Golden Corral Buffet & Grill — Restaurant in Manchester

My spouse and I arrived just before noon and from the festive environment with the balloons and live DJ and a super friendly and helpful person inside greeting us at the new self serve drink stations we felt very welcome, Amanda was our cashier offering us a friendly greeting at this grand reopening who also had someone working with her keeping things moving smoothly and fast.

After paying for our lunches ( 12.99 each ) there was a bit of a wait but the staff and managers were working quickly to get everyone seated, we were seated in Diamond's section and it's so fantastic to see her back working under the new ownership, Diamond is the most absolutely amazing server and you should try to request to sit in her section as she makes you feel like family.

All my food was hot, fresh, very well prepared and delicious. The staff and managers were very on point to make certain guest were happy and the food was good, cleaning was visibly and priority including regular bathroom inspections. It's always great to see management leading from example assisting in cleaning when necessary.

We witnessed so many acts of kindness and outpours of hospitality on behalf of the managers and staff including helping an elderly person up from their seat, engaging with a child in a cute and friendly manner to help the little one not stand on her chair ( the child loved the sweet attention and quietly sat back down 😊 ), a senior guest was unsure about not being able to use a senior discount card from the prior ownership and the staff and management was not dismissive at all and a manager actually sat down with the guest and showed they cared, helped them understand the situation and offered them new ways to save, these are just a few of the wonderful moments we witnessed.

We also noticed directly and indirectly that the staff is much happier with the new ownership and management including witnessing the managers leading and working with the staff unlike the past owner. Unlike the past owner, who treated guest well but not his staff, clearly things need to be balanced or your business will not survive.

The new owners are doing things right, please try to ignore the false baseless reviews on here, our experience is not a unique isolated experience. Everyone we saw working Thursday was very happy, engaged and hardworking including commenting on how much better things are.

For those used to the older format of Golden Corral in other parts of the US, the selection at the Manchester NH location is honestly not smaller but is configured differently being the newer prototypical corporate design from Golden Corral. The menu and pricing does differ based on the time you dine and of course for breakfast.

(In full transparency I was not one of the winners of the year of free meals...

Let me start by saying I have been going to golden coral since I was a baby. I have always loved their food and used to get very excited when I went there. I loved the atmosphere, I loved the workers, I loved the food, and the freedom to choose whatever you wanted. I moved to new england a few years back and new england didn't have Golden corral, imagine my excitement when I found out this location was opening! The other day my girlfriend and I decided we would go there for lunch I was so excited to introduce her to one of my favorite restaurants of all time. We went in and it smelled awesome! It was so bright and welcoming. I went to the front desk and everything seemed fine I asked for cash back to tip my server which was an interesting question, I have never been asked that at golden corral. I walked away without my cash because I had gotten distracted by everything in the building. We went too go get food once we got our check, we felt rushed considering my girlfriend had never been there before and everything was over whelming but the eyes that were on us you could just hear get out of the way. We decided on what we wanted and when we asked for a bit more on our plates we got a lovely eye roll and sigh from the workers, I'm sorry am I inconveniencing you by asking for more? My girlfriend wanted some soup and was repeatedly ignored when she was just trying to get a bowl which took 5 minutes with the staff running around trying to find bowls. I understand that you are still new but bowls are pretty basic. We then took our seats the food was bland and not very flavorful, very over cooked, and had more sauce than food and an overwhelming flavor of salt. Mind you the whole time we were sitting we didn't meet our server until 10 minutes before we left and he only refilled my drink once. Though he was a fun guy his work ethic was lacking considering he was blatantly ignoring our table. when we were finished I had realized that I didn't get my cash I went back to the front and asked for my cash and showed the receipt he took two 5s out of his wallet and held back giving it to me, I am sorry but that tells me that he wasn't going to give me the cash in the first place he was going to pocket it. We don't believe in leaving cash on the table because of where we live so we tend to give cash directly to the servers. Well we were standing looking for our server when we spotted him go to our table, he scanned the table and then we saw him shake his head and mouth the words what the F*. We walked up beside him and gave him the cash which he seemed to have been surprised by and was barely grateful. We left very dissatisfied and I was taken back by the fact that the service was terrible and the food was sub par. We will not...

Disappointing Experience, But Potential for Improvement

My brother wanted to try this new restaurant, so against my better judgment, we decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired, and there are several areas in need of significant improvement.

Lackluster Food Quality

Let's start with the most glaring issue – the food quality. For the prices they charge, the food was mediocre at best, comparable to cafeteria fare. If they want to command such high prices, they need to step up their game and deliver a truly exceptional culinary experience that justifies the cost.

Pricing Disconnect

Speaking of pricing, there seems to be a disconnect between the quality of the offerings and the prices. Charging over $23 per person for the level of food they serve is simply unreasonable. A more appropriate price range would be $15-$18, which would better align with the overall value proposition.

Positive Service Experience

On a more positive note, the staff deserves recognition for their friendly and attentive service. Despite the shortcomings in other areas, their warm hospitality and eagerness to ensure a pleasant dining experience were commendable. This aspect of the restaurant should be celebrated and maintained.

Franchise Inconsistency

It's worth noting that this particular location seems to be an outlier within the franchise. The Austin location, for instance, has garnered praise, indicating that the brand itself has the potential to excel when operated effectively. However, this specific franchise appears to be struggling with execution and quality control.

A Call for Improvement

If this restaurant wants to survive and thrive in the competitive dining landscape, they need to take a hard look at their operations and make significant improvements. Addressing the food quality and pricing issues should be top priorities. Additionally, they should strive to maintain consistency across all franchise locations, ensuring that every customer receives the same high-quality experience that the brand is known for.

While this review may seem harsh, it is intended to be constructive criticism. With the right adjustments and a commitment to excellence, this restaurant could potentially turn things around and provide a truly satisfying dining experience for...