Golden Corral Buffet & Grill — Restaurant in Temple Terrace

It's been a long time (going on a year) since I've been to a GC location. Mind you when I was younger I trained under chef Tony at the GC location in Ft. Pierce Florida way before he left the location once it became Franchise. The way I eat it's been a big struggle finding a place I think works with my diet (keto). After discussing it over with my friend we decided the only buffet that would be within dietary guidelines GC was the top of the list. From the moment I walked in it was as if I was in the twighlight zone. The front end staff was speaking amongst themselves without noticing my friend and were there until we were at the registers, and without a proper greeting the first staff member asked us what we wanted to drink. We said water and after handing it to us says she doesnt know how to run the register it would be a moment before the person who could operate it would return. After a while she shown up and we paid our fee. Since the implication new policies, having a legitimate wait staff to gathering your own plates and silverware and no fresh bread at the table (mind you I dont eat bread just reminiscing haha ) was already a transition in itself. We settled in the back corner of an immediate section and set it to make known the table is occupied ( setting drinks and silverware in table setting fashion) and proceed to the buffet bars. Immediately walking upon the first bar (from what I assume was the international bar) the areas around the food were dirty and dried that clearly nobody had done a bar check in a while. Walking amongst the other bars it was apparent this place had no back of house manager or kitchen manager and if they did, they need to be fired. Every dish was overcooked, dried, under seasoned, not available, and/or completely unappetizing. Regardless, I havent eaten all day and the items I could definitely eat where I guess for the most part "fresh cooked" or "raw". The grill cook was nonchalantly laid back on the steak cooler until we asked for assistance. I couldn't help but notice when looking for the steak that seemed most appealing, the grill had almost a 1/4 inch char on the grates indicating they haven't been cleaned in between new cuts of meat (to ensure fastest cook time within reason ). The gentleman asked how I loled it and I said "anything from medium rare to well done is fine", pointed to one and asked for it. He gave me my piece without a closing engagement before moving on to my friend. Heading back to my table with the meakest plate I've ever had, we where finally greeted by a waitress a few minutes after seating. Greeted is to strong of a word as she basically grunts and slides her card over showing her name (I wish I could remember what it was) and she walks away. After demolishing what was on my plate I went back for seconds at least hoping in the 20 mins spent away new items would be avaible. I was wrong. So wrong, I asked the the quick cook over the pizzas and steamed veggies if he was coming out with fresher steamed broccoli and cauliflower as he proceeds to speak to me in what seem to be sign language by the way he did the rotary motion with his hands like it's coming out soon idk instead of words but I thought idk maybe hes deaf and moved on back through the bars of no dishes prepared or being pigeon picked at over a few hours. I ended my journey back at the steak grill waiting on the cook to return. I noticed of course none of the meat on the grill that had been sitting on the 1/4 inch char (not heated grate) was cooking thoroughly enough that when he asked how I like it upon arrival o said once again "anything for medium rare to well done" the cook proceeded to cut into a portion and visually check the readiness. This cook cuts into a clearly rare portion, turn the portion of sirloin to the side and proceed to butterfly the steak. WHO DOES THAT? *Had to delete 2/3 of my review just to type this terrible terrible terrible in summary. Save your money and they mustve stole the photos from...

Beware if you're in a wheelchair.

This is our local GC. A location we frequently use when family and friends are in town to visit. The majority of our experiences here have been good, but our experience yesterday absolutely left us speechless.

Firstly, I use a wheelchair. The only register that was operational had a massive puddle of spilled soda on the floor directly where I would need to go through in order to pay/ get my cup etc. It wasn't even addressed the full 15 minutes we stood there. Just a wet floor cone stamped in the center of the gooey puddle.

I simply asked the cashier if I could go around through the other lane to avoid having to roll through the puddle and avoid transferring the sticky soda to my hands, sleeves and shirt. She was great and let me through the other side. Problem solved.

Secondly, halfway they our meal, I went to use the restroom and the handicap stall was occupied. No big deal, but after waiting for a solid 10 minutes (I'm patient), I realized that no one was even in the stall. The door was locked with no sign saying that it was out of order, locked or otherwise unusable. There is literally NO OTHER STALL in the ladies room that a wheelchair, even a tiny custom one like mine, could fit into. So, I unlocked the stall from the outside and went in to find it totally trashed and the toilet seat missing(?). So even if it was marginally usable, there was no seat. That's entirely unacceptable. Your could say that I shouldn't have any in given the locked door, but what am I supposed to do? The least the staff here could have done was provide a sign saying it was under maintenance and offer a different solution if there was one.

Thirdly, we were there early on a Sunday afternoon, far before closing, and noticed that some of the dishes were not being restocked. It was hours before closing, so the "were closing soon" line really shouldn't apply. I'll give credit where it's due though, the employee I asked about a dish offered to have it made fresh for me and the bar restocked. I just don't think this should be so overlooked especially when 45 minutes go by and it was just deviled eggs.

This location is still very accommodating to my disability when I'm in, even clearing end tables to make sure I have easy access. I just wish there could be some consistency in our visits.

Review will be updated after next visit, hopefully with...

Short and sweet. Sometimes you get what you pay for. You may be thinking, John, we read all of your reviews, and notice you rarely visit fast food or buffet type restaurants! You are right. I really don't care for the cattle call lineup seeing hungry hippos put on the feed bag! Where I get to watch folks pile their plates a mile high! Do they NOT realize they can go back? For seconds, thirds, fourths, etc..???

But dear old(oldish?) mother-in-law-to-be wanted to go to Golden Corral, so who am I to fight that? (Plenty of time to fight after we're married)(Did I just say that?)

Anyway, in this case, we only paid $7.99 each for three seniors! (Yes, my beautiful fiancée and I both qualify, plus her mother) Then, we paid for two grandchildren, again at $7.99 each for kids.

I found everything to be fresh and good. The cold salads/foods were at the proper temperatures. The hot foods, well, were hot. I noticed a flurry of activity as they were constantly bringing out fresh refills to replenish the buffet.

I started out with some fresh salad items. The lettuce was crisp, tomatoes perfect ripeness. They even had cottage cheese! Yay! Then on to the main entrees.

I found so much variety, it was kind of like going to 4 or 5 different restaurants at once! You want Asian? Got it! Mexican? Yep! Italian? Seafood? Beef? Yes yes and yes! We all happily filled up on the fresh faire, and then.........

Off to dessert land! I had to keep a watchful eye on the grandkids.(which is polite, safer and required). I could just picture them jumping into the chocolate fountain! NOOOOOOO! (Not on my watch!). I do not want to see a kid taste testing some of the food, then putting the spoon back in the buffet.(I witnessed this years ago, and swore off buffets for the longest time).

Our server was so very friendly and right there with refills on drinks and removing our dirty dishes(I never feel like food is dirty, but I just wanted to say that word!).

Truthfully, I cannot afford to eat at a place like this too often. Weight-wise. But, I promise we will be visiting with the woman who gave birth to fab fiancée more often. What a great excuse to go to Golden Corral!

See? That in-law thing...