Golden Corral Open Christmas Day? Depends On Where You Live, Buffet-Lovers
Searching for the Golden Corral Christmas hours and holiday menu? The popular buffet-style restaurant chain has almost 500 locations in the United States, but not all of them will be open on December 25. Many locations are franchises, making the decision to open up to the individual owner.
“Each Golden Corral is independently owned, hours vary by location. We suggest contacting your local Golden Corral for information on special holiday hours.”
Open since 1973, the chain restaurant was voted “Number One Grill Buffet” for 13 straight years straight by Nation’s Restaurant News. Despite the fact that Golden Corral has been linked to outbreaks of salmonella and norovirus, it still remains an extremely popular restaurant, with more than $1.7 billion in sales from a combination of franchised and company-owned restaurants.
Just got my 4th plate at Golden Corral.. Ain’t no shame in my food game
— Jordan Baird (@jordannnicoleeb) December 21, 2014
In 2003, the law firm of Marler Clark represented nine individual claims against a Golden Corral restaurant in Kennesaw, Georgia that was linked to an outbreak of salmonella that affected at least 27 people. Nine years later, Food Safety News reported that over 300 people were sickened in an outbreak linked to a franchise in Casper, Wyoming. At least 31 sickened workers were on the job despite being sick, making the virus spread quickly. Just one year later, an employee at a franchise in Port Orange, Florida posted a video online that showed prepared and raw food next to the restaurant’s dumpster.
Past issues with foodborne illnesses don’t appear to be a big deal with the company’s Twitter fans. There are plenty of tweets about eating at Golden Corral during the holidays, a clear indication that people love buffet food and trust that the salmonella and norovirus incidents are not the norm.
Cannot wait until Christmas Eve. Dads taking us out to eat at Golden Corral!
— (@naynaybetch) December 20, 2014
Just make sure you have a back-up plan for dinner in case the Golden Corral in your area is closed. There are dozens of restaurants open on Christmas, including fast food, sit-down and buffet restaurants similar to Golden Corral, like Old Country Buffet and Hometown Buffet.
I hope Golden Corral is open on Christmas
— Ranch Allen (@The_Ivangelist) December 17, 2014
To find out if there is a Golden Corral open nearby, call ahead or enter your zip code into the chain’s restaurant locator here. For locations that are open on Christmas, expect to see a full buffet with special holiday items including carved turkey, glazed ham, and a number of side dishes and desserts.
[Image: Golden Corral Facebook]
