I just love the ad for the El Rancho to the left. It proudly boasts a 24 hour "Buckaroo" buffet, or more specifically "Chuck" with "every possible variety of hot and cold entrees to appease the howling coyote in your innards in the late night pre-dawn hours, everything you can eat and you'll want it all!"
The "Chuck" was short for Chuckwagon, and the Chuckwagon buffet started it all. I blogged yesterday about the El Rancho (I'm sort of obsessed) and how the buffet was born from the notion of feeding late night gamblers with grumbling stomachs.
If I remember correctly, the ultimate pick it up and go finger food, the sandwich, was invented by the Earl of Sandwich who didn't want to interrupt his gambling streak.
It would stand to reason in today's Vegas, which touts itself as a 24 hour Adult Playground, that the 24 hour buffet would be a long standing tradition.
Sadly, this is not the case. The last, and probably only 24 hour buffet was shuttered along with the Boardwalk Casino over 2 years ago.
The "Chuck" was short for Chuckwagon, and the Chuckwagon buffet started it all. I blogged yesterday about the El Rancho (I'm sort of obsessed) and how the buffet was born from the notion of feeding late night gamblers with grumbling stomachs.
If I remember correctly, the ultimate pick it up and go finger food, the sandwich, was invented by the Earl of Sandwich who didn't want to interrupt his gambling streak.
It would stand to reason in today's Vegas, which touts itself as a 24 hour Adult Playground, that the 24 hour buffet would be a long standing tradition.
Sadly, this is not the case. The last, and probably only 24 hour buffet was shuttered along with the Boardwalk Casino over 2 years ago.
The Boardwalk had been around since the 1960's as a gift shop, and then a Holiday Inn. In 1994, the heyday of Vegas' "Family Entertainment" phase, it became the Boardwalk proper complete with Hotel tower, Carnival facade, enlarged casino and the Surf Buffet -- open 24 hours.
I've seen online reviews that called the buffet the worst ever, but at 3 in the morning, there are nights I would be happy with some chicken wings and mac & cheese.
I'm going to go ahead and say it -- one of the biggest misconceptions about Vegas is that it is a 24 hour city that never sleeps.
Sure, you can drink and gamble all night, and usually there is a cafe somewhere to grab a bite, but for the most part all the buffets are closed by 9:30 or 10pm, and the restaurants quickly follow. On a weeknight after midnight, your dining options are severely limited. Cruise ships have midnight buffets, but Vegas, the city that started it all, does not.
Just like the Earl of Sandwich most midnight gamblers want a quick bite, they don't want to sit in the cafe and wait for their food to cook away from the action.
Which brings us full circle to the El Rancho Midnight Buck Chuck. I'm amazed no casino has resurrected this concept. If they really want us to keep gambling at all hours, they need to keep us fed. Imagine being able to walk over to a simple but appetizing spread of cold cuts, cheese, maybe some wings and shrimp, fruit, cheesecake -- heck, I'd be thrilled with a hot dog bar. Make it a buffet and a takeaway, and the needs of most every degenerate in the joint will be covered. I don't need "every possible variety of hot and cold entrees" in the wee hours, but jeez, throw me a bone.
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