The legendary $20 Vegas steak dinner is long dead — and now, the “All-You-Can-Eat” dream is on life support.
The buffet at the MGM Grand Las Vegas — a staple of cheap, all-you-can-eat indulgence since the early ’90s — will permanently close on May 31, marking the latest casualty in the slow death of budget-friendly Las Vegas.
Once a staple at the Strip’s largest hotel in a single building, the coming closure marks another nail in the coffin for Sin City buffet culture.
Once synonymous with Vegas excess, buffet halls are now an endangered species.
As of June, only a handful of traditional buffets will remain on the Strip, including Caesars Palace, Wynn and Cosmopolitan. Many of the remaining offerings have dramatically shortened their hours — or raised their rates — in recent years.
Buffets weren’t initially designed to be luxury affairs, but to be cheap, fast and filling so that gamblers could quickly refuel before heading back to the casino floor.
But that model has been flipped, with some buffets in Vegas charging up to $175 per person to gorge on lobster tails and bottomless drinks.
The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a near-fatal blow to buffets, forcing widespread closures across the Strip, reported the AP. Many never reopened, as operators realized they could make more money by replacing them with food halls or celebrity chef restaurants.
Instead of endless trays of lukewarm pasta, visitors now get curated menus, Instagram-ready dishes, and higher prices.
The demise of the buffet comes as Las Vegas itself faces a reality check. Visitor number dropped sharply in 2025 — down 3.1 million visitors, the steepest non-pandemic decline on record, according to Reuters.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
