{"id":6507,"date":"2013-11-12T16:48:24","date_gmt":"2013-11-12T16:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/2013\/11\/12\/goodbye-cheap-buffets-full-version\/"},"modified":"2013-11-12T16:48:24","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T16:48:24","slug":"goodbye-cheap-buffets-full-version","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/2013\/11\/12\/goodbye-cheap-buffets-full-version\/","title":{"rendered":"Goodbye Cheap Buffet's (full version)"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n\"\"
\n\tWicked spoon at Cosmopolitan hotel, $24 Lunch, $41 Dinner<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\tBacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace. $26 for breakfast and $50 for weekend dinner.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\tBy Ed Komenda Las Vegas Sun http:\/\/www.vegasinc.com\/news\/2013\/nov\/08\/goodbye-cheap-strip-buffet-todays-diners-more-conc\/<\/a>
\n\tIn Las Vegas’ older days, a "good" buffet meant a cheap buffet.<\/p>\n

\tThe judging criteria was simple: the cheaper, the better.<\/p>\n

\tWhen it comes to buffets today, what qualifies as \u201cthe best\u201d has dramatically changed. Now, it\u2019s about the highest quality.<\/p>\n

\t"Twenty years ago, it was about kitschy-ness,\u201d said Jeffrey Frederick, vice president of food and beverage at Caesars Palace.<\/p>\n

\tBuffets 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 \u2013 a couple of bucks at most \u2013 and that\u2019s if casinos didn\u2019t fork over free buffet tickets with a complimentary room.<\/p>\n

\tThroughout the ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s, buffets were among Las Vegas’ biggest loss leaders. That\u2019s when gambling revenue still reigned on the Strip.<\/p>\n

\tInside 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.<\/p>\n

\tWhile low-priced buffets still exist \u2013 lunch at Circus Circus costs $14.99, and most downtown buffets remain less than $10 \u2013 the price tag for food and quality of buffets on the Strip has skyrocketed.<\/p>\n

\tBacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace<\/p>\n

\tTony Pettingill mans the carving station at Bacchanal Buffet in Caesars Palace on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Launch slideshow \u00bb
\n\t\u201cThe bar has been significantly raised,\u201d Frederick said.<\/p>\n

\tThe 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.<\/p>\n

\tRiviera bosses made no announcement about the change. Insiders say business at the buffet had struggled.<\/p>\n

\tNow, the norm is much pricier fare. The Cosmopolitan\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\tThen there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\tBacchanal 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.<\/p>\n

\tThe buffet\u2019s opening prompted renovations of the buffets at Aria and the Quad.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt has become a lot more sophisticated,\u201d said David Schwartz, director of UNLV\u2019s Center for Gaming Research.<\/p>\n

\tThe 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.<\/p>\n

\tToday\u2019s consumer is more educated than ever and can make smarter decisions about where to eat and spend their money, said Edmond Wong, the Bellagio\u2019s executive chef. The Internet puts thousands of reviews at their fingertips.<\/p>\n

\tAs for the future?<\/p>\n

\tFrederick anticipates changes along the Strip will be subtle. Quality will remain a constant. But more options will likely be presented.<\/p>\n

\n

Replies:<\/h3>\n

No replies were posted for this topic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-casino-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6507"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6507\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumarchives.tmsites.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}