By Erik Jones
The Golden Corral buffet in Elyria has reportedly closed its doors for good, leaving both employees and customers in shock. Despite the restaurant appearing open and busy as recently as this week, multiple staff members have confirmed the sudden and permanent shutdown, which came without public notice or internal warning.
Posts began circulating late Wednesday night from self-identified employees stating that they had just been informed of the closure. One worker, Kala Babie Boyettee, shared on social media, “We found out tonight that we are closed from here on out. Anyone who made Easter reservations or any future reservations, please make new arrangements.” She later confirmed, “Today was the very last day.”
Other employees echoed the news. Brenda Adams simply stated, “We did close.” Another, Jackie Repp, confirmed: “Yes, we are closed permanently!!”
The abrupt announcement took many by surprise—including customers who had recently booked reservations for Easter Sunday. One commenter said they had just made a reservation for the back room that same day, unaware the location would be closed by nightfall.
Calls to the Elyria Golden Corral location were met with the standard automated greeting, and no official statement regarding the closure had been posted on the restaurant’s local Facebook page or website at the time of publication.
While confusion spread among community members, employees made efforts to alert customers themselves. “Trust me, if you read this thread, you’ve seen several of our employees comment,” Boyettee wrote. “This is very real and very real to us who are now out of jobs and completely out of nowhere.”
Customers expressed sympathy for the staff, many of whom reportedly had worked at the location for years. Others criticized the restaurant’s management for failing to provide notice to employees or the public.
“We’ve been slammed for weeks now,” Boyettee added, noting that business had appeared strong in recent months. The lack of warning led many to speculate whether the closure was a last-minute corporate decision or a quiet local shutdown.
A paraphrased farewell post reportedly written by a former server and manager named Martin was shared in the comments, stating that the location was permanently closed and expressing gratitude to loyal guests and co-workers. It has not been verified as an official communication.
Golden Corral’s corporate office has not yet responded to requests for comment, and it remains unclear whether this closure is part of a broader trend or an isolated event tied to the Elyria location.
As of Thursday morning, the restaurant remains locked, and employees continue to share posts urging patrons with upcoming reservations to find alternative plans.
This is a developing story. If you are a former employee or management and wish to share your experience, contact the Lorain Daily newsroom.
The Elyria location was privately owned and owners own another location.
We as a family have eaten there, we were just here two weeks ago and I’m saddened by the news of that Golden Corral is closing its doors. I love their food and it’s such a quiet setting. I’m hoping they’re just remodeling or building something else like it with all the varieties of foods to choose from.
That’s bull I enjoy going there on occasion all way good food and service my heart goes out to the employees
The Elyria Golden Corral isn’t corporate or even a franchise, an employee told me they were independently owned.
There was a problem there, how do you run out of ketchup and steak sauce and you put packets of ketchup on the tables.
The food was always cold they must have been having supply problems and problems keeping the food hot.
Good! Just went on Tuesday and my husband got severely sick from the cold food like I said didn’t know how they made it serving cold vegetables that were supposed to be hot and cold Mac n cheese and old n cold mashed potatoes eww
Bs
We just bought gift cards and was scheduled to attend an event next week. What an great disappointment in the food chain, now forced to go to Brookpark, Sandusky or Mansfield, whohooo……
Brookparks a dump bathrooms are disgusting foyer area is disgusting that place is ran down
I went to Planet Fitness this evening and there were several U-Haul trucks and several cars in the parking lot looking as if things were being taken out of the restaurant probably perishable foods to be relocated somewhere else. When I left Planet Fitness it was dark and it was really eerie because the whole building was dark no signs very limited light on the inside and normally when going past Golden Corral at night it’s all lit up and a bright spot it was a big contrast
We were regulars at GC, eating there about 3 times a month. We loved the staff that had worked there for so many years.i am afraid that this sudden closing came from the owner. This was, my message to Martin, our wonderful server for about 15 years and now the GM. “What!? How can they close? I am so sorry. We were just there two weeks ago and it was busy. Same great food and same great server! How could this happen? Martin and Kala where are you going? Will follow you. I send lots of love through my tears. You deserve all the best, and you always gave your best. This is so wrong. Many of us love GC and were regulars. Really do not know what we will do without it.”
I wonder if the WARN Act applies? Did the business file & nobody notice? Look it up. If it applies & employees were truly not informed, there’s a lawsuit needing filed.