Will You Eat at a Tri-City Buffet Restaurant After COVID-19?

There are quite the array of buffet choices around the Tri-Cities, some of the favorites include: HomeTown Buffet, Bangkok, Old Country Buffet, Great Wall, Wok King Buffet and Emerald of Siam, among others. Well, around Tri-Cities and America, buffets are trying to figure out what the post COVID-19 spread of eats and desserts will look like.

So, as we continue through this uncertain time, as they say, here's a quick snapshot of where America is right now in relation to heading back to the all-you-can-haul type of atmosphere.

The pandemic is causing billions of people to rethink billions of things, like the billions of germs they encounter every day. If I'm to be honest, I just kind of pretended germs didn't exist, even amongst all those other hands I witnessed first hand NOT using the tongs for ANYTHING when helping themselves to the buffet.

When asked if a person will eat at a buffet once restrictions are lifted, a new survey said 27% of people acknowledged they probably will eat at a buffet, versus 65% who say, flat out, no way, 8% percent aren't sure. Respondents over the age of 45 were 70% not-likely-to-very-not-likely to frequent an establishment of this nature again.

The survey questionnaire did not ask specifically about the likelihood of going to a buffet when there was a vaccine for COVID-19, just about the period of time after restrictions are lifted.

If the survey is viewed through the scope of political lines, 45% of Republicans say they'll probably eat at a buffet versus 19% of Democrats and 25% of Independents.