The pictures might be a bit misleading because I showed up that day just after 11 a.m. when crowds would start arriving at 11:30 and more so around 11:45. I knew that trying to take pictures then would be a problem, and the seats at the bar also might be gone (much better for tea refills, etc.)

The food generally wasn't kept out long...for some things like the salmon and the shrimp they had to do multiple refills, and I don't think there was any item that didn't have to be replaced at least once. They had kitchen staff assigned to watch the buffet, but there was still sometimes a lag time for new trays. They went through a lot of food. But because they didn't lower the grade on it vs. the restaurant food (as a Chinese buffet might do), they couldn't hold the price point if they got hit with some big eaters. Hence the start of the "death spiral" and how $9.95 became $24.95 gradually over time.

I guess the flip side (and maybe I should take pictures next time there also) would be a Japanese-Chinese buffet place in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, holding onto a $7 lunch price (excluding drink also, though most people get water). A fairly good buffet in that vein normally is over $20 (Todai, Nori Nori in Atlanta, etc.). There's one near me at $14.99 for lunch. But the Greenville area (and South Carolina in general) has lower discretionary income and lots of price resistance because of that. Still, it was amazing to see a basic-sushi/Chinese dishes/very small shrimp/soft serve ice cream buffet attempted at $7.