This Popular All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Makes Breakfast On The Weekends

Large food portions have become something of a United States trademark. The country that gave birth to the concept of "supersize me" and has aired TV programs like Food Network's "Ginormous Food" also, unsurprisingly, plays host to a slew of all-you-can-eat buffets. From unlimited Chinese food eateries to endless pizza, pasta, and salad establishments, we Americans like our food in abundance. Is it technically a smorgasbord or a buffet? Honestly, we really don't care as long as there's good food and plenty of it.

One of America's leading buffet chains is Golden Corral. Since opening in the 1970s, the brand has spread from coast to coast, offering limitless portions of favorite foods like steak, shrimp, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, pizza, macaroni and cheese, and lots more (it's among chain restaurants that don't make their mac and cheese from scratch, but we won't hold that against them). There is also a salad bar and unlimited dessert to round out the offerings. But did you know Golden Corral also has a breakfast buffet?

It's true. Every weekend, Golden Corrals around the country open up for early-hour guests, rolling out a mouthwatering array of breakfast foods ranging from pancakes, French toast, and waffles to hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy, and custom-made omelets, with the quintessential sausage and bacon also on offer. There's additionally fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt, juice, and pastries — and, just because they can, they keep the dessert bar in full operation. However, not every Golden Corral has weekend breakfast. So, check your local restaurant before you set out in the wee hours on a weekend (and be sure to familiarize yourself with the three eggy dishes you should avoid at a breakfast buffet before going).

While the majority of Golden Corral restaurants only offer breakfast on the weekend, some serve breakfast all week long. So, if you're craving all-you-can-eat pancakes on a Monday, these sites have you covered. Many of the Golden Corrals in North Carolina, for instance, where the chain is headquartered, offer breakfast throughout the week. The Golden Corral in Fayetteville, North Carolina, goes even further, offering breakfast items all day long, every day of the week. Fayetteville, incidentally, was home to the very first Golden Corral restaurant, which debuted in 1973 (though the current Fayetteville restaurant is at a different location than the original was).

It's unclear exactly when breakfast became an option at Golden Corral restaurants. The company did try out a brunch addition in 2017, which was implemented across all sites to provide breakfast items daily from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. That offering didn't stick, though, and the majority of GCs reverted to serving lunch and dinner only on weekdays.

Though today it's tops in America's all-you-can-eat game, Golden Corral actually didn't start out as a buffet restaurant. At its inception, the restaurant classified itself as a budget steakhouse, serving steak and other entrees along with baked potatoes and salads. It was after about 10 years in business that the growing company pivoted and made the transition to a full-service buffet restaurant. On behalf of hungry diners everywhere, we're very glad they did!