Fried Tomato Buffet — Restaurant in Newnan

We love the Fried Tomato Buffet in Newnan, and up until this past Sunday, we ate there almost every Sunday evening. After this past week, I am not sure we will be going back at all, due to an employee who said she was the manager and is ill-mannered and rude. Her name was Elaine. She has been a bit rude several times, but everyone else is always so lovely and the food is great so we always overlook her rude, abrasive demeanor and odd, inappropriate random comments, when she is standing at the front. She does not need to be working as a manager of people or at this location. This past Sunday, me, my fiance, and my son had ordered 3 buffets. We paid for 3 buffets. We ate our food but my fiance, who began feeling sick, stopped eating after only eating half a plate. The server noticed and offered to bring him a small "to go" box to empty the leftover plate contents into the box. She brought the box and filled it with the leftovers, which were some greens, dressing, and a half-eaten chicken breast. It seemed reasonable and we had no reason to question the server's generosity. We tip well, eat there often, and the server offered. We got up to leave carrying the box. Well, this "manager" Elaine stopped us and created a huge scene over the box and insisted we weigh and pay for the contents again!! We explained the situation to her, and our server jumped in to help, and told Elaine it was her offer and it was a very small amount that was already on the plate, and how we eat there every week, etc...but this terrible woman literally told us to throw it away or pay extra to leave with it. She was SCREAMING at us. My fiance felt sick and now we were being reprimanded like employees or children by this strange woman. My fiance ended up just giving her extra money. It was tacky, unnecessary, and obviously, this woman is on a power trip and acts like a bully, for absolutely no reason. None of this incident should ever have happened. We should not have been attacked walking out the door. Elaine is aggressive and rude to everyone. We have not decided if we will be going back again. We love the food, and the servers and service is great, but this Elaine truly ruined our last experience. The food was delicious as always, our server was wonderful as always and trying to be helpful. But this visit ended with very unhappily, because of rude Elaine on her "I am the manager and I do not care what your server told you" power trip. So disappointed. We did not get our money's worth, we were over-charged, and it was traumatic that way we were treated. Elaine is always rude and has no manners or people skills, but this time, she went too far and because of her, we may not be going back again. Edit update: tried to call Amy several times, no response, will try one...

Really, pleasantly surprised!

The place STAYS PACKED OUT... so much so that there are literally little signs at each table asking patrons to limit each booth to 75 minutes per seating, vehicles drive circles around the parking lot (not necessarily looking for a closer spot so much as any spot), and the front register where you pay before you seat yourself is really chaotic because one single cashier on one register taking incoming as well as 'take home' orders and there are so many people sitting around that you don't really know who is waiting for what. I'll give that part of the experience 2⭐️ because it could lead to some drama (people get hateful when they're hangry lol).

Now - let's talk about the food. This isn't Golden Corral... it's better. The food mostly tastes/smells/looks homemade. I mean, the creamed potatoes are instant, the gravy is probably a mix (they remind me of KFC mash & gravy, maybe the same brand), and the Salisbury steaks are little patties that were probably frozen and aren't the best, at least to me. We ate on Wednesday - fried pork chops - and my Dad said they were cooked to death, really dry. So why am I giving 5 Stars of the food wasn't spectacular? It's a buffet, not Granny's house. The food is good or better than any other buffet I've eat in, the fruits and desserts assortment is fantastic, the fried green tomatoes were really good, the selection is massive, and the buffet is kept clean and fully stocked. I regret not sampling more items but I got full really quickly. I'll be going back without hesitation. I also like how easy it is to get a 'take home' box or boxes: It's a little help yourself station with gloves, hand sanitizer, napkins, plastic cutlery packs; waiting on either a busy waitress to bring a box or having to go all the way back to the front register, stand in line just to ask for a box [Golden Corral!] is a pain. I was able to pack two boxes with meal items that will last my kid two nights for $15 and I was able to get the boxes when I was ready, pay for the filled boxes on my way out without having to stand in a line.

You won't regret...

I'm upset with them. We only been there for 15 minutes and we had eaten our first plate then all of a sudden the waitress who was so unprofessional said we have to get out because they have a dining time limit on Sunday. Ok, I said ma'am we have been here for 15-20 minutes. We're just digesting now and we're going to get more. Then she said doesn't matter we have to go in less than 15 more minutes. I said I am not leaving. I want a manager and I want my money back. I couldn't find one. I said to the cashier the situation and she said well after 45 minutes you have to leave. I said ma'am we have been here only 15 minutes and now you want me to get up and leave SIMPLY BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE ARE COMING IN!!!!!!!! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!!! THEY INSTEAD GAVE ME A FREE TO GO PLATE. I WILL BE CALLING TOMORROW TO SPEAK WITH A MANAGER. If you have a set time limit for me to sit down then you need to let me know before I pay. Pandemic or not I work hard for my money. This is the second time I've come to this place and the service is DISGUSTING AND DISRESPECTFUL!!!!!!!! I DON'T IF IT IS BECAUSE OF 2020 OR NOT, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE MY PARTY WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WE WERE TOLD WE NEED TO GET READY TO GO BECAUSE WE LOOK LIKE WERE DONE AFTER 15 MINUTES AND YOU HAVE A SMALL LINE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO US AND THREE WHITE TABLES ARE AROUND US THAT ARE FULLY FINISHED EATING AND SIMPLY HOLDING UP SPACE AND YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO OVER TO US BECAUSE WE'RE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND WE LOOK LIKE WE'RE DONE. THE WOMAN DID NOT ASK US PERIOD!!!!!!!! I'M DONE WITH THIS RESTAURANT AND LOCATION. AFTER TODAY, THE PREJUDICE ATTITUDE AND DISRESPECT IN TODAY I'M THROUGH!!!!! THIS IS 2021. I WILL NOT BE DISRESPECTED PAYING MY HARD EARNED MONEY TO ANYONE TO BE TREATED OR DISRESPECTED LIKE WHAT I AND MY FAMILY EXPERIENCED. I WILL BE TALKING TO A MANAGER AND MAKING SURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO...