America’s largest all-you-can-eat buffet concept is on an ambitious journey to expand its footprint, tapping into the growing demand for family-friendly value dining. For over 50 years, Golden Corral has evolved to meet the changing preferences of its guests while staying true to its values of delivering variety, value, and a welcoming environment.
At the heart of this expansion is Golden Corral’s commitment to supporting franchisees with a time-tested business model. The brand offers a range of development options, including free-standing, ground-up buffets, existing restaurant conversions, and non-traditional retail spaces such as malls and endcaps. This flexibility ensures franchisees can maximize their investments and successfully develop even the most challenging markets.
Golden Corral’s real estate strategy prioritizes visibility, accessibility, and strong market demographics to attract guests seeking a family-oriented unlimited buffet experience. For mid to large-size markets, the brand seeks locations with 120,000 people within 15 minutes and 160,000 within 20 minutes, while smaller markets should serve 45,000 people within 15 minutes and 70,000 within 20 minutes. Traffic counts of at least 30,000 cars daily and proximity to retail and commercial businesses drive consistent foot traffic to new locations.
“Real estate flexibility and tailored market strategies are critical to our growth,” says David Conklin, chief development officer at Golden Corral. “We’re empowering franchisees to take advantage of diverse opportunities, whether building from the ground up or repurposing existing restaurant spaces.”
From assisting in site selection and construction to robust training programs for management and co-workers, the brand offers a clear roadmap to success. Franchisees benefit from ongoing operations and marketing support, tested operational systems, and the purchasing power of a nationwide network. They also have a voice in shaping the company’s direction through the Franchise Advisory Council, where elected representatives work with Golden Corral leadership on key initiatives.
“Our ideal franchisee is someone who shares our vision and is committed to building something special in their community,” Conklin says. “Golden Corral is more than a buffet—it’s a gathering place where families and friends come together over great food with unmatched variety and value for everyone.”
The buffet brand’s approach to franchising includes innovations in dining formats to meet the needs of today’s consumers and franchisees alike. While the brand’s buffet model remains central to its identity, it has also embraced off-premises dining as an integral part of franchisees’ sales on the restaurant level.
“We’ve worked hard to optimize our business by streamlining operations and improving kitchen efficiency,” Conklin explained. “Our focus on delivering exceptional value gives us a strong advantage and positions us for sustainable growth.” These efforts have allowed the brand to maintain competitive pricing while others in the family dining category have raised prices or reduced portion sizes.
With a clear vision and a flexible operational model, Golden Corral represents a new era of family dining. Entrepreneurs seeking to grow with a family-oriented restaurant brand will find Golden Corral’s legacy, innovation, and dedicated support team to be the foundation for long-term growth potential.
To learn more about franchise opportunities with Golden Corral, visit goldencorral.com/franchise/.
STATS:
- AUV: $6.4 Million*
- Sales Increase for 11M models: 14.3 percent
- Sales Increase for 11S models: 21.4 percent
- Locations: 350+