"If you take one lesson from the largest buffet restaurant chain in America, Golden Corral, it's that you should never rest on your laurels. While there are plenty of regional chains and great local buffets in the United States, Golden Corral is the undisputed champion of the buffet industry nationwide, with over 350 locations. That puts it in the top 50 of all restaurant chains in the country, regardless of category - only Cicis Pizza really comes close in terms of buffets."
"The first Golden Corral was founded in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1973 by James Maynard and William Carl. It opened on a stretch of Bragg Boulevard in the city that was already filling up with chains like KFC and Burger King. Even from its inception, Golden Corral was focused on bringing great value, with a 7-ounce sirloin meal for $1.69 being its signature offer. This was the first era of budget steakhouse chains, like Bonanza, Ponderosa, Western Sizzlin', and Ryan's Steakhouse, and competition was fierce."
"Still, Golden Corral thrived. Its early menu offered affordable family favorites like steak tips, ham steaks, and gravy-covered chopped steaks, alongside a full lineup of ribeyes and sirloins for quite reasonable prices. The steakhouse chain grew quickly, and by the '80s had expanded north into Virginia and westward all the way to Texas. But times were changing, and so was the competition."
Golden Corral began in 1973 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, founded by James Maynard and William Carl as a budget steakhouse. The initial concept emphasized value with a 7-ounce sirloin for $1.69 and menu items like steak tips, ham steaks, and gravy-covered chopped steaks alongside ribeyes and sirloins. The chain expanded through the 1980s into Virginia and Texas amid fierce competition in the budget-steak market. Competitive pressure and changing American tastes prompted additions such as an all-you-can-eat salad bar, larger restaurant footprints, and broader menus as pasta grew in popularity and concern about red meat increased.
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