Ever found yourself cruisin’ down the highway, stomach growlin’, when suddenly you spot something that makes you do a double-take? That’s exactly what happened to me last month when I saw a sign that said “KFC Buffet” Like many of you, I thought these mythical all-you-can-eat chicken paradises had gone extinct years ago But guess what? They still exist, and I’ve done the legwork to find out exactly how much they cost.
The Surprising Survival of KFC Buffets
KFC buffets were all the rage back in the ’80s, but most disappeared faster than your willpower around a bucket of Original Recipe. Today, there are only a handful of these rare gems left in North America, with a famous location in Tokyo too.
After spotting that sign, I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. So I did what any reasonable food blogger would do – I drove three whole hours to Dunn North Carolina to experience one of the last remaining KFC buffets on the planet.
How Much Does a KFC Buffet Cost in 2025?
Let’s cut right to the chase since I know that’s what you’re here for
The current price for a KFC buffet in 2025 is $13 per person.
That’s right – for less than the cost of many fast-food combo meals these days, you can enjoy unlimited KFC chicken and sides. When I visited, I paid $26 total for two buffet dinners before tax.
Is it worth it? In my honest opinion, absolutely yes. The value you get for $13 is pretty darn impressive.
What Do You Get at a KFC Buffet?
For your $13, here’s what you can expect:
- Unlimited fried and grilled chicken pieces (all the classic KFC options)
- Classic KFC sides (varies by location but typically includes biscuits, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans)
- Regional specialties (at my location: rice and beans, collard greens, fried okra)
- Unique offerings (my location had fried chicken gizzards and livers – not my thing but might be yours!)
- Dessert options (apple cobbler, Jell-O, pudding, and fruit)
- Drink (includes a soft drink cup)
Each person gets a large three-section Styrofoam plate, a smaller dessert plate, and the classic KFC spork. It’s nothing fancy, but who needs fancy when you’ve got unlimited chicken?
My Personal KFC Buffet Experience
When I arrived at the KFC in Dunn, NC, I wasn’t sure what to expect. From the outside, it looked like any standard KFC restaurant – no special signage except for a small blue sign advertising the buffet.
Inside, the layout was familiar with the addition of an approximately 8-foot-long self-serve buffet station next to the cashier. The restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded when I visited on a Saturday evening.
The Good
The chicken was just as crispy and flavorful as what you’d get from the regular menu. Everything tasted fresh – a concern I had about buffet food sitting out too long was quickly dismissed. My favorite discovery was the fried okra, which was perfectly crunchy without being overcooked.
The absolute highlight, though? The apple cobbler. This gooey mixture of apple chunks, pie crust, and sugar smelled amazing and tasted even better. It had a homemade quality that really surprised me.
The Not-So-Good
My biggest disappointment was the absence of mac and cheese – my favorite KFC side! Looking back, I could’ve ordered it separately from the regular menu, but it would’ve been nice to have it included in the buffet spread.
I also tried the fried chicken gizzards and liver at my girlfriend’s insistence. As someone who’d never had them before… let’s just say they aren’t going on my favorites list anytime soon. But hey, that’s just me – plenty of people love these items!
Are KFC Buffets Worth the Drive?
Here’s my honest take:
If there’s a KFC buffet within an hour’s drive, and you’re a fan of their chicken, it’s absolutely worth checking out. The value is undeniable – where else can you get unlimited KFC chicken and sides for $13?
However, I wouldn’t recommend making a special three-hour journey just for this experience like I did. It was good, but not “drive-across-multiple-states” good.
Where to Find KFC Buffets
Finding a KFC buffet is like hunting for buried treasure these days. There’s actually a Facebook group called “KFC Buffet Aficionados” where fans keep track of remaining locations and answer questions about them. This group maintains a map of all the remaining KFC buffet spots in North America.
Based on my research, most remaining locations are concentrated in the southern United States, with that one famous international location in Tokyo, Japan.
KFC Buffet vs. Regular KFC: Is It Really Worth It?
Let’s break down the value proposition:
| KFC Buffet ($13) | Regular KFC 8-piece meal (~$22) |
|---|---|
| Unlimited chicken pieces | 8 pieces of chicken |
| Multiple side options | 2-3 large sides |
| Dessert included | No dessert |
| Drink included | Drinks typically extra |
| Regional specialties | Standard menu only |
When you look at it this way, the buffet is clearly the better deal if you’ve got a big appetite or want to try a variety of items.
Tips for Making the Most of Your KFC Buffet Experience
If you do decide to hunt down one of these rare buffets, here are my top tips:
- Go hungry – This seems obvious, but you’ll want to maximize that $13 value
- Try the regional specialties – Items like fried okra may not be on the regular menu
- Don’t fill up on drinks – Classic buffet strategy, folks
- Save room for dessert – The apple cobbler alone is worth the trip
- Consider timing – Weekday lunch might offer fresher food with more frequent refills
- Check if your must-have sides are available – Or be prepared to order them separately
The Future of KFC Buffets: Endangered Species?
With so few locations remaining, it’s fair to wonder how much longer these buffets will survive. The Tokyo location seems to be thriving as a novelty, but the North American spots appear to be the last of a dying breed.
If experiencing a KFC buffet is on your bucket list (pun intended), I wouldn’t wait too much longer. These relics of fast-food history could disappear completely in the coming years.
Final Thoughts: Is $13 Too Much or Not Enough?
When considering the question of “how much is the buffet at Kentucky Fried Chicken,” we need to think about value as much as price. Is $13 expensive? In the world of fast food, maybe. In the world of buffets, absolutely not.
For the quantity and variety of food available, $13 feels like a pretty good deal in 2025. Factor in rising food costs and inflation, and it’s actually surprising that the price isn’t higher.
I left the KFC buffet in Dunn, NC with a full stomach and no regrets about my $13 investment. While it wasn’t a life-changing culinary experience, it was a fun food adventure and a chance to experience a piece of fast-food history before it potentially disappears forever.
So if you’re asking yourself “is the KFC buffet worth it?” – I’d say yes, if you’re a KFC fan who happens to be near one of these rare locations. Just don’t expect to find mac and cheese (at least at the Dunn location), and maybe skip the gizzards unless you’re feeling adventurous!
Have you been to a KFC buffet lately? I’d love to hear about your experience and whether you thought the $13 price tag was worth it. Drop a comment below!
This blog post was updated on September 19, 2025, with the most current pricing information available for KFC buffets.
How do you find the last remaining KFC buffets?
In the 1980s, KFC buffets were pretty plentiful, but by the time the next decade rolled around, societal tastes had shifted, and many locations ditched the steam tables and hot plates for good. Still, several of them survived well into the 21st century until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, and huge numbers of buffets halted for good, leaving a precious few to search and find. So where are they now?
In the age of having the internet at our fingertips, youd think that finding an elusive KFC buffet would be as simple as a quick Google search. Not so fast. If you rely on the KFC website to clue you in on your closest buffet location, youre in for disappointment there, too. With both options, youll only find the closest KFC restaurant, but there will be no indication of whether it features an all-you-can-eat option. Instead, you may have to rely on bloggers who are passionate about the subject or Facebook groups devoted to the cause, as well as good, old-fashioned word of mouth. The Facebook group KFC Buffet Aficionados appears to have decent up-to-date information on where to find active buffets, but they are few and far between, and theyre mostly concentrated in the southern and southeastern states of the U.S., such as Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Even so, its best to call the buffet location directly. Case in point: I live close to a KFC whose outdoor sign boasts “buffet” on it. I discovered it shortly after I moved to my current city and was ecstatic to try it out. However, it turned out that the buffet was no longer in service, even though the sign remains and gives buffet junkies like me false hope.
What to expect at a KFC Buffet
Should you find and visit a KFC Buffet, you can expect to find the standard, classic menu items for the all-you-can-eat option, like fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, and biscuits. But, according to various blog posts and websites, you might also find some unexpected dishes and some of KFCs oddest menu items. Visitors have reported fruit cobblers and pudding for dessert, fried chicken livers and gizzards, chicken and noodles, and a salad bar extension.
Reviews, however, arent always glowing. After all, these arent big, impressive buffets like you might find in Las Vegas; youre in a fast food restaurant, and the degree of freshness and cleanliness is always going to be dependent on the staff of a particular location. (But, honestly, its unlikely anyone is going to these places searching for the best meal of their life anyway.) Pilgrs to such locations are, in large part, nostalgic trips for those who might have grown up near a KFC buffet, eating their share of fried chicken legs on Sunday afternoons, and bowls of Jell-O and chocolate pudding for dessert. Today, you might even witness people taking selfies and posting live videos on social media at the remaining buffets. After all, this isnt the 80s anymore.
KFC Buffet Locations Do Still Exist. Here’s Where To Find Them
FAQ
Does KFC have a buffet anymore?
As of 2024, the chain currently has 22 buffets open in the United States and Canada.Mar 31, 2025
What is the $20 deal at KFC?
$20 Taste of KFC® Fried Chicken Meal | KFC®
Includes 6 pieces of fried chicken (2 drums, 2 thighs, 1 breast, 1 wing) with sides of mac & cheese, coleslaw, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet corn, and 4 biscuits.
What is the difference between buffet and all you can eat buffet?
All-you-can-eat (AYCE) dining operates on a different model where guests order unlimited food from a menu, often with specific rules on ordering and consumption. Unlike buffets, where food is displayed for self-service, AYCE restaurants usually require guests to place multiple rounds of orders through a waiter.
How much is the KFC Big 6 deal?
Enjoy the BIG 6 Deal with 6 Pc. Original Recipe, 2 Reg. Mash & Gravy and 3 Mini Loaves for R129.