The Vegas Strip is losing another all-you-can-eat buffet, signaling the precipitous decline of the over-the-top dining experience once synonymous with the city.
The MGM Grand Buffet will serve its last omelets and carved meats on May 31, the resort announced. There are “no immediate plans” for what will someday fill the space, the company said in a statement. Although it has nearly 2,000 Yelp reviews, it’s not well-loved; the buffet averages 2.5 stars out of 5 on the platform. It is, however, one the cheaper buffets left on the Strip, with prices ranging from $32.99 per person on Mondays through Thursdays to $43.99 for mimosa brunches on the weekends.
As the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes, the closure marks the sad dwindling of buffets on the Strip, from the height of nearly 70 to its current number at less than a dozen. Although buffets are a classic Vegas Strip experience, they became widely despised by casino operators for their high expenses and low profits. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the Strip, many buffets did not reopen with resorts, as self-serve food was deemed risky by health experts…