"Fine" Dining23 Jul 2025

Golden Corral Has Won the Buffet Wars

🥩 Golden Corral's 100-Year Plan & Dumpster Drama 🗑️

This week, we dive into the sprawling buffet empire that is Golden Corral. From hygiene scandals to military youth camps, this chain has been through it all and somehow, it's still opening new locations.

Joining me is Ben Cassil, host of Live from the Big Apple, to help unravel the chain's bizarre history, including its long-standing relationship with the troops, a giant brawl over steak, and a game of hide-and-seek with their meat because of an impending health inspection.

Plus, Ben pitches a Discworld-themed restaurant, and we dig into some unhinged Yelp reviews from our local Golden Corral.

🏢 A CEO with a 100-Year Plan
🫡 Ties to the Military (We Support the Troops)
🎤 If You're Jeff Foxworthy...You Might Be a Buffet Spokesman
🍫 Goodbye, Chocolate Fountain (We Hardly Knew Ye)
🗑️ "Dumpster Gate" & a Protected Whistleblower
🎸 Why the Founder is NOT the Lead Singer of Tool
🪄 A Discworld Restaurant That Lives in Our Heads Now
🌟 Yelp Reviews That Made Us Question Reality

💬 COMMENT BELOW: What's the wildest thing you've ever seen at a buffet?

📢 SUPPORT THE SHOW & JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
🎉 Patreon (Bonus episodes, full Yelp segments & more): https://www.patreon.com/finediningpodcast
💬 Discord (Food talk, memes, cursed Yelp): https://discord.gg/6a2YqrtWV4
🎥 Watch full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@finediningpodcast
🔗 All links: https://www.linktree.com/finediningpodcast
🎤 Ben on IG: @bencassil | Podcast: Live from the Big Apple

Patreon Producers: Sue Ornelas & Joyce Van

👉 NEXT WEEK: It's finally our turn to experience the buffet ourselves. We eat at this Golden Corral (that definitely used to be a Circuit City) and let's just say... it wasn't great.

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