Golden Corral

let us know how you like the Golden Corral, IntelligentT82.!!

The nearest GC is 20 miles away in the exurb of Waukesha.  But it is always worth the trip, especially if we remember to get in under the wire and only pay the Lunch rate. 

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford ! GC is far and away the finest deal for the money.

DavidEMartin

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford !

Here is the logic that I could never understand.  Besides the fact that anyone who disagrees with your point of view being wrong, of course.  I, too, am on a budget - but, I choose to spend my money on things that I can appreciate.  My condo is small, my car is paid for, and I have a roommate that splits the bills.  This allows me the opportunity to spend my money on the things that I care about - some of which include travel and dining out. 

If you appreciate Golden Corral - knock yourself out.  But, if you are saying that the only reason you eat there is monetary, I guess I would question why you would spend your obviously hard-earned money on something inferior.  I eat in restaurants all the time - so, if I have one clunker of a meal, I shake it off and figure that I will be eating again soon enough.  But, if someone on a limited budget who can only dine out once in awhile has an inferior meal, that could be a problem. 

I have yet to find a city in the United States where I couldn't find a reasonably priced, good quality, locally produced meal in a restaurant - including some of the most expensive cities in the country (NYC, San Francisco, San Diego, etc.).  If, for some reason, you cannot, then it is simply because you choose NOT to.

DavidEMartin


The nearest GC is 20 miles away in the exurb of Waukesha.  But it is always worth the trip, especially if we remember to get in under the wire and only pay the Lunch rate. 

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford ! GC is far and away the finest deal for the money.

The only things I do not  like about them is I always feel bloated when I leave there..and you cannot bring home leftovers...bummer..

The Travelin Man

DavidEMartin

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford !

Here is the logic that I could never understand.  Besides the fact that anyone who disagrees with your point of view being wrong, of course.  I, too, am on a budget - but, I choose to spend my money on things that I can appreciate.  My condo is small, my car is paid for, and I have a roommate that splits the bills.  This allows me the opportunity to spend my money on the things that I care about - some of which include travel and dining out. 

If you appreciate Golden Corral - knock yourself out.  But, if you are saying that the only reason you eat there is monetary, I guess I would question why you would spend your obviously hard-earned money on something inferior.  I eat in restaurants all the time - so, if I have one clunker of a meal, I shake it off and figure that I will be eating again soon enough.  But, if someone on a limited budget who can only dine out once in awhile has an inferior meal, that could be a problem. 

I have yet to find a city in the United States where I couldn't find a reasonably priced, good quality, locally produced meal in a restaurant - including some of the most expensive cities in the country (NYC, San Francisco, San Diego, etc.).  If, for some reason, you cannot, then it is simply because you choose NOT to.

I am sorry, Travelin Man, but I cannot agree with you that it is necessarily a choice. 
 
I live alone (with no one to split the bills) in my own home on a pension and Social Security and normally spend $25 or less per week for food by cooking my own meals.  For me to spend even $15 to $20 on a single meal is something that I cannot even think of doing more than once a month, if even that, and to spend $25 or more on a meal is something that possibly can be done once a year if I save up for it.  The only Golden Corral in this area (which I did like) suddenly closed several months ago, leaving a Home Town Buffet (not acceptable to me) as the only American buffet locally.  There are a couple of Chinese buffets which are pretty good, however (along with several which are not).  I do like the idea of a buffet (even though many Roadfooders can't stand them) since I get to sample a wide variety of foods at a given time for the money, and if eating out is going to be such a rare occasion, I want to take advantage of having the largest number of possibilities to eat dishes I don't normally cook.
 
I too, love traveling and have been all over North America, but on my travels I camp (to save money) and don't ever even think of eating in a fancy restaurant.  A few years ago I joined the other Roadfooders at the Moonlight BBQ (buffet), and enjoyed every minute of it, but for me to spend a minimum of $500 including fees, travel and housing for just two days in New Orleans this last year or next year is something I can't see happening in my lifetime.  The whole 11-day trip with our Boy Scout troop three years ago to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where we saw and did 40 different things, cost less than $500 per person including everything (admissions, activities, camping, restaurant food & gas).

6star

The Travelin Man

DavidEMartin

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford !

Here is the logic that I could never understand.  Besides the fact that anyone who disagrees with your point of view being wrong, of course.  I, too, am on a budget - but, I choose to spend my money on things that I can appreciate.  My condo is small, my car is paid for, and I have a roommate that splits the bills.  This allows me the opportunity to spend my money on the things that I care about - some of which include travel and dining out. 

If you appreciate Golden Corral - knock yourself out.  But, if you are saying that the only reason you eat there is monetary, I guess I would question why you would spend your obviously hard-earned money on something inferior.  I eat in restaurants all the time - so, if I have one clunker of a meal, I shake it off and figure that I will be eating again soon enough.  But, if someone on a limited budget who can only dine out once in awhile has an inferior meal, that could be a problem. 

I have yet to find a city in the United States where I couldn't find a reasonably priced, good quality, locally produced meal in a restaurant - including some of the most expensive cities in the country (NYC, San Francisco, San Diego, etc.).  If, for some reason, you cannot, then it is simply because you choose NOT to.

I am sorry, Travelin Man, but I cannot agree with you that it is necessarily a choice. 
 
I live alone (with no one to split the bills) in my own home on a pension and Social Security and normally spend $25 or less per week for food by cooking my own meals.  For me to spend even $15 to $20 on a single meal is something that I cannot even think of doing more than once a month, if even that, and to spend $25 or more on a meal is something that possibly can be done once a year if I save up for it.  The only Golden Corral in this area (which I did like) suddenly closed several months ago, leaving a Home Town Buffet (not acceptable to me) as the only American buffet locally.  There are a couple of Chinese buffets which are pretty good, however (along with several which are not).  I do like the idea of a buffet (even though many Roadfooders can't stand them) since I get to sample a wide variety of foods at a given time for the money, and if eating out is going to be such a rare occasion, I want to take advantage of having the largest number of possibilities to eat dishes I don't normally cook.
 
I too, love traveling and have been all over North America, but on my travels I camp (to save money) and don't ever even think of eating in a fancy restaurant.  A few years ago I joined the other Roadfooders at the Moonlight BBQ (buffet), and enjoyed every minute of it, but for me to spend a minimum of $500 including fees, travel and housing for just two days in New Orleans this last year or next year is something I can't see happening in my lifetime.  The whole 11-day trip with our Boy Scout troop three years ago to the Black Hills of South Dakota, where we saw and did 40 different things, cost less than $500 per person including everything (admissions, activities, camping, restaurant food & gas).

6 star -

I don't deny that my statement was probably a broad over-generalization (no more so than someone claiming that anyone who can "afford" to eat at a steakhouse is a snob), but I stand by the statement that (most) people make choices that lead to their own financial situation.  My point was that I choose to have a roommate to help alleviate some of my expenses.  I choose to drive a less-than-desirable car because I don't want to be burdened with a car payment.  I choose to live in a small, affordable condo because I don't want to turn over 50% of my paycheck to the mortgage company.    If money were no object, would I like to live on my own, drive a nicer car, and have a bigger house - and still be able to do all of the extra-curricular things that I enjoy?  Sure.  But, the ugly reality is that most people do not choose to live within their means - and, honestly, I am not judging them for it.  But, I surely don't want to hear that someone's only chance at a decent meal is the Golden Corral - based on finances.

NYPIzzaNut

DavidEMartin


The nearest GC is 20 miles away in the exurb of Waukesha.  But it is always worth the trip, especially if we remember to get in under the wire and only pay the Lunch rate. 

As for the critics --  If you're a snob who can afford to eat at a steak house, well, good for you.  Some of us are on a  budget and looking for the best we can afford ! GC is far and away the finest deal for the money.

The only things I do not  like about them is I always feel bloated when I leave there..and you cannot bring home leftovers...bummer..

actually--although you can get a classic doggie bag for leftovers---you CAN get a to go container--fill it with what ever you like and pay for it by the lb.--i have found that now that i try NOT to overeat and trying take a few pounds off using sane portion control----this works well----no second or third trips or 3 desserts!!! I usually am not a big fan of chains--but i DO like GC's pot roast!--and the togo conatiner lets me do that SANELY.  My wife and actuall ate Thangsgiving dinner once and filled up two togo containers so we would have "leftovers" but no DISHES!!

6-star---i dont know aobut where you are--but i KNOW--i can eat cheaper and better at several mom and pop places here then i caqn at Colden Corral---and i DO eat at Golden corral now and then--but IT AINT CHEAP!!!

6-star, I think what TTM stated probably doesn't apply to you. I believe he was merely pointing out that Golden Corral is less than, let's say "a restaurant of notable quality", and he'd much prefer to spend his money wisely dining at a decent eatery. Why would one spend $10 at GC when one could just as well spend the same amount at White Mana or Ted's Famous or Louis' Lunch for instance and have a good meal, and probably a good story.

I guess it's kind of like buying many cheap suits that won't look as good or feel as good rather than spending wisely on the nice suit that fits better, feels nicer, looks better. When all is said and done you end up spending the same over time but the experience is less.

Okay, RF people.  I finally made it over to the Golden Corral in Largo, MD.  Umm...to be honest, I like Great American Buffet and Old Country Buffet better.  I thought Golden Corral was going to have alot of different types of selections and they really didn't.  They didn't even have fried shrimp.  How can you be a buffet place with no fried shimp.  I'm just saying... And the steak I had wasn't that great.  It was tuff as nails and no flavor...maybe because I'm not a big sirloin person.  I like my ribeye and prime cuts.  Plus, the service was terrible in there.  Sorry folks, I gotta give GC a 2 out of 4 stars.

I find GC an excellent value for the dollar, as opposed to lesser buffets, eg. Ryans, Firehouse, Old Country, Duffs.etc.. I find the food always fresh and taste with a wide veriety, on a scale of 1 - 10 I give it an 8.