Whatever your feelings about Golden Corral,
there are quite a few interesting facts you might never have suspected about this temple
to all-American overindulgence. Here's a look at the untold truth of Golden
Corral. The early Golden Corrals were basic family
steakhouses, along the lines of Bonanza, Ponderosa, Sizzler, and Beefsteak Charlie's. Hey, it was the '70s, and cheap meat was definitely
having a moment. The moment didn't last, though, and by the
80's Golden Corral was looking for a new gimmick. They rebranded and expanded, adding a new
buffet that offered a "Golden Choice" of 160 different hot and cold-items, including a
carving station for roast beef, ham and turkey. And the rest is history. With Golden Corral's '80s-era expansion came
what remains one of its most popular features, an in-house bakery. This new addition was later named the Brass
Bell Bakery, after the real bell that was supposed to be rung every 15 minutes. Why? “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets
its wings!" No, actually, it was to let people know that
a fresh batch of hot rolls had come out of the oven. This continued into the early 21st century,
but seems to have faded away. The bakery, though, is still going strong,
and that's the important part. Golden Corral is always advertising their
latest and newest delicious goodies. But it turns out that old favorites are still
just that. According to The Food Network, the three most
popular menu items at Golden Corral are fried chicken, pot roast, and good old meatloaf. According to MSN, the popularity of Golden
Corral's meatloaf is only matched by the love for their Chocolate Wonderfall. But that can actually be a problem... Golden Corral provides items for dipping such
as fruit, marshmallows and cookies. That's all yummy. What's not nearly as yummy, though, is the
fact that some people stick their fingers, hands, or other body parts into the fountain
as well. "I'm going in!" Hey, if you want to get freaky with a Hershey
bar at home, that's fine. But contaminating the Wonderfall isn't just
gross, it's a health hazard, so next time you're in Golden Corral, you might want to
think twice before using it. "I'll forgive you for not taking me out for
Chocolate Wonderfall" 2013 wasn't the best year for Golden Corral,
public relations-wise. The year began with the temporary closure
of a Tampa restaurant due to a huge cockroach infestation, numerous food temperature violations,
and employees who did not wash their hands. Then, in July, an employee at the Port Orange,
Florida restaurant posted a vomit-inducing video showing trays of uncooked burgers and
ribs stacked out back by the dumpsters. That same month photos surfaced on Reddit
posted by another Golden Corral employee of an absolutely filthy restaurant kitchen. The chain issued statements assuring customers
that everything was clean and healthy, but it definitely wasn't a good look. Golden Corral's buffet is like a cornucopia
of delicious food. But some crazy patrons treat the restaurant
like the Cornucopia in The Hunger Games. In 2018, two men were arrested in Peoria,
Illinois, after starting a brawl in a Golden Corral. More recently, two huge fights made headlines
in March of 2019 — a reported 15-person battle royale inside a Brooklyn, Ohio Golden
Corral, and possible a 20-person rumble at a Syracuse, New York location. Hey, people are passionate about their buffets! Yes, Golden Corral is usually open on Thanksgiving. And Christmas. And things can get pretty weird at the holidays,
even when giant brawls don't break out. On Christmas Eve, 2016, for instance, a waitress
in Kentucky discovered that the couple had left a thousand dollar tip. And the waitstaff deserves it: on Thanksgiving
day, 2018, a 7-month-old in North Carolina began choking. A quick thinking waitress shouted for help,
and a patron who knew first aid rushed forward and saved the child's life. It was literally a holiday miracle! Times are tough all over for most buffet chains. HomeTown Buffet, Western Sizzlin', Furr's,
Souplantation, Sweet Tomatoes, Ryan's Buffet and others have all experienced plummeting
profits, leading to numerous bankruptcies. By contrast, Golden Corral is still, well,
golden. Their sales actually rose in 2017 and they've
opened several new locations over the past few years. So how do they do it? Partly it's the way the company is organized
— they're privately held, and have had remarkably little turnover in leadership over the nearly
50 years they've been in business. The real secret to their success, however,
may be their willingness to keep changing with the times. New menu items, new restaurant designs, whatever
it takes to stay fresh and relevant. Not to mention all of its competitors helpfully
putting themselves out of business. Soon Golden Corral might be the only game
in town for those who value quantity over quality. Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite
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