HomeTown Buffet

HomeTown Buffet was a well-known buffet restaurant chain that began in 1990, founded with the idea of offering affordable, all-you-can-eat dining in a casual, family-friendly setting. The brand quickly gained traction and expanded across the United States, becoming a familiar presence in suburban shopping centers and retail plazas. At its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, HomeTown Buffet operated more than 200 locations, often serving as an anchor tenant that generated steady foot traffic and contributed to the vibrancy of multi-tenant properties.

Over the years, HomeTown Buffet’s parent company, Buffets Inc., managed several similar concepts, including Old Country Buffet and Ryan’s. The chain’s large-format stores were designed to accommodate families and groups, and each location typically employed dozens of staff, reflecting its significant operational scale. However, as consumer preferences shifted toward healthier and faster dining options, and competition from new restaurant formats intensified, HomeTown Buffet faced mounting challenges. The company went through several bankruptcies and rebranded as Ovation Brands in an effort to adapt, but continued to struggle with declining sales.

A notable milestone in the brand’s history was its acquisition by BBQ Holdings, a move that followed years of financial difficulty. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 proved insurmountable for the buffet model, as health regulations and changing public attitudes made self-service dining untenable. As of January 2021, HomeTown Buffet had closed all remaining locations, and BBQ Holdings, which now holds the brand rights, announced there would be no plans to reopen or expand the chain.

HomeTown Buffet’s closure left a mark on the commercial real estate landscape. Many retail centers that once relied on the chain as a traffic driver found themselves with large vacant spaces, prompting opportunities for redevelopment and new tenancy. The brand’s legacy is reflected in its historical scale, its role in anchoring retail developments, and the lessons it offers about adapting to changing consumer behaviors. Today, all social media accounts are inactive, and there are no current staff or active real estate contacts associated with the company. BBQ Holdings retains the rights to the brand, but as of 2025, there are no indications of a revival.