Golden Corral CEO Credits 41-Year Career to Staying Close to Customers

Golden Corral CEO Lance Trenary says one habit has shaped his four-decade career: staying close to the customer. Trenary joined the buffet chain more than 41 years ago and became president and CEO in 2015. He shared his leadership philosophy in a recent interview with Fox Business.

A Hands-On Approach to Leadership

Trenary said he loves traveling to restaurants and personally knows every franchisee and store manager. Speaking directly with guests and staff, he explained, reveals the unfiltered truth about how people see the brand. He called this a habit he will never break. Before taking the top job, he held roles including senior vice president of company operations.

Golden Corral is one of the largest buffet chains in the country. It operates nearly 400 company-owned and franchised restaurants across 42 states and serves about three million guests in a typical week.

A Challenging Year for the Buffet Chain

The advice comes as the company navigates a difficult 2026. Trenary acknowledged that rising fuel, labor and food costs, along with declining traffic, are straining a model built on unlimited steak and other higher-cost proteins at relatively affordable prices. Adult weekday dinners cost between $16.99 and $20.99. Trenary described it as the first year of real challenges in several, but said he isn’t overly anxious because of his team.

He also said leadership success should be measured less by personal accolades and more by the opportunities a leader creates for others.

Golden Corral began in 1973 as a modest steakhouse in North Carolina before building its identity around the all-you-can-eat buffet. The pandemic hit that model hard in 2020, when sales fell by more than half and the company lost at least 80 restaurants, according to The Wall Street Journal. The recovery since has been substantial, and its busiest locations now generate about $7 million in annual sales.