For low-level and even mid-tier gamblers, a visit to the Las Vegas Strip used to mean a comped meal at a buffet. And while the quality ranged from low-end to world-class, buffets were a deeply ingrained Las Vegas tradition.
That tradition was fading before the Covid pandemic, but social distancing and fear of germs certainly accelerated the trend.
“In a busy buffet, you could have hundreds of people handling the same instrument to put food onto their plates. You have people who are congregating at the soda dispensers,” Jeff Farber, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph, shared with GlobalNews.ca.
In many ways, on the Las Vegas Strip, the classic buffet has become like showgirls. That tradition has fully gone away as there are no more classic showgirl shoes on the Strip or downtown.
Buffets are not gone, but their numbers have dwindled.
Image source: Caesar's Palace
Las Vegas Strip keeps losing buffets
Buffets have not typically been moneymakers for Las Vegas casinos.
“In the best case scenario, buffets made a little bit of money. Most often, buffets either broke even or lost money. As time went on, guests were looking for something different,” Rio Vice President Patrick Hoefler told the Nevada Independent.
Buffets used to be a way to get people fed a lot of food quickly then get them back on the gaming floor. Priorities, however have changed on the Las Vegas Strip, since non-gaming revenue such as dining eclipses casino revenue by upwards of 35% to 64%, according to the paper.
While there will be fewer buffets, Anthony Curtis, publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter and website, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that buffet dining would never fully go away.
“It’s part of the firmament of what makes Las Vegas Las Vegas,” he said.
Las Vegas Strip buffet closures timeline
- Early 2020s: There were over 70 buffets in the Las Vegas Valley.
- March 30, 2025: The Buffet at Luxor closed permanently, reducing the number of buffets on the Strip to eight.
- 2025: Several other buffets have closed, including those at ARIA, Bellagio, Excalibur, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and The Mirage.
- Early 2020s: Many buffets were temporarily closed due to the Covid pandemic and have not reopened.
Source:
Food & Wine
Some Las Vegas Strip and downtown buffets still thrive
There are 12 casinos in Las Vegas that offer buffets. These range from the extravagant Caesars Palace Bacchanal to the traditional Main Street Station. With so much choice available, the team at Gambling.com wanted to find out which Las Vegas casinos have the cheapest and most expensive buffets available,” according to Gambling.com.
The website looked into the priciest and cheapest buffet options not just on the Las Vegas Strip, but citywide.
“We then found the price per person for a Saturday dinner buffet for consistency. However, at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Excalibur Hotel & Casino and the MGM Grand Resort & Casino, the Saturday brunch price was used, as no Saturday dinner buffet option is available at these places,” the site shared.
Las Vegas buffet prices:
- The Caesars Palace Resort & Casino has the title of Las Vegas’ Most Expensive Casino Buffet, coming in at $91.99 per person.
- Main Street Station has been crowned with the title of Las Vegas’ Cheapest Casino Buffet, with a cost of just $32.99.
- The rest of the Las Vegas casino buffet prices range from $33.95 at the South Point Hotel Casino & Spa to $79.99 at the Wynn Resort & Casino.
- The Excalibur Hotel & Casino and the MGM Grand Resort & Casino offer buffets at $43.99. However, this price is based on their Saturday brunch offering.
- Palms Casino Resort offers a buffet for $46.99, but if you are looking to spend a little bit extra, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas provides a Saturday brunch buffet for $54.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a trip.)
Make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Related: Las Vegas Strip casino signs legendary rock star to new residency
#Classic #Las #Vegas #Strip #tradition #rapidly #disappearing