2.14.2025
Golden Corral, the nation’s largest buffet restaurant chain and the only brand in its segment to thrive post-pandemic, is evolving beyond its in-store dining roots with a full-scale technology transformation. Partnering with Qu, Golden Corral has launched an advanced cloud-based platform that modernizes operations, expands digital ordering, and sets the stage for long-term growth.
Founded in 1973, Golden Corral Corporation and its franchisees operate 351 locations across 39 states and Puerto Rico, serving all-you-can-eat buffet meals. The Golden Corral system has achieved a remarkable 31% increase in Average Unit Volume (AUV) since 2019. As a brand with over 50 years of history, Golden Corral is now embarking on an ambitious growth strategy for the next 50 years. This strategy includes reinventing its buffet concept and expanding into off-premises dining and digital ordering.
Golden Corral chose Qu for how it unifies commerce across the brand, plus its strong alignment with the company’s values and objectives. “Partnering with Qu means more than just acquiring new hardware and software; it’s about embracing a holistic transition strategy,” said Dawn Gillis, CIO at Golden Corral Corporation. “Their solutions are not only highly intuitive, but also tailored to support the unique aspects of our business.”
Dubbed “Cloud Corral,” Golden Corral’s new technology platform integrates with Qu’s point-of-sale, native online ordering, drive-thru, and kitchen solutions to streamline sales and operations across all Golden Corral locations. The homestyle comfort food brand now boasts an innovative, cloud-based platform with centralized menu management across all restaurants while enabling franchisees the flexibility of day-part pricing management by location.
Since implementing Qu’s technology, Golden Corral has experienced a significant reduction in training time—from several days to just 30 minutes—demonstrating its exceptional ease of use and suitability for the company’s diverse operational needs.
“Qu is the only partner I trusted to guide us through this major transformation that required a foundational tech stack replacement while redefining our operating model and growth strategy,” said Dawn Gillis, CIO of Golden Corral. “Qu’s enterprise best practices, ease of integrations, and unique support model position them as leaders in guiding restaurants through this type of transformational change.”
The Qu platform will drive Golden Corral’s transition from a traditional in-store model to a comprehensive digital approach. Franchisees now benefit from modern, intuitive systems and the Notify app, which provides real-time AI-based alerts on sales, inventory, and labor data. This advancement allows for effective management at both the store level and across the entire brand network. Golden Corral and Qu completed the full brand rollout to Qu’s unified platform over the course of 7 months during 2024.
Niko Papademetriou, co-founder of Qu, added, “We’re proud to support Golden Corral in leading the industry’s evolution and setting new standards for operational excellence and growth. After meeting Lance Trenary [CEO], understanding his vision for the brand, and knowing that Dawn Gillis and her team could execute on the vision, we were even more convinced of being the right partner. We knew that by integrating Qu’s unified commerce platform, Golden Corral could modernize its operations while positioning the brand for a vibrant future.”
