After coronavirus delays, Ole Times Country Buffet opens its doors in Columbus

Ole Times Country Buffet in Columbus was packed with diners Wednesday as the restaurant finally celebrated its grand opening after COVID-19 delays.

The restaurant, located at 1900 Manchester Expressway, had people waiting in the parking lot at 10 a.m. even though doors didn’t open until 10:30 a.m., according to manager Deborah Christian.

“We’re enjoying every minute of it,” Christian said.

Ole Times planned on opening its doors in May, but the COVID-19 outbreak pushed the grand opening date to June 10.

According to Christian, there are a variety of procedures put into place to keep both workers and patrons safe.

The restaurant is operating at only 50% capacity right now and diners are seated at every other table. In addition, employees are serving the food to visitors instead of allowing them to serve themselves like a traditional buffet.

Ole Times employees also have to wear face masks and gloves, and consistently wipe down tables during the day.

The menu at Ole Times will change on certain days, but will always feature barbecue, fresh vegetables and fried foods such as fish and chicken.

Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. everyday, Ole Times offers a senior citizen discount. A military discount is available as well.

“We just try to have a family atmosphere here and treat all our people like we would our family members. We want them to come in, enjoy their food and have a good time,” Christian said.

Ole Times has 13 other locations across the Southeast, including a location in Auburn and two in Macon. The store will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. until 9 p.m.

This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 7:00 AM.