Customers ditch a la carte for all-you-can-eat buffets

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Customers ditch a la carte for all-you-can-eat buffets

Ashley Queens, a buffet restaurant operated by Elandeats [ASHLEY QUEENS]

Ashley Queens, a buffet restaurant operated by Elandeats [ASHLEY QUEENS]

 
Buffet restaurants have been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but are now seeing an increase in demand following the easing of social distancing rules.
 
These restaurants have been classified as facilities with a high risk for spreading Covid-19 and were prohibited to operate between August and October 2020 under the social distancing rules. This led many food companies to close their buffet restaurant chains.
 
Shinsegae Food shut down its Korean buffet restaurant chain Olbaan last year.
 
CJ Foodville also closed down the last branch of its buffet restaurant chain Season’s Table, in Coex Mall in southern Seoul.
 
Makinochaya, a seafood restaurant chain that operates a buffet [MAKINOCHAYA]

Makinochaya, a seafood restaurant chain that operates a buffet [MAKINOCHAYA]

 
But with the relaxing of social distancing regulations, more people have been dining out at buffet restaurants recently.
 
Sales at Makinochaya, a seafood restaurant chain that operates a buffet, surged by 82 percent on year in May. Other competitors such as CJ Foodville’s VIPS restaurant saw an on-year sales increase by 30 percent during the months of May and June. Elandeats’ buffet chain Ashely Queens also recorded over a 60 percent increase in sales in June compared to the previous year.
 
“Several branches including those in Dongtan, Gyeonggi, and Jamsil, southern Seoul, have recovered monthly sales of 400 to 500 million won [$307,500 to $384,400],” said a spokesperson for Elandeats.
 
The monthly sales figure of 500 million won is significant as no single branch had surpassed the figure since the pandemic started in January 2020.
 
“It looks like people who have been wanting to dine at buffet restaurants but have been avoiding doing so due to health and safety concerns all started coming in April and May,” said a spokesperson for Elandeats. “Customers now need to wait at least 30 minutes even at dinnertime on weekdays.”
 
Restaurants’ efforts to cut costs and improve quality have also contributed to the surging demand for buffets.
 
Makinochaya has cut costs by purchasing ingredients such as crab and fish directly from suppliers.
 
“Direct purchases have helped us reduce costs and secure quality,” said a spokesperson for the restaurant.
 
VIPS started offering all-you-can-drink wine and a charcuterie zone, adding more premium factors to differentiate its restaurant and recruit more customers.
 
With a higher dining-out price index, demand for more affordable buffets is also rising.
 
Buffet restaurants such as Ashley and VIPS offer lunch buffets during weekdays ranging from 10,000 won to 30,000 won, and dinners ranging from 20,000 won to 40,000 won.
 
“Because of inflation, it costs more than 30,000 won to eat at a restaurant and order coffee and desserts at a cafe,” said Lee Ga-gyeong, a 34-year-old office worker. “We can eat as much as we can and even have dessert at the same place, so I've been really satisfied with dining at buffet restaurants.”
 
The rising prices of hotel buffets have also influenced people to prefer cheaper buffets.
 
Major hotels in Seoul have raised their prices due to an increase in ingredient and labor costs. 
The Parkview, the name of Shilla Hotel’s buffet, raised its price from 119,000 won to 140,000 won in February for a weekday lunch course. Westin Josun’s Aria also increased its weekend dinner price from 145,000 won to 150,000 won in June.
 

BY YOO JI-YOEN, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]
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