Buffet restaurants are making a comeback. Try these 4 in Wilmington.

It's been reported before, but the past few years have brought many changes to the restaurant industry. Maybe one of the segments that has seen the most disruption, especially during the pandemic, is buffets.

Chains like Cici’s Pizza, Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation have struggled. But others reorganized. Golden Corral shifted gears and is now reporting that they've been up 14% compared to pre-pandemic dining. It was also recently named one of the restaurant chains saw the most 'organic' growth last year, by Restaurant Business Magazine. Lots of industry analysts have been noticing that the communal, all-you-can-eat genre is far from over – with a comeback that has coincided with the increase in food prices.

That’s true for Wilmington, too. The buffet options have been updated and revamped. Here’s a look at some of what’s been happening.

Hibachi Grill Buffet

While the larger space of this restaurant closed last year, it recently reopened in the former Tuesday Morning location at 1039 S. College Road. It’s a clean and organized space with several buffet areas that serve more than 200 different items as well as a teppanyaki-style grill where customers can select their own meats and vegetables for preparation. There are lunch, dinner and weekend buffet options, as well as take-out “buffet to go.”

More: These 9 Wilmington-area restaurants made Yelp's list of the Top 100 in North Carolina

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill

This company has reported renewed interest in its brand. The Wilmington location was renovated and updated earlier this year. In addition to buffet options, diners can also “weigh and pay” for takeout at 5130 New Centre Drive in Wilmington.

Carolina BBQ & Seafood

This restaurant at 1602 S. College Road in Wilmington has been saying that "the buffet is back" on their signage. They reintroduced their popular all-you-can-eat earlier this year. Look for a fried chicken and Southern cuisine lunch buffet and a dinner buffet on the weekends with more options, including seafood.

More: Wilmington restaurant among Top 10 best buffets in the country for second year

Casey’s Buffet

One of Wilmington’s best-known buffets keeps getting accolades. This was the second year in a row that this Southern and soul food buffet was a top vote-getter in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice for buffet restaurants. In 2023, the eatery at 5559 Oleander Drive was No. 2 on the list. This year, it slipped a few spots to No. 5. Still, owner Larry Casey said he’s seen how buffets have withstood the test of time in recent years.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Buffet restaurants in Wilmington, NC, bounce back