8 Of The Best All-You-Can-Eat Deals At Popular Chain Restaurants

In the era of seemingly never-ending price-gouging on food products, it's a rare treat to come across a good culinary offer — and it's even rarer that you'll find an all-you-can-eat deal when you're dining out. Finding one is convenient for those days when your stomach feels like a bottomless pit and nothing can satiate you, or when you just want to get a small sample of many dishes or a generous helping of your favorites. Is it just us, or did all-you-can eat deals used to have more ubiquity? Even if not restaurant mainstays, they seemed to pop up as promotional offers far more than they do nowadays.

Still, though, it's not impossible to find an all-you-can-eat deal at today's chains. And it's always a good idea to keep an eye on limited time deals — Applebee's, for example, has been known to occasionally offer all-you-can-eat riblets, chicken tenders, and boneless wings for a sub-$20 price point. If you don't want to deal with the ongoing confusion of, "Wait, is that promotion still happening?," there are a handful of spots that always have bottomless deals available — and no, not all of them are buffets. We've scoured some popular chains and gathered our favorite all-you-can-eat deals below. 

You've undoubtedly heard of Olive Garden, and perhaps you've even dined there once or twice (or many times more than that). With almost 900 locations, the chain enjoys a pretty national presence, and it's not surprising when you consider the OG's expansive menu offerings and at least reasonable prices. I mean, come on — who can pass up the tantalizing offer of truly unlimited breadsticks?

Breadsticks aren't the only bottomless offering at Olive Garden, though, and fans of the chain will already know about Olive Garden's built-in, all-you-can-eat deal. With the purchase of an entree, you'll also get an unlimited first course of either soup or salad. This is a pretty big deal, especially considering that the soups you can choose from are hearty — you can pick between chicken with gnocchi, pasta e fagioli, minestrone, and zuppa Toscana. Moreover, you're not limited to just one type of soup; you can try a different flavor with each refill. We think that's a pretty good deal, even if the breadsticks weren't part of the equation (which, fortunately, they always are).

Now, I said that not all picks on this list would be buffets. But it was never said that they would be excluded from the lineup entirely. As all-you-can-eat establishments in and of themselves, it didn't make sense to ignore them in this piece. The first to highlight is, of course, Golden Corral. Part of the glory of this buffet chain comes from its expansive options — sure, not everything will be a hit (and there are definitely some dishes you should avoid at Golden Corral), but it has enough good offerings to make the often sub-$20 price point well worth the trip in. 

Want to get your money's worth at Golden Corral? Don't just capitalize on its "all-you-can-eat" status — make sure you indulge in some of the best value entrees while you're there, and keep some important buffet tips in mind when you go. First, you should definitely go for the steak, which is always cooked to order. Second, don't start with carbs — get your fill of protein and veggies first before taking advantage of the bottomless carb-loaded options. That applies to the buffet options Golden Corral offers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which gives it quite a range among all-you-can eat chains. 

Another buffet we chose to include was Cicis (which, yes, has rebranded to drop both the apostrophe and the "pizza" from its official name). Ultimately, Cicis is still a pizza buffet known for its plethora of cheap options. Now, I won't call Cicis the best pizza out there, but its middling menu does have some tasty offerings. Cicis boasts unique pizzas that differ from both an everyday slice or some new wave craft topping. Instead, you might get  a mac and cheese variety, and it also has dessert pizzas.

Exact prices for the buffet will vary depending on the location you go to, but as of 2025, most Cicis buffets are priced at sub-$10, and even less if you're of child or senior status. Under $10 for all-you-can-eat pizza sounds pretty good — especially when you get to pick from all the varieties Cicis had on its lineup. It's a great buffet to go to when you want some cheap pizza that will fill you up, and it has an unsurprising cult-like following among fans of the chain. 

We know what you're thinking — including Fogo de Chão on a list of all-you-can-eat "deals?" Really? Yes, really — because while the chain is definitely more expensive than your average all-you-can-eat (or even your average steak dinner), what you have access to is well worth the premium price point. Pricing will vary based on location, and you don't have to choose the buffet option; you can also order directly off the menu, making this a good option for a crowd of diners with different appetites. 

A ballpark average you can expect to pay is at least $50 for a comprehensive experience that will include full access to fresh meat grilled tableside, a salad bar, and sides. That's not bad when you consider what you're getting, but it's not cheap, either — so to get your money's worth, you'll definitely want to head to Fogo de Chão on an empty stomach. 

Interestingly, some Fogo locations drinks specials, too. They're not all-you-can-drink, or bottomless as you might say, but they are all day. Catch a late, all-day Happy Hour, and accompany your Wagyu porterhouse with a $5 beer. Order Xingu Black, a Brazilian lager, and your meal becomes a full cultural immersion. 

Whether you go to Dave & Buster's to let out your inner child with some game time or to indulge in one of its many cocktails, it's a popular dining choice for sports fans, or diners who just want to have some fun while dining out. What you may not have known about, though, is the chain's all-you-can-eat deal. This somewhat elusive promo is only available one day of the week, and it's not a day you'd typically dine out — personally, we think this offer merits a slight change in dining habits.

On Mondays, you can score all-you-can-eat wings and a $10 power card for prices starting at $22.99. Considering the power card included in the mix, that's essentially about $13 for unlimited wings — a steal, in our book. And though the all-you-can-eat deal is limited to Mondays, it doesn't seem to be restricted to a specific time frame. Whether you head over for a quick hour-long lunch break with some coworkers or go for an impromptu date night after work, it makes for a deal that's pretty hard to pass up. 

This pick probably comes as no surprise, particularly if you've been to the chain before. I have fond memories of enjoying Red Robin's bottomless fries well over a decade ago, and I'm happy to report that the deal still exists — moreover, it's not just for the fries. You can get over 30 bottomless items at the chain, and with such a wide variety of fries and sides you can choose from, it doesn't make sense not to capitalize on this deal at least once. 

In addition to the obvious, some other "bottomless" offerings include sweet potato fries, several salads, broccoli, and chips, as well as a plethora of premium drink options that go beyond your standard soda order. Bottomless Desert Pear Cream Soda? Yes, please. Combine the bottomless offerings with Red Robin's generally good prices, and your overall meal will be a steal of a deal. 

We remember a time when there seemed to be a Ponderosa Steakhouse or Bonanza Steakhouse on every corner. Unfortunately, they've both gone a bit downhill since their heyday, but it looks like there's about 21 locations still up and running, mostly centered between the Midwest and the East Coast. If you live near one, it will pose a pretty good buffet deal — though exact prices obviously vary depending on the location, prices seem to stay below $20, and can be significantly less depending on what time of day you dine and whether you have child or senior status. 

Among the items available to you at both Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Steakhouse are fried or grilled chicken, chicken wings, beef tacos, chicken biscuit pie, pizza, macaroni and cheese, a plethora of veggies, and even some soup options. Reddit is rife with commenters fondly reminiscing about the chains when they were at their peak, and many seem to be unaware that some locations are still up and running — if you're lucky enough to be in proximity to one, it's probably worth checking out. 

Any fans of Mongolian who haven't heard of HuHot should set off running to this all-you-can-eat, fully customizable stir-fry spot. And we mean fully customizable — you'll go in, choose ingredients from an array of fresh options, and watch as it all gets stir fried for you. Eat, rinse, repeat. Prices are pretty on-par with other "buffets" on this list, with sub-$20 price points getting you access to the full range of ingredient offerings. 

In terms of what you get to choose from, hold onto your hat — there's a dizzying span of options, and it would be wise to look at the menu before heading in so you have some idea of your desired combination. Protein choices include meatballs, chicken, calamari, pork, shrimp, and sausage, to name a few. You can also choose from five different noodle and rice types (Chinese, pad Thai, yakosoba, white rice, and even zucchini noodles) as well as a plethora of veggies and numerous sauce options. Can't decide on one combo? You don't have to — after all, this is all-you-can-eat.

In truth, there are only so many restaurants in the U.S with all-you-can-eat options. Quite a few will introduce bottomless promotions every now and again, but we've excluded those from our list so you don't have to gamble on whether an AYCE option will be available when you head in. 

As far as narrowing down the "best" of this list, we found some positive opinions about each of these scouring various review sites and social media forums. We cast a wide net by region, trying to look for a national consensus. As, you can guess, none got universally positive reviews. Since all are chains, your experience will likely depend on which location you visit. We'd recommend looking at reviews for locations in your area, and choosing one at which customers rave about their all-you-can-eat deals.