Currently, E-Land E-Land E-Mart operates four buffets, including Ashley Queens, a pizza buffet "Pizza Mall," a Korean restaurant "Nature Star," and a shabu-shabu salad bar "Roone Shabu."
Among them, "Ashley Queens," E-Land Eats' flagship buffet brand, is showing high growth this year. We also had a good performance this Chuseok.
Ashley Queens said sales during the three-day period from Sept. 16 to Sept. 18 during the Chuseok holiday were up about 84% from Sept. 28 to 30, the Chuseok holiday last year. This is the second highest figure after Children's Day week in May, one of the big points of family dining out. It is also higher than usual on weekends. Sales on Sept. 18 were about 19% higher than the average for September weekend and holiday sales.
Buffet restaurants are emerging as a cost-effective place to eat because they can enjoy meals and desserts at a relatively reasonable price after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the midst of this, the change in the customs of the Chuseok holiday also affected. In the past, relatives used to gather in one place to cook holiday food, but now the price of holiday food ingredients and general dining out has risen, and more people are looking for cost-effective buffets.
An E-Land Eats official said, "The sharp rise in sales during the Chuseok holiday, when demand for family meals is rising, confirmed that Ashley Queens is being selected as a family dining out during the holiday."
Ashley Queens can enjoy more than 100 foods, including Korean food, Western food, barbecue, salad, sushi, and dessert, for 19,900 won for lunch on weekdays. In particular, there are many family-level customers with children, so they are mainly opening stores in satellite cities and new towns in the metropolitan area. Ashley Queens stores exceeded 100 as of August from 59 nationwide in 2022. Cumulative sales also grew by about 68% year-on-year from January to August.
Rowoon Shabu Shabu is a brand that offers unlimited shabu-shabu and salad bar buffets. Shabu-Shabu has recently emerged as an emerging powerhouse in holiday family dining, attracting attention as a healthy eating menu, the company said.
Rowoon Shabu Shabu's sales rose about 32% over the three-day period after the Chuseok holiday last year. Sales also rose about 25% from the same period last year from January to August, which has gained more popularity this Chuseok. Rowoon Shabu Shabu currently operates 12 stores across the country.
Pizza Buffet Pizza Mall also saw strong sales during the Chuseok holiday. During the Chuseok holiday, sales at Pizza Mall buffet stores increased by about 10% compared to last year's Chuseok. Currently, Pizza Mall operates nine pizza buffet restaurants nationwide.
Natural Byeolgok is a Korean buffet restaurant that was originally in the spotlight during the holiday due to its characteristics as Korean food. "Both last year's Chuseok and this year's Lunar New Year holidays recorded higher sales than usual, and this year's Chuseok remained at the same level as the previous holidays," Irantz said.
[Reporter Jeong Seulgi]
