Golden Corral Buffet & Grill was started by William F. Carl and James Maynard after they were unsuccessful at acquiring a franchise with another company.  It was incorporated in 1962 and the first steak house opened on January 3rd of 1973 in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  They were already on the way to opening a second restaurant only 3 months later and a third by 1974.  They owned over 100 restaurants by 1979 and they topped the 150 restaurant mark by the end of 1980.  They decided to begin franchising in 1987 after they already had over 500 restaurants.  As of 2008 there were 485 restaurants in 41 states and they expanded into New England in 2009 as well.  They have a new concept called the Pavilion that is designed like a food court and they are testing this concept out to see how successful it will be.

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  They offer omelets made to order, eggs, bacon, biscuits and graving, pancakes, French toast, and more during breakfast.  Most of the locations only serve breakfast on the weekends until 11:00 am.  During lunch and dinner the full sales bar is offered along with soups, entrees, and many sides as well.  They serve fresh bread, homemade meatloaf, pot roast, pizza, and many desserts as well.

Golden Corral Buffet & Grill offers franchise opportunities in many different areas across the United States.  The initial investment is estimated to be between $2,056,000 and $6,433,700 and any interested franchisee individuals or groups must have a net worth of at least $2.5 million and liquid assets of at least $500,000.  The franchise fee is $50,000 per restaurant and they also charge a 4% royalty fee of the gross sales.  They also charge a 2% fee of the gross sales for advertising as well.  The franchise contract is for 15 years with two 5 year renewal options.  They do offer both single and multi-unit options and financial assistance for those that may need it.