Fast Food Review: Is the KFC Buffet Worth the Cost?

What's the deal with the KFC buffet? Where can I find one? How much does it cost? Does it come with unlimited biscuits and mashed potatoes and gravy and popcorn chicken? This review will answer your questions about this much-sought-after but little-understood dining option.

A lot of people aren't even aware that KFC has buffets. I wasn't either, until a few months ago when, while driving out of state, I noticed a billboard advertising one. My eyes lit up. This seemed like the ultimate in fast food enjoyment!

The majority of KFC restaurants do not offer a buffet, but if you go to kfc.com (enjoy the funky music, by the way), you can find your nearest buffet by entering your zip code and looking under the "store details" column of the search results. You may have to scroll to the second or third page of results to find a location with a buffet, depending on your location.

I finally got around to visiting one of these buffets yesterday. The one I patronized was in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. First off, let's talk cost. This place charged just over $8, which came to almost $9 after tax. That's a lot to shell out, especially when you consider that you can get a full meal at KFC for $5 or less. You really have to eat a lot of food for the $9 cost to be worth it.

The KFC buffet comes with a drink, so that can save you some money. As for the food items, they offer a standard salad bar with lettuce and other vegetables, plus pudding, jello and sauces. I suggest avoiding this - you're not going to get your money's worth if you stick with salad. Head for the hot foods!

To my great dismay, popcorn chicken is not a part of the buffet. (I had hoped to fashion my own version of the mashed potato bowl!) Potato wedges were also conspicuously absent. The KFC buffet I visited offered breasts and wings in original and grilled style. The other usual KFC staples were there - biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, as well as some items not normally on the menu, like stuffing, jalapeno poppers, spinach, a noodle casserole, and a cherry crisp dessert that I couldn't get enough of.

Determined to get my money's worth, I opted for repeated servings of biscuits and gravy, while mixing up the veggies. One thing KFC does that's really smart is they don't put out plates for the buffet. They make you approach the cashier each time you need a new plate, and he or she hands the plate to you. This is brilliant because it discourages people from going back to the buffet over and over. Nobody wants to be the slob who keeps requesting plate after plate!

I went back twice for a new plate, although the second time I waited until there was a new girl behind the counter, so I wouldn't have to face the same cashier who'd given me the first two plates. See, KFC's plate-hiding mind games worked on me!

When the novelty of the KFC buffet wore off, sleepiness and sickness set in. By the time I finished my third plate of biscuits, gravy, and veggies, I was beyond stuffed. I felt awful. I honestly had to go out to my car and lie down for a few minutes.

In total, I had two chicken breasts, corn, green beans, stuffing, three biscuits, three servings of gravy, lots of cherry crisp, and two cups of iced tea. Based on KFC's regular prices, I'd estimate that I got about $10 worth of food.

So I did indeed get my money's worth. But is the KFC buffet worth the cost? Only if you want to stuff yourself silly. Personally, as much as I enjoy this restaurant, I am never going anywhere near a KFC buffet again.

source:
www.kfc.com