Closing of Tuscaloosa Ryan’s Marks End of the Buffet Era?

The surprising closing of the Tuscaloosa Ryan's makes me ask, is the love affair of the buffet restaurant a thing of the past?

Just imagine the empty gut feeling for our local Ryan's employees called into a meeting with corporate management to learn the restaurant is closing immediately and permanently, and you're out of a job. That's how WVUA 23 described how it went down in their report. I feel horrible for those workers and wish all the best finding their next opportunity.

The Tuscaloosa Ryan's closing comes a month after 74 locations were closed, including Jasper, Huntsville, Decatur, Florence, Enterprise, Dothan and Fort Payne in Alabama. The Sunday closing locally was one of many others as described by the Consumerist. It could have been worse for Tuscaloosa, apparently management told employees of the Millington, TN location the restaurant would be closed for just a few days for inventory. Not exactly, it was closed for good.

The corporate operator Ovation Brands has since filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

As I drove by the all you can eat restaurant off Skyland Boulevard, thoughts came up about how much buffet restaurants were a part of my life, once upon a time. Sure, it was a fairly regular thing to go with co-workers on a lunch break, or with family on the weekend. Without really thinking about it, those instances became fewer and fewer. To the point right now, I can't tell you the last time I went to Ryan's. I run by it often on this loop from the radio station.

Just think about it overall for T-Town, other buffet restaurants which are a thing of the past. Remember Barnhill's on 15th Street? Hugely popular at one time. What about Shoney's on McFarland Boulevard? Sure, that was more of a menu place, but they had a killer breakfast bar! Ryan's is the new casualty begging the question, is this end of the buffet era?

Here's the report on the closing from WVUA-TV 23.