pile as much food on their plates as they could, filling up with fried chicken, ribs and corn.
While low-priced buffets still exist – lunch at Circus Circus costs $14.99, and most downtown buffets remain less than $10 – the price tag for food and quality of buffets on the Strip has skyrocketed.
Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace
Tony Pettingill mans the carving station at Bacchanal Buffet in Caesars Palace on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Launch slideshow »
“The bar has been significantly raised,” Frederick said.
The trend was cemented when the Riviera quietly closed its R Buffet in September. It was the cheapest on the Strip, offering breakfast for $12.99 and dinner for $13.99.
Riviera bosses made no announcement about the change. Insiders say business at the buffet had struggled.
Now, the norm is much pricier fare. The Cosmopolitan’s Wicked Spoon, for example, costs $24 for lunch and $41 for dinner. Dinner at the Wynn buffet will run you $40. Both include prime rib, crab legs and other high-end cuisine.
Then there’s the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, recognized as a game changer in the food and beverage industry. The $17 million restaurant-style buffet, which opened last year, staffs world-class chefs, offers 600 seats and includes a price tag that ranges from $26 for breakfast and $50 for weekend dinner.
Bacchanal looks like a ritzy restaurant and has a menu to back up the atmosphere. Glamorous food stations offer gourmet tacos, pasta and meats prepared in front of guests by a staff of seven sous chefs. Dishes are served on small plates or mini skillets, much like a meal at a fancy restaurant.
The buffet’s opening prompted renovations of the buffets at Aria and the Quad.
“It has become a lot more sophisticated,” said David Schwartz, director of UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research.
The approach seems to be working, too. More than 3,000 people visit the Bacchanal buffet every day. The line often snakes more than two hours long.
Today’s consumer is more educated than ever and can make smarter decisions about where to eat and spend their money, said Edmond Wong, the Bellagio’s executive chef. The Internet puts thousands of reviews at their fingertips.
As for the future?
Frederick anticipates changes along the Strip will be subtle. Quality will remain a constant. But more options will likely be presented.
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