This Pennsylvania Buffet Was Once Beloved. Local Diners Say It Turned Into A Pricey Tourist Trap - Tasting Table

"The Shady Maple's origin story can be traced back to 1962, when Henry Z. Martin and his wife set up a stall to sell fresh produce outside their house (under a Maple tree, hence the name). This would be passed on to their daughter's family - the Weavers. Within a decade, the Weavers had set up their first full-fledged grocery store."

"In 1985, they decided to launch a new business, an all-you-can-eat buffet serving Pennsylvania Dutch food. The 300-seater was an instant hit, and less than five years after they launched, they had expanded to a 500-seater. At the turn of the century, they had moved into a building spread over 11,000 square feet with 1200 seats."

"The problem is that largest and best don't always go together, and for a brand that was once beloved, a lot of the recent reviews are unflattering to say the least. Many customers are disappointed by the Shady Maple buffet experience."

Shady Maple Smorgasbord began in 1962 as a produce stand under a maple tree run by Henry Z. Martin and his wife. The Weaver family inherited the business and gradually expanded it into a grocery store, then a cafeteria, and finally an all-you-can-eat Pennsylvania Dutch buffet in 1985. The 300-seat restaurant grew rapidly to 500 seats within five years and eventually moved to an 11,000 square-foot facility with 1,200 seats by 2000, becoming one of America's largest buffets. Today, the 44,000 square-foot establishment combines dining with shopping but faces significant customer complaints online, with many describing it as an overpriced tourist attraction rather than a quality dining destination.

Read at Tasting Table