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America’s largest and most popular buffet chain, Golden Corral, has closed at least six restaurants across six states in 2026, even as the buffet chain plans to open new locations.
The closures impacted restaurants in Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, Idaho and Texas, with reasons including rising costs, lease expirations and operational challenges, according to USA Today.
Golden Corral Corporation told the outlet that it operates about 330 restaurants, 99 percent of which are independently franchised. The company acknowledged that closures have been higher than normal this year but said decisions largely depend on individual franchise owners.
Despite the shutdowns, two new restaurants are under construction, with four more in pre-construction planning.
Which Golden Corral locations have closed?
The following restaurants have closed in 2026, according to USA Today and local reports:
- Canton, Ohio: The restaurant at 4910 Dressler Road NW closed February 1 after more than 20 years, according to the Canton Repository
- Alton, Illinois: The location at 350 Homer M. Adams Parkway closed in April after owners said it was no longer sustainable to operate, according to the Belleville News-Democrat
- Davenport, Iowa: The restaurant at 5202 Elmore Ave. closed July 6 after 28 years, according to Moline Dispatch & Rock Island Argus
- Boynton Beach, Florida: The location at 389 Winchester Park Blvd. closed July 26 after about 20 years, following the end of its lease, according to the Palm Beach Post
- Boise, Idaho: The restaurant at 8640 W. Emerald St. closed in September after about 25 years, according to the Idaho Statesman
- Brownsville, Texas: The location at 4555 North Expressway 77/83 closed September 14 after more than 35 years, according to MySanAntonio.com
In Brownsville, rising costs, required renovations and a rent increase contributed to the closure. Franchise owner Gaspar Hernandez told MySanAntonio.com that monthly rent was set to rise from $17,500 to $31,000.
“Now, with the way the economy is and the trends that we had, we just didn’t see a light at the end of that tunnel,” Hernandez said.
Where is Golden Corral opening new restaurants?
Golden Corral has six locations in development, including two under construction and four in pre-construction planning.
Under construction:
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Kissimmee, Florida
In pre-construction planning:
- Baytown, Texas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Spanish Fort, Alabama
- St. Petersburg, Florida
The Raleigh, North Carolina-headquartered chain says it expects to continue to grow in 2027, according to USA Today.
Which states have the most and least Golden Corral restaurants?
The chain has a total of 328 locations across the listed states and Puerto Rico, according to the counts reported by USA Today.
Texas has the most Golden Corral restaurants, with 47 locations, followed by Florida with 31 and North Carolina with 26. Georgia has 18 locations, while California has 17 and Virginia has 14. Ohio, Illinois and Indiana each have 12 restaurants.
Several states have just one Golden Corral location: Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and South Dakota.
Nebraska, Nevada and West Virginia each have two locations, while Washington has three. The figures reflect reported restaurant counts and may change as locations close or new restaurants open.
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