Furr’s to open two Fresh Buffets in Plano and southwest Dallas

Replacing old-school cafeterias.

PLANO — Furr's is building two Furr's Fresh Buffets on the outer loops of Dallas, including one branch on U.S. 75 in Plano and another in southwest Dallas, at I-20 and Wheatland Road.

Both will be open by early summer, said marketing director Jill Laird. "We're just getting started on construction," she said.

Fresh Buffet is Furr's new concept, replacing its old-school cafeteria. There are two Fresh Buffets around D-FW, both in the far suburbs: one in Garland at 635 and Centerville that opened four years ago shortly after the new concept was introduced, and another in Arlington at I-20 and Matlock that's been open since October 2010.

At Fresh Buffet, you pay at a front counter -- $7.99 at lunch and weekend breakfast, $10.19 at dinner and weekends, then graze from nine buffet bars that include a salad bar, steamed vegetables, and more upscale items like baked fish and grilled steak, along with the chain's signature "Millionaire Pie" and skillet-grilled chicken fried steak.

There are still four Furr's Cafeterias around DFW, in Dallas, Richardson, Fort Worth, and Irving, Laird said. Prices at the cafeteria are similar during the day -- $7.69 -- but it's only $8.99 at dinner.

"At this time, we're not planning on redoing the old stores since they meet the demographics of their area," she said. "Our focus is on acquiring new locations, and all of our new stores will be Fresh Buffets. We have 12, and we're just opening a store in San Antonio."

The Fresh Buffet concept was by new CEO Greg Buchanan (see Ron's video), who came to Furr's from La Madeleine, and was previously at Darden Restaurants and Carlson's TGI Friday's.

Alex Bentley contributed to this story.

Alex Bentley, staff:

If that's what the new Furr's is going to look like in Plano, it's curious that they demolished both the old Bennigan's and Swan Court buildings for it -- seems like the size of just one of those.

1 year, 3 months ago
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Jason Rice, verified:

Oooh.
Awnings.

Well, ya know THAT won't be the same old Lawrence Welk crowd.

So when the In-N-Out traffic backs up... just pull in here!

1 year, 3 months ago
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okme2, anonymous:

Hmmm...Sounds like the Golden Corral biz model.

1 year, 3 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:

okme2, i thought of Golden Corral too

1 year, 3 months ago
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fedishahampton, anonymous:

Well they are nothing like Golden Corral. They have really fell off. The buffet style that Furr's bring is awesome. I love and so does my family. Have not a bad experience yet (Garland locatgion). Now we are waiting for the opening in our part of town, off of Wheatland and I-20. Every Sunday and Wednesdays on the way to Church we are looking at the progress of the building. It looks like it ready now, before Summer. YEA!!!!

1 year, 2 months ago
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Teresa Gubbins, staff:

fedishahampton, the mayor and some other local dignitaries will do a ribbon-cutting on Monday March 5 and the branch will be open on March 7. that's next week!

1 year, 2 months ago
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