Golden Corral Defies Trends with Six New Locations Set for 2027

Golden Corral, the well-known buffet chain, has announced plans for significant expansion, with six new restaurants scheduled to open in 2027. This development follows a period of closures across various states, including Ohio, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, and Idaho, over the past nine months.

The company has not yet specified the locations for these upcoming restaurants. Reasons for previous closures varied, with some franchises citing increased operational costs, mandated renovations, and rising rent, as seen in Brownsville, Texas. Other closures, such as in Canton, Ohio, and Alton, Illinois, did not provide specific reasons beyond the cessation of operations.

Golden Corral operates a total of 330 restaurants across numerous states and territories. A notable aspect of its business model is that approximately 99% of these locations are owned and managed by independent franchisees. The company acknowledged that the number of closures this year is higher than average, with individual franchise circumstances being the primary driver.

Texas currently boasts the highest number of Golden Corral locations with 47, followed by Florida with 31 and North Carolina with 26. The chain's presence extends to 38 states and Puerto Rico.