Question of the Day - 16 October 2024

This was a popular topic for Questions of the Day while the all-day buffet passes were in existence in the 2010s. We answered four QoDs about them, the first in 2010 shortly after they started, then again in 2015 in their heyday, 2017 during their gradual decline, and 2019 when there was only one left. This is the first time we've answered one since then.

The first buffet to build on the "all-you-can-eat" concept with the "all-you-can-eat-all-day" deal was Excalibur in 2009; $25 bought a wristband that entitled you to a breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet. MGM Grand ran an all-day pass for $29.99 briefly, then Luxor (also $29.99, $34.99 weekends). Stratosphere ($29), Palace Station ($19.99), Orleans ($21-$25), Circus Circus ($25), Imperial Palace ($25), and the Rio ($24) all jumped on the bandwagon in short order. 

Harrah's introduced the Buffet of Buffets pass that encompassed all seven of its Las Vegas properties that had all-you-can-eat spreads. For a bargain $29.99, the pass was valid for a full 24 hours from the time of purchase and you could eat at any or all of the buffets at Caesars, Flamingo, Harrah's, Imperial Palace, Planet Hollywood, and the Rio. The other passes were limited to one property, but with the Buffet of Buffets, if you timed it right, you could fit in four meals at four different buffets and with dinner alone at Planet Hollywood running $27.99, that was a pretty awesome deal.

By 2015, four buffet passes remained, one for Excalibur and Luxor ($35 weekdays, $39 weekends), Monte Carlo (now Park MGM, $38/$46), Stratosphere ($30/$35), and Caesars Entertainment's Buffet of Buffets, good still at Caesars, Flamingo, Harrah's, Planet Hollywood, and the Rio, plus the addition of Paris and the subtraction of Imperial Palace ($54.99/$74.99).

When our answer in 2019 rolled around, only the Buffet of Buffets remained, good at all Caesars properties ($59/$79.99). That ended in 2020 with the pandemic shutdown. 

As for why the all-day buffet pass came and went, for the most part, it's the way things happen in Las Vegas. 

First, by then, the obvious drawbacks to the concept had taken their toll, mostly the fact that some of buffets didn't change their offerings that much, especially between lunch and dinner, so variety was lacking. Rising costs of food, labor, and operations played a part as well; it became more expensive to maintain high-quality buffets and many casinos found it difficult to offer the all-day pass at a price point that was still profitable. Similarly, operating these programs, especially involving multiple properties, created logistical challenges; with visitors hopping from one buffet to another, it strained the ability to manage food quality, inventory, and customer traffic effectively.

Finally, the casinos were already moving away from buffets in favor of high-end and celebrity-chef restaurants and food courts, which have since segued into food halls. As is well known by now, they used the pandemic as the final nail in the AYCE coffin. 

So the all-day buffet pass ran its course from late 2009 to early 2020 and yes, you're right, there's no such thing currently and most likely won't be ever again.