What happened to the free buffets that were standard in Las Vegas casinos?
The buffets in Las Vegas evolved into such a foot-traffic generator, and even a profit center, for some hotels that the resort operators found they could raise the prices. Probably with the advent of the Rio’s Carnival Buffet in the late 90s, the buffet became a conversation piece for travelers. The interest and buzz generated by the increasingly spectacular buffets becaume as important as the slot machines and table games themselves. I’d imagine that a sizeable segment of Vegas tourists go to Sin City to eat lavishly, as much as they do to gamble their savings away. Have a look at the buffets at Bellagio, Paris, Wynn and others. These are all high-priced, but the food selections are astounding. During one trip to the Bellagio buffet, I had elk, Kobe beef and mako shark!
