Golden Corral Buffet & Grill — Restaurant in Marshall

I have been to several Golden Corrals over the course of my life, but never have I fully appreciated the majesty of this restaurant until my visit to this particular location on October 27, 2022.

Too often in restaurant dining, we are presented with seemingly inescapable false dichotomies:

“You can have the chicken or the steak,”

“You can have the Mexican cuisine or the Italian,”

“But you must choose.”

Golden Corral proudly stands athwart this endemic mutual exclusivity and boldly proclaims “Why not have BOTH?”

My first plate was a piece of fried chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans.

My second, a hearty strip of steak with some corn.

My third and final before dessert, a slice of cheese pizza.

Pray tell, at what other restaurant is this possible? And at such an affordable price?

Precisely.

But it wasn’t just the food. I marveled also at the atmosphere of unity and peace that I encountered while eating there.

From the moment I walked in the door, I felt a distinctly Southern sense of welcome and belonging. Like I’d made a visit to my grandparents’ house and supper was ready on the table. A friendly waiter greeted me and presented me with a dinner roll before I made for the buffet.

At the table in front of me sat a married couple, likely in their 40s or 50s, comfortably reclining against either side of the booth enjoying their meal.

To my left, a grandfather shared a viral video sent to him by one of his grandchildren with his wife.

To my right, a gangly group of teenagers boisterously gossiped about who was dating whom, which music album was the most “lit,” all while consuming every manner of dessert imaginable.

An awe-inspiring cross-section of ages and races were represented at these tables, brought together by the sharing of down home all-you-can-eat cuisine.

Each time I turned my head towards the buffet line a serendipitous scene unfolded in which every man-made division of age, gender, color, and creed was torn asunder as patrons congregated around the basin of mashed potatoes that I’m certain came from a pre-packaged powder purchased somewhere around the year 2000.

In this, I see a vision for what America can - and must - become.

A place where every person, regardless of the color of their skin or the date on their driver’s license, can have a place at the table and feel welcome and at home.

A place where we have not the timidity to ask “Can I have the freedom or the justice?” but instead the temerity to ask “Why can’t I have both?”

So, each morning at 11:00 AM Monday thru Friday (7:00 AM on the weekends) when this glorious establishment opens its doors, I can’t help but believe that somewhere, somehow, a majestic bald eagle sheds a...

Disappointing Experience for Group Dining

I brought a group of 37 paying individuals from our TRIO Upward Bound college prep program to Golden Corral in Marshall, Texas. Unfortunately, our experience did not meet expectations, especially considering the size of our group and the fact that we arrived on a charter bus and paid individually.

We were disappointed to find that the management was not accommodating or welcoming to large groups. Specifically, they refused to provide a complimentary meal for our bus driver, which is a common courtesy extended by most restaurants when serving large parties brought in by bus. When asked, the manager stated that there was “no benefit” for them in doing so, which we felt showed a lack of hospitality and appreciation for our business.

While the food itself was standard for a buffet, the overall attitude toward group service left a negative impression. We value partnerships with restaurants that support educational programs and student development, but unfortunately, this location did not demonstrate that level of care or community-mindedness.

We do not recommend this location for large groups or...

This use to be so great of a place. I guess the management team changed, I don't dont. But today was the worst experience I've ever had from a restaurant. Our waiter was great, but the food was AWEFUL. it was completely dried out like if it had been there for hours without replacing. The rolls were cold, and didn't bring butter like they usually do. The family next to me fresh rolls cause his was cold too. Some of the vegetables on the line didn't have water in them like they usually do. They were dry as a bone. I asked one of the workers that was taking something off the line, how long has this food been on the line, and his exact words were, ( I have no idea). And he was the one working back there, and even he didn't seem to know how long the food had been on the line. The only thing good about the place was our waiter. She kept our empty plates cleared, she kept our drinks topped off. Very good lady. However, I won't go back there if they can't prepare the food any better than what they did that day. Our waiter name was Faith. Really sweet, awesome and professional young lady. So to Faith, thank you. You were the only good thing...