The MGM Grand buffet in Las Vegas is set to permanently close on May 31, ending a 30-year run for one of the Strip's longest-standing all-you-can-eat dining venues. The closure, first reported by KLAS-TV, reflects a broader trend among major resorts to replace traditional buffets with food halls and specialty restaurants.
MGM officials have not announced any immediate plans for the space, which will sit empty after the kitchen shuts down. The buffet had been a fixture at the property since it opened in 1993, but high labour costs and food waste have made the model increasingly difficult to sustain.
The decline of buffets accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when health restrictions forced all self-service dining rooms to close. Although some high-end buffets later reopened, many did not. The MGM Grand closure will leave only a handful of traditional buffets on the Strip, including Bacchanal at Caesars Palace, the Buffet at Wynn, and Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan.
Public reaction to the closure has been mixed. On Reddit, some users lamented the loss of a mid-tier option, praising the variety offered by brunch buffets. However, many argued that the quality had declined in recent years while prices rose to between $32 and £43, with one diner calling it an "overpriced version of a Golden Corral." Others saw the closure as inevitable, noting that even lower-tier buffets had outperformed it.
The move further reduces budget-friendly dining options on the Strip, which some critics say is increasingly pricing out middle-class visitors. MGM Resorts did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
