Golden Corral Buffet & Grill — Restaurant in Fort Oglethorpe

Update from a 1-star review a few months ago. My mother went back the other day and called me telling me about her wonderful experience. She called me before she stopped to eat and was a bit reluctant to go back but decided to give it another try since it had been so long. She told me when she called me afterwards that the changes she saw made a vast improvement. The atmosphere was completely different. I wanted to come back here and update this review. Good job to the staff. When I talked with my Mother, she reminded me of how professional and helpful the manager was the day of the first incident. I wish I had included that in my initial review, but I was very upset about the servers. After the positive experience my mother had the other day, my recommendation has changed to...give them a try. Any company who can make improvements is definitely a company that deserves business.

I don't leave many negative reviews but if I could leave zeros for service I would. The last time I ate here I witnessed an incident that was nothing less than prejudice. I saw a family sit down at a table for 4 after a host/server indicated where they could sit. A few moments later they went for food. While they were gone a couple sat down at this family's table. There were plenty of tables with 2 seats, for couples but they sat down at this family's table. A host/server directed them to that area. When the family came back with their food, they had nowhere to sit. They told the couple they'd been sitting there but the man shrugged his shoulders and never got up. A server spoke to the family who was now looking around in this crowded restaurant for a place to sit, and then another server came up, then a 3rd server. Each one did nothing and one actually apologized to the couple who had taken this family's table. My mother turned around and told the couple that they had taken this family's table but the man just shrugged his shoulders and thew up his hands in an "oh well" attitude. Then the server that had walked up last, the 3rd one, said she just came on shift and she didn't know but then she said it didn't matter. Still this family had nowhere to sit together. Once my mother spoke a manager came up. We told the manager what happened and we were going to leave so they could have a place to sit together. We hadn't finished eating but the way this family was being treated, with so much of a flippant attitude from everyone...the couple and the staff, it was heartbreaking. They stood there as if they were used to it. On our way out we spoke to one of the family members and my mother apologized for how they had been treated. The look of gratitude on their faces was heart wrenching. There was a bit of a language barrier but I really believe they understood. If we don't do what's right, who will? If we don't stand against injustice then we're guilty of that same injustice. We've not gone back and don't plan on going back anytime soon, if ever. The food wasn't all that great and the service, well we didn't really have a server. To be transparent, service there is usually lacking but we're easy to please so it's not been a deal breaker. Seeing how this family of color was treated...that was too much. It looked so much like prejudice it isn't funny. What could have been done is for the server who led the couple to the table, to tell the couple she made a mistake and apologize and ask them if they could please just move to a 2 person seat. There were plenty right across the aisle. But nope... that didn't happen. Instead the server was defensive...

Server was great! MANAGER WITH TN HAT, STRIPED SHIRT, NO NAME TAG, ARM TATS AND NO CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS IS ATROCIOUS. Been before and it has been AMAZING! Literally found that evening manager to compliment everything! (always gone for dinner) went in recently and the spinach was bad, my daughter couldnt down most of her fried shrimp cause it tasted like “mushy water shrimp”, her fish was raw and I let the server know about the issues. The strawberries, pies, and other random deserts that didnt have icing or were on the other side of the bars had the same white icing all over them; Ive been a manager, server, cook, chef, prep, and dish employee; if there is icing over a bunch of stuff then someone isnt enforcing glove changing, station cleanliness or high enough standards to protect against cross contamination; if you cant keep the visibly dirty stuff off my food, what makes me believe you wash your hands or clean, ever??? Anyway, the VERY NICE AND PLEASANT AND SUPER HELPFUL SERVER asked me to let the manager know so that they might take it seriously. I was about to leave and tip her and move on but, she pleaded and mentioned that when the servers complain it essentially falls on deaf ears AND I SEE WHY!! Ole Tn Hat, Arm tat, stripe shirt walks over to my table after 10 minutes with an awakward smile and NO GREETING! He just says, “whats up?” I explain everything and he finally cuts me off before the icing and says, “well it seems you had a problem with everything” Everything being 4/20 plate items, already paid and already tried to leave with a nice update to server about a few understandable food issues because it seemed fairly fresh all over. Anyway, “it seems you had a problem with everything so Im gonna say it wasnt the food but, you thats the issue. So, I dont know what you want me to do for you?” I then got extremely offended and told him sternly how ridiculously rude and unprofessional he was being, that I stayed longer as a favor and that he shouldnt be assuming. When I got up to leave with my daughter the dude wouldnt even back away from my table to give me room and seemed like he was trying to get up on me to be more aggro and then “walked us out” and acted like it was normal for a bunch of stuff to be covered in icing randomly. Blueberry pie and strawberries in the bowl for reference… Anyway, I hope he doesnt work dinner shift but, either way I dont know if or when I will ever be back at this establishment; Ive lived here my entire life too and just went recently and this would be my 3rd trip and first lunch. Maybe thats why...

I like this place overall but I have to say that their system for changing from lunch to dinner felt very disorganized. I just left feeling like they need to consider a more fair way to do things.

There are two lines when you come in. I was in line at the restaurant for the people who are less than 5 people party because I was just eating by myself. I went in and in line at 250 pm on a Saturday. Now, the line was moving slow for our side but the greater than 5 people party who came in after me was seated first since the greater than 5 people party line had no one in it and I saw their bill marked as lunch. There was a tall man and his wife in front of me and they let him into the buffet at senior lunch prices at 302pm. Then the manager entered something in the computer and when I stepped up at 303pm, it was dinner prices. I tried to explain to him "Sir, I was in the door by 250pm. I saw people come in after me at the greater 5 line get in for lunch". He said he couldn't do anything about it but he literally changed something in the computer just as I stepped up. Now idk if I was just looking like the easier target to cut off for lunch because it was only myself and I'm a short girl and probably physically I don't look like I'd put up much of a fight when I get turned down but it just doesn't seem fair. A big womp womp in process if you ask me.

I'm just noting on here that I wish management would create a division line in the lines OR give the last person a ticket that they’re the last lunch price for people that entered the restaurant before 3 pm instead of picking Willy nilly on where the cut off was. It's not exactly fun to see people arrive after you with a big party and they get to eat at lunch prices and you can't. Now, I'm not one to write a scathing review but I just want to bring attention to the process in hopes that it will be correct for the future. Nothing wrong with the supervisor. He had to do what he had to do but it is noteworthy to see if they can find a better process. Thank you.

Overall, the food selection is pretty good. They have a salad bar, soups, ribs, hot wings, fried chicken, pot roast, collard greens, Mexican taco section, sausages, cheeseburgers for lunch, steak for dinner, pasta, popcorn shrimp, fish, veggies and a dessert bar with icee machine + ice...