Golden Corral Prices – How much is it at Golden Corral?

Golden Corral’s legendary buffet is a great way to spend your Sunday morning with loved ones and friends. This all-American family-friendly restaurant chain has plenty of food selections and it’s an all-you-can-eat establishment so you can eat as much as you want and just pay a fixed price. Golden Corral is without a doubt one of the most loved buffet restaurants in the United States. They have been around for five decades and continues to be a popular option for families and groups who want a sumptuous meal at an affordable price.

Latest Golden Corral take-out prices:

Item	Price
Catering
Carved Ham	$8.32
Tuna Salad	$28.49
Seafood Salad	$28.92
Mashed Potatoes	$24.87
Seasoned Pinto Beans	$13.73
Black Eyed Peas	$17.40
Red Bliss Potatoes	$16.23
Signature Salads
Cobb Salad	$9.07
Chicken Caesar	$9.02
Chicken Caesar Salad	$9.07
Garden Salad	$9.00
Spinach Salad	$9.03
Salad Topper - Bacon	$0.99
Salad Topper - Chicken	$0.99
Salad Topper - Ham	$0.99
Popular Items
Pot Roast	$11.02
Fried Chicken Meal	$9.18
Bourbon Street Chicken Meal	$8.48
Family Meals
Sirloin Steak	$10.17
Smoked Pulled Pork	$10.36
Bourbon Street Chicken	$9.74
Baked Fish	$9.39
Baked Chicken	$9.30
Smoked Chicken	$9.07
White Rice	$4.83
Green Beans	$4.74
Baked Beans	$4.87
Fried Chicken Combo	$9.18
Macaroni and Cheese	$5.03
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy	$4.81
Steamed Broccoli	$4.77
Coleslaw	$4.69
Buttered Corn	$4.70
Steamed Carrots	$4.60
Individual Meals Generous portions of your Golden Corral Favorites. All entrees come with your choice of two sides and a yeast roll. Dinner Salads come with a yeast roll.
Cheesecake	$2.50
10 oz. Sirloin Steak	$14.45
12 oz. Sirloin Steak	$13.84
Holiday Sliced Ham Meal	$10.01
Fried Chicken	$9.69
Holiday Sliced Turkey Meal	$10.18
Meatloaf	$10.56
5 oz. Sirloin Steak	$11.57
Blueberry Pie	$1.77
Fried Fish	$9.46
8 oz. Sirloin Steak	$10.61
Kids Meals
Chicken Tenders	$5.09
Grilled Cheese	$5.10
Salad
House Salad	$12.85
Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza	$7.25
12" Cheese Pizza	$6.18
Cheese Pizza	$6.24
12" Pepperoni Pizza	$7.11
Hot Sides Build the perfect family meal. Choose from beef, chicken, pork, and seafood entrées, as well as a wide array of sides. Golden Corral’s famous yeast rolls are included with every order. Serves 4 to 6 people.
Yeast Rolls	$2.91
Baked Potato	$2.35
Famous Fried Chicken
6 Piece Fun Box	$10.34
8 Piece Whole Bird Box	$14.28
12 Piece Family Box	$19.52
20 Piece Crowd Pleaser	$29.00
Large Party
Baked Beans - Pan	$18.33
Baked Ham - Priced By the lb	$7.77
Fried Chicken - By the Piece	$9.88
Fried Chicken - priced by the Piece	$16.93
Baked Ham - priced by the pound	$7.79
Baked Potatoes with Toppings - Each	$2.02
Black Eyed Peas - Pan	$18.18
Bourbon Street Chicken - Pan	$33.40
Buttered Corn - Pan	$15.57
Gravy	$4.19
Cabbage	$15.40
Carrots - Pan	$15.50
Green Beans - Pan	$15.52
Mac & Cheese - Pan	$25.26
Mashed Potatoes - Pan	$25.13
Pinto Beans - Pan	$18.16
Pot Roast - 2 Roasts	$38.93
Red Bliss Potatoes - Pan	$18.30
Smoked Pulled Pork - priced by the pound	$10.18
Smoked/Rotisserie Chicken	$11.24
Steamed Broccoli - Pan	$15.51
Sweet Potato Casserole - Pan	$25.05
Large Party Platters
Sides	$2.03
Smoked Chicken Platter	$23.83
Baked Ham Platter	$7.75
Meatloaf Platter	$21.63
BBQ Pulled Pork Platter	$9.89
Bourbon Street Chicken Platter	$33.39
Pot Roast Platter	$38.12
House Salad Platter	$19.16
Potato Salad Platter	$20.08
Seafood Salad Platter	$35.16
Tuna Salad Platter	$29.99
Party Baked Potatoes	$1.99
Party Black Eyed Peas	$18.19
Party Buttered Corn	$15.35
Party Gravy	$4.03
Party Green Beans	$15.35
Party Macaroni & Cheese	$25.07
Party Mashed Potatoes	$24.97
Party Pinto Beans	$18.17
Party Red Bliss Potaotes	$18.17
Party Steamed Broccoli	$15.35
Party Steamed Cabbage	$15.36
Party Steamed Carrots	$15.35
Party Yeast Rolls	$3.14
Salads - Large Party Pick Up
House Salad - Pan	$19.10
Potato Salad - Pan	$20.27
Seafood Salad - Pan	$35.41
Tuna Salad - Pan	$30.43
Desserts
Carrot Cake	$2.41
Cheese Cake	$1.64
Chocolate Cake	$2.36
Cheescake	$1.62
Apple Pie	$1.87
Cherry Pie	$1.51
Brownies	$3.64
Cookies	$3.09
Dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies	$3.00
Beverages
Gold Peak Iced Tea	$3.23
Gold Peak® Unsweet Tea	$4.07
Single Serve	$3.03
Gold Peak® Sweet Tea	$3.85
Minute Maid® Lemonade	$4.62
Fountain Beverage	$3.09
Bottled Water	$2.17
Barq's Root Beer	$2.94
32 Oz Drink	$2.99
Cola Cola	$2.89
Diet Coke	$2.89
Dr. Pepper	$2.89
Fanta Orange	$2.89
Sprite	$2.89
Sides
Cold Sides	$4.27
Hot Sides	$2.82
Salads	$3.62
Steamed Cabbage	$6.00
Potato salad	$9.76
Sweet Potato Casserole	$8.46

Disclaimer: PriceListo gathers actual pricing information from sources such as on-site visits, business websites, and phone interviews. The prices reported on this webpage derive from one or more of those sources. Naturally, the prices reported on this website may not be current, and may not apply to all locations of a given business brand. To obtain current pricing, contact the individual business location of interest to you.

Golden Corral prices provided by PriceListo.

Latest Golden Corral dine-in prices:

How Golden Corral Evolved Through the Years

A privately owned restaurant chain with headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, Golden Corral started as an idea conceptualized by James Maynard and William F. Carl. They were trying to acquire a franchise with other businesses but failed to do so. On January 3, 1973 the very first Golden Corral Family Steak House was opened in Fayetteville, N.C. As of 2022, there are 397 Golden Corral stores in the United States, with around 55 locations in Texas.

In the early 1990s, they opened the “Metro Market” concept restaurants in Texas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and New Mexico. These new restaurants could seat between 400-450 diners and had an area of 10,000 square feet (at least doubled the size of their old restaurants). They added the Brass Bell Bakery showcasing freshly made bread, pastries and rolls.

By 2001, Golden Corral reported an annual sales of more than $1 billion. In the mid-2000s the company once again changed the concept of their restaurant to what they called “Strata” which allows diners to view how the food is prepared. Guests serve themselves in all Golden Corral locations however there were items that are made-to-order such as omelets, Belgian waffles and steaks.

In 2018, they made another update to their restaurant design known as “Gateway.” The renovated locations had a more contemporary appearance, new food service bars as well as modern kitchen areas. Some Golden Corral locations also have take out services as they partner with DoorDash, Uber Eats and GrubHub. “GC on the go” also allows customers to pack any food they like and then pay for it based on the weight of the food.

Golden Corral During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Just like most restaurants in the country (and around the world) when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in the early part of 2020, Golden Corral had to close down. Some of the stores were re-opened and provided family-style and cafeteria-style dining.

This huge buffet chain reopened its locations gradually across the country. The cafeteria-style strategy worked very well for them, as they made sure all health safety protocols were followed. The family-style table-service model were also employed in some of its locations.

Even during the latter part of the pandemic, federal guidelines indicate that self-service options were still not allowed, and most states complied with those guidelines. To ensure they followed these guidelines, Golden Corral had to temporarily stop operating salad bars and self-service beverage stations. At first, the changes were more challenging as buffet concepts are generally self-service. As a result, some stores like Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes had to permanently close.

Golden Corral took a more aggressive route by changing its business concept to cafeteria-style service. As the biggest buffet restaurant chain in the country, Golden Corral remained steadfast and continues to grow (albeit slowly) even as its competitors struggled.

In the cafeteria-style model, they set up stanchions with food displays as staff served customers the food they want. In the family-style model, group diners were assigned tables where they were brought “endless buffet” options.

Many of its locations also offered takeout-only services.

Across 2020 and 2021, the chain closed 124 of its stores. Fortunately, many of the existing franchisees are reinvesting. Golden Corral’s Gateway redesign are seeing up to 100% sales increases compared to 2019. A few months ago they reopened their stores in Ashland, Kentucky, Greenwood and Indiana which are reportedly averaging $130,000–$160,000 in weekly sales.

How much is Golden Corral?

“Expensive” isn’t a word you tend to associate with Golden Corral. After all, the highest price you’d pay is when you’re enjoying a weekend dinner, and that will only cost you approximately $16.99 per person for the food. The beverages aren’t included. 

Golden Corral Continues to Grow

Lance Trenary, the CEO of Golden Corral, was recently awarded the 2022 Gold Plate Award by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and he couldn’t be prouder. He says the award wasn’t about what he did on his own but rather, it was a representation of Golden Corral highs and lows over the last 2 years and showcased the strength and resilience of the team members, staff and franchisees, as well as the loyalty of their patrons.

In February last year, the company made it to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Large Employers. This comes as no surprise as Golden Corral offers child care and transportation assistance to its workers. They also provide competitive wages.

The stores are seeing weekly sales of as much as $85,000 per store, 30% more than what they earned each week in 2021 and even 3-5% higher than 2019.

Trenary believes that the chain’s successful comeback can be attributed to its strong value proposition. Golden Corral prices remain below the average in the industry but the quality of the food, the array of options available plus the good service ensures each person that goes there gets the best value for their money.

The brand has made sure the quality remains the same and has not cut back its offerings. Many of their dishes are made from scratch. They still make and mix their own meat loaf, cut the steaks, breads the chicken, grinds the meat and cooks their pot roast for 12 hours.

The chain also remains true to their tagline, “only one for everyone” which means diners can get whatever food they like and pay only one fixed price.

Golden Corral New Designs

Golden Corral has prepared an incentive to prospective franchisees. G.C. Grill House, a steakhouse, will open in July and will highlight the family steakhouse that Golden Corral once was when it first opened in 1973. It will also feature popular buffet items like pot roast, fried chicken and meatloaf. Additionally, another prototype is in the works – a fast casual establishment with a drive-thru feature which gives a modern twist on food we’ve grown to love such as a pot roast sandwich and hot fried chicken.

Golden Corral Typical Customer Profile

Golden Corral has very loyal fans and is well-loved for its extensive buffet options. According to analytics company Numerator, the typical Golden Corral customer is a retiree over 65 years old who enjoys eating out. They usually live in suburban or rural areas in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, North and South Carolinas, Washington DC, Virginia and West Virginia. The household often makes less than $80K a year. The data points similarities with average customer profile for Texas Roadhouse.

On average, a Golden Corral customer spends $28.42 at the restaurant and visits an average of 5 times a year. Their top choices are usually steaks, fruit juices, and teas. The busiest day at Golden Corral is Sunday followed by Wednesday.

Golden Corral Bestsellers

The Golden Corral menu is extensive and there’s always something for everyone. When you’re very hungry and want to eat comfort foods but you don’t want to spend an arm and leg, Golden Corral is exactly what you need.

One might be inclined to think that buffets are no longer popular today but if you’ve ever been to Golden Corral in the past year you’ll know nothing can be further from the truth. Every day, hundreds of people flock to their stores where you’re treated with hefty servings of meat, fresh salads, yummy sides, delicious desserts and drinks. Whatever comfort food you can visualize in your head – they have it! Whether it’s build your own burgers, crispy fried chicken or mouth-watering desserts, you’re sure to find it here.

Golden Corral offers a great selection but here are the ones we highly recommend you try first:

1. Fried Chicken

They call it Aunt B’s friend chicken and it’s crispy and crunchy, with a beautiful golden color on the breading. Make sure you eat it as soon as they are put out so that you can get hot and juicy.

2. Signature Sirloin Steak

Golden Corral knows all about steak temperatures and this sirloin steak is surprisingly good. It’s well-seasoned and tender. It’s more than what you’d expect from a buffet steak.

3. Carrot Cake

The carrot cake at Golden Corral is just heavenly. It’s light and moist, with just the right amount of shredded carrots and spices. The frosting is not overly sweet. In fact, it’s the perfect balance of sharpness from the cream cheese and the sweetness of the sugar frosting.

4. Build Your Own Burger

Nothing to write home about but these burgers are pretty good actually. You get to choose from an array of toppings like sauces, onions and leafy greens. You can also make a request on your preferred temperature for the patty, otherwise it will be cooked well-done. What really stands out is the fries – they’re crispy, crunchy and salty.

5. Fried Fish

The Golden Corral fish can hold its own when it comes to fried food and the fried fish is no exception. The breading has similar seasoning and flavor to the fried chicken. Just make sure you get the fresh batch.

6. Butterfly Shrimp

The tasty, well-seasoned shrimp are plump, juicy and one serving is simply not enough. It has the perfect golden crust and it has a bit of sweetness as well.

7. Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to mashed potatoes, very few can compare to Golden Corral. It’s soft and creamy, with just the right amount of salty and garlicky flavor. Any loyal patron of this restaurant will tell you to get the mashed potatoes and be sure to add gravy and some butter!

8. Salad Bar

The Golden Corral salad bar features plenty of vegetables, leafy greens, cold cuts, fruits, cheeses, and some bread.

9. Pulled BBQ Chicken and Pork

These two buffet items are a must try at Golden Corral. The pulled BBQ chicken in particular is juicy and tender, and has a hint of smokey flavor. The sauce is tangy and sweet, which I personally enjoy.

Why You Should Dine at Golden Corral

If you’ve never visited a Golden Corral restaurant before, it’s about time you do. I guarantee it won’t be your last. It’s the place for people who want to get more bang for every dollar. You get treated to classic mains and sides, along with delicious desserts and healthy salads. The food quality is more than what you’d expect from a regular buffet. If you’re hungry and you want comfort foods, this is the place for you.

1. The buffet is absolutely cheap!

This one’s a no-brainer. The Golden Corral lunch prices go for as low as $11.49 (without drinks) and you are treated to a wide array of food choices. If you’re hungry and you don’t want to pay a big amount of money for a big meal, this is the place to go.

2. They love kids.

In fact, if you bring your kids for the lunch buffet, you only pay $8.99 per child (age 4-8). Kids 3 and below eat for free!

3. They love veterans.

In the last 6 years, Golden Corral has raised more than $9 million to send close to 18,000 military kids to Camp Corral where they take care of children of ill, fallen or injured servicemen. They have also given more than 5 million free meals to veterans and active duty military.

4. They have a breakfast buffet on weekends.

Nothing can be more enjoyable than a late (but sumptuous) breakfast on Sunday morning surrounded by family or friends. You can feast on cooked to order omelet, bacon, sausage, freshly made bread, waffles, pancakes and fruits for just $12.99.

5. They make steaks right.

They cut the steaks inhouse plus they know how to make the meats juicy and well-seasoned. You don’t really expect something like this from something so affordable, right?

6. They have an impressive salad bar.

The signature salad bar at Golden Corral gives you tons of options to make the healthiest and yummiest salads.

7. They have a smoked menu.

The recently added Smokehouse menu has baby back ribs, brisket, chicken and turkey smoked with hickory. They cook and smoke the meats on site and you can choose your own sauces.

Golden Corral Breakfast Buffet

Most people in America are familiar with Golden Corral. It is, after all, the country’s number #1 buffet chain known for its smoked pulled pork and pot roast. But what some people don’t know is that they also have breakfast buffet. Yes, you can get your favorite waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon and sirloin steak on a lazy Sunday morning.

Golden Corral breakfast hours are typically between 7:30 am and 11:00 AM. The brand’s legendary endless breakfast buffet also features other items like made-to-order omelet, fluffy pancakes, ham and glazed buns.

The breakfast buffet price starts at $12.99 and this already comes with coffee and juice. You’ll find 6 different categories:

•  Omelet Station: You can choose the kind of omelet you want with ingredients like diced ham, bacon bits, scrambled sausages, onions, mushrooms, cheese and others.
• Cold Breakfast Selection: This includes cold meats, assorted cereals, yogurt, fruits, various juices, butter, jelly and whipped cream.
• Hot Breakfast Favorites: Here you can choose from sausage patties, scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, waffles, pancakes, toasts, muffins and others.
• Bakery Goods: Aside from freshly made breads, you’ll also find pastries, chocolate fudge, bread pudding and others.
• Ice Cream Bar: Golden Corral offers vanilla and chocolate ice cream along with fruit toppings, nuts etc.
•  Chocolate Wonderfall: Here you’ll find the chocolate Wonderfall fountain, fruits and mallows.

Most locations stop offering buffet breakfast around 11AM but this may vary. Take note as well that some of their restaurants serve breakfast starting at 8AM.

Golden Corral Lunch Buffet

The Golden Corral serves lunch Mondays through Saturdays (no Sunday) from 11AM to 2PM. Please take note that these lunch buffet hours may not apply to all their restaurants and we’ve been told some locations serve lunch from 10AM to 4PM. Hours for Golden Corral may vary however depending on the location.

With over 60 dishes to choose from, check out their lunch buffet choices below which are divided into 4 categories:

• Hot Lunch Favorites – This section includes meat entrees, pizza, fried chicken, Burger Bar, fried fish, meatloaf, pot pie, baked fish, chicken & noodle dumplings, as well as Bourbon street chicken.
• Hot Lunch Sides – They have an array of sides including mashed potatoes & gravy, Asian rice, Mexican rice, carrots, green beans, broccoli, corn, cabbage, beans, tamales, macaroni and cheese, several soups, potato bar with toppings, fried ravioli and our all time favorite yeast rolls with honey butter.
• Salad Bar + Dressings – Golden Corral provides various dressings for your salad. You can also add from the numerous selections of cheeses, cold cuts, seafood, veggies, and fruits.
• Desserts – Some of their best desserts are carrot cake, ice cream, cookies, cupcakes, macaroons, hot fudge, pumpkin pie, bread pudding, fudge brownies and a whole lot more.

Golden Corral Dinner Buffet

The dinner buffet at Golden Corral is available from 4PM – 10PM Mondays through Thursdays, as well as Sundays. On weekends (Fridays and Saturdays) it starts from 4PM until 10:30PM.

Enjoy perfectly cooked to order dinner and choose from any (or all) of these selections:

• Fried chicken
• Carving station
• Fried fish
• Baked fish or grilled fish
• Golden delicious shrimp
• Pizzas
• Prime Rib
• Chicken and noodle dumplings
• Featured pork entrée
• Pot roast
• Signature sirloin steak
• Smoked sirloin
• Bourbon street chicken
• Mashed potatoes & gravy
• Mexican rice
• Sweet corn pudding
• Refried beans
• Yeast rolls with honey butter
• Macaroni and cheese
• Scalloped potatoes
• Homestyle stuffing
• Sweet corn pudding
• Italian pasta bake
• Fried ravioli
• Cinnamon apples
• Rice
• Soup
• Baked potato bar with toppings
• Seafood salad
• Fresh veggies salad
• Fresh fruit
• Meat
• Cheeses
• Crackers
• Chocolate Fountain
• Carrot Cake
• Cotton Candy
• And so much more!

Low Calorie Food Items at Golden Corral

If you are conscious about the amount of calories you consume don’t worry, Golden Corral gives you a comprehensive nutritional breakdown of their food selections on their website. Among the low-calorie food items they offer are:

• Seafood – The breaded flounder fish only has 120 calories per serving, while the shrimp fajitas has 70 calories and the fried breaded fish has 90 calories.
• Salads – Salads are great for those who want to limit their calorie consumption. The restaurant has plenty of salad choices that are around 40 calories per serving.
• Salisbury Steak – The standard beef steak has 70 calories per serving. They also have other low calorie selections like BBQ beef, Asian Beef, Taco Beef and Roast Carved Beef.
• Pork – The smoked pit ham only as 110 calories while the pork sausage patty has 80 calories, and the BBQ boneless pork ribs contains 120 calories.
• Beverages – If you’re watching your calories, it’s best to stick to sugar-free tea or water.
• Desserts – Desserts are rarely low-calorie but you can get desserts for under 400 calories such as the sugar-free pistachio cake.

Golden Corral Rewards Program

You can sign up for the Golden Corral Rewards Program and earn points every time you eat at the restaurant or order through the Golden Corral App. You’ll need to upload or scan the receipt to earn points. You also earn points every time you refer family and friends.

To redeem your points, you can do so at any Golden Corral physical location or online. If redeeming in-store, you need to click the “Redeem” button on the app and then indicate how much you want to redeem then show your code to the cashier.

Another perk of signing up for the rewards program is that you get treated a free buffet (unlimited) and indulge in all the good food that this restaurant is known for. Simply bring a full-paying adult at any participating restaurant and show the cashier your birthday gift voucher. This gift is valid for one week.

For more information about Golden Corral, visit their official website. 

Golden Corral Promo 2023