Dining In & Out: Las Vegas Restaurants News
Posted on: August 2, 2023, 11:40h.
Last updated on: August 2, 2023, 11:40h.
The Carnival World Buffet at Rio Las Vegas will not make a comeback after closing during the pandemic, as announced by the new operator, Dreamscape. Instead, the casino resort will introduce a “world-class food hall” to replace the buffet, presenting an exceptional alternative.
According to a report by Casino.org from March, Las Vegas is witnessing a decline in buffets, with food halls taking their place. These new food halls resemble food courts, but with the inclusion of Michelin-starred restaurants.
Currently, only eight buffets remain operational in Las Vegas, namely The Bacchanal at Caesars Palace, The Buffet at Bellagio, Wicked Spoon at Cosmopolitan, The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas, MGM Grand Buffet, The Buffet at Excalibur, Circus Buffet at Circus Circus, and The Buffet at Luxor. This number has reduced from the previous count of 18.
Las Vegas food writer Al Mancini shared insights with Casino.org and explained that buffets were no longer considered profitable even before the COVID pandemic. Resorts were exploring ways to market buffets, such as offering tours to experience all the buffets within the Caesars portfolio in a day.
New Additions to Las Vegas Food Scene
Bojangles, originally known as Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits, has plans to build 20 new restaurants in Las Vegas. The renowned brand, specializing in Cajun-seasoned fried food, started as a single location in Charlotte, NC, in 1977 and now operates over 800 outlets across 15 states.
In addition, Zippy’s, a beloved restaurant and bakery, is set to open its first location outside Hawaii on October 10 at Badura Ave after initial delays due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Wolfgang Puck Players Locker, a sports restaurant located in the Downtown Summerlin shopping mall, abruptly closed its doors on July 30. The closure was a month earlier than expected, coinciding with the announcement of the closure of Lupo at Mandalay Bay. However, Wolfgang Puck plans to rebrand and relocate the former Players Locker to Summerlin, with a closure scheduled for “late summer.”