Shady Maple Smorgasbord
The Shady Maple Smorgasbord is a buffet restaurant located in East Earl, Pennsylvania. It is the largest buffet in the country.[1]
History
[edit]The Shady Maple began as a farm stand run by the Martin family. The name came from its location in the shade of a large maple tree. The farm stand evolved under the next generation of family ownership into a small IGA, Inc. supermarket by 1970. A cafeteria with seating for was added to the supermarket in 1982. This was later expanded into a Smorgasbord (buffet) with 300 seats. Subsequesnt expansions saw it moved to its own building and seating expanded to 1,200.[2]
Food
[edit]The Shady Maple primarily serves the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch. It serves three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.[1]
Facility
[edit]The buffet is 200 feet long.[3]
The building also includes a gift shop[1] and during elections serves as a polling place.[4]
Awards and recognition
[edit]In 2024 US News rated Shady Maple Smorgasbord the best buffet in the country.[5][6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c MACPHERSON, ADRIANNA. "The Pennsylvania Restaurant That Houses The Largest Buffet In The US". mashed.com. Mashed. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Hoeffner, Joe. "The Largest Buffet In America Is Nestled In Rural Pennsylvania". The Takeout.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Petrosemolo, Art (25 August 2024). "A Closer Look at Two of America's Top-Rated Smorgasbords". lancasterfarming.com. Lancaster Farmer. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Doran, Brady (5 November 2024). "America's largest buffet is also a polling place in Pennsylvania". abc27.com. ABC 27. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Get your all-you-can-eat fix at the 10 best buffet restaurants in the US". usatoday.com. USA Today. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ Larlham Jr., Daniel. "Two Central PA buffets voted best in the country by USA Today readers". ldnews.com. Lancaster Daily News. Retrieved 10 December 2024.