Golden Corral Lassos New Look

Last fall, the Raleigh, N.C., buffet chain finished rolling out smokers to its nearly 500 restaurants and now Golden Corral is focused on the success of its new prototype. The “Gateway” unit, opened just before Christmas in Greensboro, N.C., has a smaller overall footprint yet adds more than 1,000-sq.ft. of dining space (carved out of the kitchen). The carvery, open bakery area, and smokehouse are highlights as are new features like a stone fireplace and larger windows for natural light. The unit has four island stations in the buffet area and an L-shaped bar by the grill house and carvery.