Although it no longer exists, the Buffet of Buffets pass was a great way to sample all the delicious dishes and tasty morsels from up to six different buffets on Caesars properties.
Unfortunately, the pass disappeared with many of Vegas’ beloved buffets due to the enforced closures during the covid pandemic – but in this post, we have all the details you need about what this pass used to offer along with several suggestions for where to eat instead.
Buffet of Buffets Pass History
Once upon a time, taking in a buffet was considered almost as much a part of the Vegas experience as going to a casino or taking in a show, and Sin City boasted a wide range of options, from budget-friendly to the most decadent and lavish.
In fact, just before covid struck back in 2020, there were over 70 different buffets in Vegas, offering the possibility to gorge yourself on unlimited mountains of delicious food.
However, for some people, just filling up at just one buffet was never enough – after all, with so many buffets to pick from, how can you choose just one?
To help solve this dilemma, Caesars came up with the concept of the Buffet of Buffets pass, a ticket that allowed you unlimited access to four buffets at Caesars-owned properties for a full 24 hours – and access to two more for an upgrade fee.
Unfortunately, when covid arrived, it quickly devastated the buffet scene in Vegas – after all, it’s hard to imagine a dining concept that’s less suited to social distancing and enhanced hygiene requirements than a self-serve buffet.
As a result, the buffets across Vegas were forced closed, along with most of the city’s other attractions.
Now, in the post-pandemic world, some of the buffets have made a comeback, but many have been lost forever.
Unfortunately, all but one of the buffets that were part of the Buffet of Buffets have remained permanently closed and the pass itself is no more.
However, we can still look at what the Buffet of Buffets entailed – and also give you some suggestions for other dining options you can consider in Vegas to choose in its place.
What Was Included in The Buffet of Buffets?
As part of the original Buffet of Buffets deal, diners had access for 24 hours – starting from the moment you bought your pass – to four buffets belonging to the Caesars group. They were as follows:
- Paradise Garden Buffet at Flamingo
- Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood
- Flavors Buffet at Harrah’s
- Le Village Buffet at Paris
In addition, you could also pay a supplemental fee to gain access to two of Vegas’ most premium buffets:
- Carnival World & Seafood Buffet at Rio
- Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace
Once inside, you could enjoy all the food on offer as well as slurping up unlimited soft drinks – although alcoholic drinks were not included.
It’s worth noting that even with the pass, you still had to wait in line to get in, and the time spent queuing could reduce the time spent in each buffet, especially during peak hours.
However, it was also possible to buy jump-the-queue passes for each individual venue, allowing you to skip the line and walk right in.
How Much Did It All Cost?
Before the closure of Vegas’ buffets, the Buffet of Buffets coupon cost $69.99 plus tax during the week and $79.99 plus tax for weekends. The holiday price was $99.99 plus tax.
To gain access to the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars or the Carnival World & Seafood Buffet at Rio cost an extra $10.
There was no reduction for children.
Which Buffets from The Original Offer Are Still Open?
Unfortunately, of all the participating buffets, the only one to make a comeback in post-covid times is the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, one of Vegas’ most iconic buffets and the one that boasts the widest range of dishes in town.
All of the other buffets closed when the pandemic arrived, and now they remain permanently closed with no prospect of reopening.
As a result of this, the Las Vegas 24-hour buffet pass coupon at Caesars properties as it once was is dead forever, and there is currently no plan to resurrect it.
What Are Your Other Options Currently?
Although perhaps there was once a hope that Vegas’ buffets would eventually make a full comeback in post-covid times, it seems now that we just have to mourn the loss of the Buffet of Buffets and move on.
However, there are still plenty of other options in town, so it’s not as if you’re ever going to go hungry in Vegas – and here are some of your options.
- Cheap buffets
Although you can’t go buffet-hopping like you once could – and the ultra-cheap buffets of yesteryear are also gone forever – there are still some inexpensive buffets in town where you can fill up without spending a fortune.
The MGM Grand, Excalibur and Luxor currently offer brunch buffets that combine reasonable prices with plenty of food options, and you can also go for brunch or dinner at the Circus Buffet at Circus Circus, one of the most enduringly popular budget-friendly buffets in town.
The A.Y.C.E. Buffet at Palms Casino Resort, although a bit further away, also deserves a mention for the incredibly good value it represents.
- Top-end buffets
In terms of top-end buffets, many of the most famous have managed to reopen their doors following the end of the pandemic.
Among the pick of the bunch are Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, a byword for indulgence and gluttony, and Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan, a buffet that doesn’t quite have the same range of dishes as Bacchanal but that makes up for it in quality and presentation.
Other recommended options include the Wynn Buffet and the Bellagio Buffet, both of which offer top-quality buffet dining experiences.
- Food halls
In many places, the traditional buffets have been replaced by food halls, places where you can enjoy a wide range of food options in laid-back settings.
These places have sprung up everywhere since the pandemic – although they were already ubiquitous before covid – largely because they are much more profitable than buffets, offering you the chance to sample a wide range of dishes in a convivial and lively atmosphere.
- Other dining options
Of course, there are hundreds of other dining options in Vegas, and one possibility is to take advantage of the many celebrity restaurants in town.
For example, you can choose between places owned by the likes of Gordon Ramsay or Bobby Flay to name just two, and although these establishments don’t in any way replace a good buffet, at least you’re practically guaranteed an outstanding meal.
On the other hand, if the attraction of the Buffet of Buffets was simply to see how much food your stomach can handle, you can still put yourself to the test with a visit to Heart Attack Grill, a place where you have to consume improbably sized burgers or face a spanking by the staff.
FAQs
Will the Buffet of Buffets Return?
Unfortunately, no – the prospects of a return of the Buffet of Buffets look bleak. Of the participating buffets from before the pandemic, all but one are permanently closed and there is no plan to bring any of them back.
Was It Good Value?
In a word, yes – although you had to know what you were doing and plan your dining carefully to get the best value.
For example, if you started your eating binge with a dinner on the first evening and then enjoyed a breakfast or brunch and then lunch the next day before finishing with a second dinner before the 24 hours were up, you could save yourself a whole lot of money.
Furthermore, you were allowed to drift from buffet to buffet, sampling only the best dishes before moving on to the next to try a few more.
However, if you weren’t tactical and methodical in your approach to the offer, you could easily fill up too much at your first buffet and then not have much of an appetite to make the most of the remaining time on your coupon.
Is It Still Worth Visiting a Buffet in Vegas?
Absolutely, yes! Although the Buffet of Buffets is no longer available, it’s still well worth sampling the time-honored institution that is the Vegas buffet at least once while you’re in town.
There are many excellent options to suit all tastes and budgets, and it’s still considered an essential part of any trip to Vegas for a large number of visitors.
Why Did the Buffets Remain Closed?
The first Vegas buffets were designed simply to provide a cheap eat for gamblers, allowing them to fill up quickly and cheaply before heading back to the tables and slots to spend more of their money there.
From these beginnings, the well-loved buffets from before the pandemic developed, and they served a similar purpose – they were intended to bring people into the casinos to spend money, but they were never designed to make a big profit, and many were run at a loss.
After covid, the concept of the buffet became more untenable due to financial and hygiene reasons, and resorts preferred to focus more on other options, including the now ubiquitous food halls, that provide food for visitors but also make money for the hotel.
No Buffet of Buffets – but Still Plenty of Great Options in Las Vegas for A Filling Meal
As we’ve seen, sadly, the Buffet of Buffets is no more. However, there are still many exceptional buffet choices in town to suit just about any budget – as well as plenty of other dining options to satisfy every taste.