“They need to be sanitizing these tongs,” said Dorothy Allen of Southfield, grabbing the serving utensils to pile fried potatoes onto her plate. Last weekend, dining staff members circulated often, vigorously wiping down tables, chairs, and most visible surfaces every few minutes, but one diner said the COVID protocols weren’t enough for her. And the buffet and self-serve waffle iron are on only at breakfast. The eight offerings on the menu were a far cry from the pre-pandemic bonanza at the much-more spacious Palette across the gambling floor. Inside, a few tables were set up with stainless chafing dishes of sliced cinnamon and vanilla bean French toast, spinach-and-mushroom frittata, chicken sausage links, and a few more items for $22. The casino launched a new weekend buffet at the Tap sports pub about a month ago. Things were a bit quieter on the weekend dining scene at the MGM Grand Detroit Casino & Hotel, where the Palette Dining Studio, which housed its buffet pre-pandemic remains closed. The Assembly Line Buffet has reopened at the MotorCity Casino Hotel MotorCity Casino Hotel And, for now, the restaurant closes at 10 p.m. The buffet reopened last month, but Mexican Night, German Infusion Night, Seafood Night, and the other themed occasions aren’t back yet, the casino says. “I used to be a regular here and I like the Mexican nights.”

“I missed the buffet,” James Meyers of Sterling Heights said last weekend, as he headed straight for the carving station, where a line of people waited for a sliver of ham or a slice of beef. The scene at Assembly Line appeared relatively normal on a recent weekend as guests filed past the tables, piling their plates.

A few stalwarts have returned, including the popular casino restaurant, and diners are back for the fried and baked chicken, the rolled sushi and chilled shrimp, the mashed potatoes and collards, and so much more.

Long lines are back at the Assembly Line Buffet, the roomy restaurant at the MotorCity Casino Hotel.īuffets have long been as much a part of a casino as 25-cent slot machines, a cheap way to keep late-night gamblers nourished, but all-you-can eat events - and restaurants designed for them - have fallen by the wayside since the pandemic hit.

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