MGM Grand Buffet to Close Next Month as Las Vegas Strip Loses Another Dining Tradition

The MGM Grand Buffet, a Strip staple since the resort's 1993 opening, will permanently close after service on May 31. The resort has no plans to immediately replace the restaurant.

The buffet has been in operation since the resort opened in 1993. Its menu featured seafood, pasta, pizza, beef tips, cheesecake, and prime rib. The buffet operated Monday and Thursday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with weekday pricing at $32.99 and higher rates on Fridays and weekends.

The closure reduces the number of traditional buffets on the Las Vegas Strip to just seven, down sharply from roughly 35 that operated around the year 2000. Remaining options include the Buffet at Bellagio, Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, Circus Buffet at Circus Circus, Wicked Spoon at The Cosmopolitan, the Buffet at Excalibur, Signature Seafood Buffet at Resorts World, and Wynn Buffet.

For decades, buffets were intentionally operated at a loss to attract and retain gamblers. During the 1980s, gaming accounted for about 75% of casino revenue, with food and beverage offerings serving as loss leaders to keep visitors on the property. By the early 2000s, that model had reversed, with non-gaming amenities, particularly high-end dining and entertainment, beginning to generate the majority of revenue.

During COVID-19, buffets were one of the first types of restaurants to be shut down, low-margin/worldwide, and many are not operating anymore. Casinos are now pursuing a range of new ideas to create high-end food halls and add restaurant and gaming space to increase revenue per square foot.