The Viral Golden Corral Brawl That Allegedly Started Over Steak

It's a place that truly tests the limits of "all-you-can-eat." No matter what you're filling your plate up with, be it pancakes, sirloin steaks, fried chicken and fried fish, or dipping Lord knows what into the famous chocolate fountain, Golden Corral is truly the place to unleash one's inner glutton for a relatively minimal cost. While there are some who view these buffet-style dining experiences as unhealthy and unsanitary, there are people who love nothing more than low prices for huge amounts of food. There is a reason why the chain calls itself "America's #1 Buffet Restaurant." While you may imagine the restaurant is filled with elderly men and women who simply want to live in their budget and give themselves a good meal for cheap, there's some customers who are die-hards for the Corral with deep-burning rage placated only by yeast rolls and sirloin steaks.

 In 2007, Mother's Day celebrations in an Ohio Golden Corral exploded into a violent grudge match in which five people were arrested for misdemeanors (via WTOL 11). In 2019, an uneventful evening in another Ohio-based Golden Corral transformed into a bareknuckle brawl as 15 combatants, full of both adrenaline and fried foods, flipped over tables and launched food at one another in a buffet match (via Fox 8). More recently, the City of Brotherly Love got a taste of just how dangerous going to your local buffet could be — and it all started over a comment about steak.

Forty people, one dining room, and the chance to get some delicious Golden Corral-brand sirloins. While this may sound like a parody of WWE wrestling promotions, these were the ingredients for a massive brawl at a Bensalem, Pennsylvania Golden Corral. According to former employee Dylan Becker, who spoke to CBS Philadelphia, the sudden outbreak of violence was apparently over a supposed shortage of steak.

"From what I heard it was over steak, apparently somebody cut in line," Becker stated, with his friend Gaven Lauletta supporting this claim. Lauletta elaborated on the steak shortage, claiming that one family had cut in line in front of another to get the rest of the steaks, which lead to arguments before finally leading into violence. Punches were thrown, chairs were tossed, and customers beat on each other as the mob poured through the dining room. Commentators on the video expressed their opinions on the buffet brawl. 

"If you're angry about Golden Corral running out of steak, you should reexamine your life choices," said one Twitter user. Meanwhile, another person said "the only thing worse" than the allegedly steak-related brawl was "ordering the T-Bone steak in an IHOP."

Although Bensalem police are still searching for the instigators of the fight, it is reported that there are, fortunately, no severe or lasting injuries.