The Daily Meal website http://www.thedailymeal.com/ has ranked the Caesars Palace Bacchanal Buffet the #1 in the USA. #2 is the Waldorf Astoria in NYC.
Never been to the Waldorf for its buffet, but I am a veteran of the one at Caesars Palace.
No question it's a great buffet... but do you want to eat there?
Here are the problems:
1. The wait to get in. I'm Seven Stars so I don't have to wait, but I see long lines and hear that some patrons have to wait an hour to two hours to get in to the buffet. (Caesars is known for its long lines now. I see lines at the main hotel check-in and some guests complain they could wait an hour or longer to get checked-in. And heaven forbid your room isn't ready.) Once you are in the buffet they want you finished and out in two hours. So you could wait as long to get in as the time you have to enjoy it.
2. The price. It's not cheap and are you really getting your money's worth? Let's say you are spending $50 per person for brunch. Are you really eating more to justify the $50 price, or would you be better off going to another restaurant where for $20 or $25 you are also getting a nice meal without the headaches of the buffet smash.
3. The buffet smash. That's all the people you have ahead of you who don't put the serving utensils where they belong after they used them, and all the people who used the same serving utensils you are using but unlike you they didn't wash their hands after using the restroom. And let's not forget the finger pickers who will pick up things off trays using their fingers.
4. The food selection. There is no question that there is a tremendous variety of food to choose from but what if your palate is limited? My daughter is a vegetarian and while her $50 fee went in part to pay for servings of lobster and shrimp and ribs and steak that she wouldn't touch, just how much did she actually pay for the fresh fruit and salad items she did eat? Whenever you are going to a buffet remember that if you are not eating the most expensive stuff you are subsidizing it for someone else.
5. The service. I've had good service and perhaps because I had a 7 Stars flag at my table. Coffee came when I wanted it, plates were cleared promptly, and there were plenty of smiles. I can't complain about the service but I wonder if everyone can say the same thing?
6. The waste. My biggest beef with buffets is the amount of wasted beef and fish and Italian food and Chinese food and salads and desserts there are. Food that is taken and not eaten or not finished. That adds to the prices we pay. Perhaps if the portions were smaller there wouldn't be as much waste. Perhaps if we didn't go to the buffet as often they'd make the portions smaller, cut costs and lower the prices.
Those are my "problems" with the Caesars buffet, voted #1 in the country.