Golden Corral

[fbb]

I'll agree with the PPs. Loved our meals at Bahama Breeze. GC, not so much. If you're talking about the restaurants near the Marriott complex on Vineland, there's also a BJs there. We enjoyed the food there very much.

Agree with BJs. It's a chain but the food is very good.

 

[goofy4prez]

I just don't get all of the Golden Corral haters out there. It's a buffet, not fine dining.

I guess someone else could say, I don't get all the Golden Corral lovers out there. It's a buffet, not fine dining.

I am a bona fide foodie and I don't mind eating at GC on occasion.

I fit that description as well and a big reason why I can't stand GC and dislike almost any buffet.

No, the hot food isn't the greatest; but, it's not terrible either. It's about on the same level as most of your other chain restaurants like Appleby's or TGI Fridays.

I guess terrible is subject to ones opinion, which is something we all have. I'm of the opinion the food quality is terrible. But then again I think the same thing for Applebee's as well as TGI Fridays which are obviously struggling non buffet restaurants whom many feel are terrible. But since it's opinion, neither one of us are correct.

Sorry, but you are sooo wrong! It's not my 'go to' place to eat either, but most, not all, of their food is prepared on property.

I'm willing to admit when I am wrong; and upon searching further, I am wrong. But I still stand on the opinion the food is awful and now knowing that it is not frozen but prepared "fresh" makes it even more mind boggling how terrible their food is. Again, this is of my opinion and coming from a person who just is not all that fond of buffet food. To me it's still quantity over quality.



By the way, lots of Disney food is frozen food shipped in also, heated up, and placed under heat lamps.

This is very true and will not argue that one bit. But this is also why I really don't like Disney buffets either. The only one outside of breakfast that I would call average is Boma, and I don't even think it's all that great.

Actually, to above poster, they also get lettuce in fresh!

This is the only thing I actually eat if I am dragged into a Golden Corral by a bunch of folks on a Sunday afternoon after church. The salad bar is decent and the desserts look ok, but I don't eat desserts either at a buffet. That one is so I don't indulge though.

 

[happymommy]

To the OP: you may find some better info on the "Orlando Hotels and Attractions" section, which offers more help with offsite!

Golden Corral I went to a couple times when I was very young (and had little money). It's like Ponderosa I guess - if you know what you're getting, it can be okay. It's cheap. College kid food, or older folks seem to enjoy it. Definitely NOT what I'd want on vacation though; I'd rather have a chicken Caesar salad at a counter service place inside the parks. Now, if it's between that and shelling out for Chef Mickey's - it's a toss up! Both are about the same really.

Offsite - a couple years ago we did 15 nights (just me and the kids) and the single best meal of the trip (other than what I cooked, LOL) was at the Macaroni Grill in Kissimmee. Really. Ours here has gone so downhill - not fresh or anything, but there it was super fresh and great service.

 

[kittylady1972]

Count us in among the fans of GC. For a family of five, it's a cheap place to feed us all and keep us full for a while. Breakfast has made-to-order omelets which is nice and made-fresh waffles. I personally enjoy having their fried chicken...yes for BREAKFAST. Some of the carved meats are also very good and who doesn't want to have a hot fudge and caramel sundae for breakfast? I will say some of the breakfast meats can be dry (I'm talking to you sausage links) but overall we find it to be a good bargain for us. We usually try to hit one almost every vacation we make if we can these days.

I see now that you asked specifically about dinner. I actually like their vegetables...broccoli is good, corn is pretty good, mashed potatoes are also good. I like that there are options for my picky eaters (pizza and mac n cheese) but also for adults (my husband always orders a steak from the grill) and it's not all a bunch of fried foods.

And again, did I mention the hot fudge and caramel with soft serve for dessert?

 

[ericf70]

Ate there once, never again

 

[Tigger7570]

Thanks everyone. We won't be trying GC. The reviews are too mixed. We will check out BJS and TuTu Cafe.

 

[amandals2007]

we have a golden corral at home and its a great buffet. my favorite probably (besides a chinese buffet). if you dont have one at home give it a try its good and good price

 

[happy2012]

I've never tried breakfast & I'd like to try that. Dinner is more quantity than quality. Like I said, I would try the breakfast b/c people seem to love that.

 

[gtpoohbear]

GC breakfast is actually decent, I find it to be on par with most of the Disney breakfast buffets.

For dinner, it mostly tastes like a bunch of canned food heated up. Not necessarily awful, but not something I would go out of my way for. My nephew used to always pick it for his birthday dinner (mostly I suspect, for the large array of desserts offered). And it is an easy/cheap place to take a large group without worrying about a long wait or having to split up. So it has that going for it. Just don't expect gourmet cooking and you might not be disappointed.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I ate there once in FL, as it was close to the off property hotel we stayed it. We were invited to go with another family (my kids spent a lot of days swimming with their kids at the hotel pool and they became fast friends). I would never have picked it on my own. My kids liked it (they were about 10 and 7 at the time)..but what kid doesnt like a buffet? All I can say is I survived. I dont even know what I got. Probably filled up on salad and rolls Not memorable and with so many other choices in FL, I would never go back. Id order pizza delivery before going back there.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Golden Corral is icky, bland, buffet-style food. BUt there's lots of it, if that's your thing. For the money, I'd prefer a restaurant where I can get quality over quantity. none of us are big eaters though.

 

[Dug720]

I'm confused... Is there now a Golden Corral on property?

 

[Disnsyncey]

Thanks everyone. We won't be trying GC. The reviews are too mixed. We will check out BJS and TuTu Cafe.

but seriously, there are SO MANY more restaurants than BJs or Café Tu Tu Tango.....check out the other boards and trip advisor.......Seasons 52 is another Darden restaurant, and any place in Dr Phillips is going to be an experience, even if it is a national chain....

I mean, I am a HUGE fan of the Orlando Ale House, my go to meal is to share some hot zingers and order a Cajun burger....yummmmmmm...but it is a chain too.....kids may like Steak and Shake if you were looking for cheaper food, and milkshakes......there are numerous options....

 

[Sparkly]

Breakfast is good, hard to mess up breakfast. Cheap, fill up on bacon and eggs before hitting the parks.

Dinner is ugh. If you like desserts, plenty of those. Used to love it as a kid just for that!! But it's packed, noisy, chipped plastic plates, had to search to actually find a clean enough fork and food that has probably had many small hands rifling through each section. Especially the desserts. Did you know the chocolate fountain is open for breakfast too? And there's now a cotton candy machine too.

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm confused... Is there now a Golden Corral on property?

Yes, on property it goes by the name "Chef Mickey." (just kidding)

Seriously, there is no Golden Corral on property. The op was asking about the GC located off property.

 

[Dug720]

Yes, on property it goes by the name "Chef Mickey." (just kidding)

Seriously, there is no Golden Corral on property. The op was asking about the GC located off property.

Thanks. I was very confused since this is the Disney Restaurants thread.

Edit: I see that they FINALLY got wise and moved it to the appropriate thread.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

There are so many better restaurants in Orlando to choose from. I've lived down the street from a Golden Corral for years and I would never go. I don't think I've been since I was a child. I'd rather have a meal at Panera or Chipotle.

Cafe Tu Tu Tango was mentioned, and it's great- a totally different kind of restaurant though!

 

[gdrj]

That's all I can say about this thread.

 

[dioxide45]

Buying frozen and canned food is actually more expensive than making it fresh. I don't know why many restaurants actually do it. Perhaps for speed of service. Sure GC food isn't the best, just like most buffets. However I can tell that the following foods there are made on site; pot roast, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, steak, Bourbon Street chicken, hamburgers and their yeast rolls.

Their deserts are mostly likely bought prepared cut and portioned, frozen cookie dough that is baked on site. I would expect the salad produce to come in bagged, but they probably cut their own lettuce. They aren't buying local produce. They use bottled dressing even though they could make it from scratch for less. But bottled dressing has a longer shelf life. I suspect their french fries are bought frozen and fried there, like most every other chain.

GC makes a lot of okay food, their sell is that they will have something that someone in the family will like. They don't make any one thing well. Except perhaps their yeast rolls and their fried chicken. I like both of those. Though we only go perhaps once every few years. Always feel miserable walking out of there and for the rest of the day.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We have eaten at GC several times while in Orlando, and the quality of the food has been way better than Chef Mickey's .

The price and variety are also unbeatable.

What ruins Golden Corral for us is the atmosphere. Unfortunately, it tends to be a place where unruly behaviour runs rampant......kids with plates and cutlery running amok, parents yelling out threats, soooooo noisy.........and that kind of chaos is a real turn off.

The times when we've gone and haven't been seated in the midst of dinnertime pandemonium, we've quite enjoyed our meals.