Multi-Unit Franchisees Strike Golden Agreement to Expand in Cincinnati

Golden Corral, the nation’s largest all-you-can-eat buffet chain, announced today that it will expand its presence in Cincinnati. Known for offering a high-value, family-friendly experience and exceptional hospitality, the brand has signed a franchise agreement with existing franchise owners, Jace Stickdorn and Annette Payne of Vitall Partners, to open two new Southwestern Ohio locations in Northgate and Middletown.

With an extensive restaurant background spanning more than two decades, Stickdorn is a seasoned restaurant leader with the legacy buffet brand. His journey with the brand first began when he joined the Golden Corral family as a multi-unit director in 2002. In a testament to his unwavering dedication and passion for the brand, Stickdorn's career trajectory continued when he partnered with Payne to create a restaurant group and proudly became the co-owner of their ownership group’s first location.

During his tenure as a multi-unit director, he first met Payne in 2007 where she joined Golden Corral as a manager under Jace's leadership. She quickly developed an affinity for the Golden Corral brand, and later became the owner of three Golden Corral locations in Ohio before bringing on Stickdorn to form the partnership in 2020. Stickdorn and Payne now own and operate nine Golden Corral locations throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan.

“Jace and Annette’s growth trajectory with our brand has been remarkable, said David Conklin, Chief Development Officer of the Golden Corral Corporation. “Annette and Jace’s success is a testament to their hard work and determination. Those qualities, paired with a strong, growing, franchise centered national brand favorite, provide the path to exceptional opportunities for both existing and new Golden Corral franchisees. It's wonderful to see them continue to build their legacy within our Golden Corral family.”

Golden Corral’s expansion into Southwest Ohio comes on the heels of the brand’s exceptional growth in guest traffic and new development opportunities breaking sales records with $101,000 in average weekly sales per restaurant this past June.* President and CEO, Lance Trenary, also confirmed that the brand has experienced double-digit comp sales growth over 2022. The brand is one of only three buffet chain restaurants to see a 125% increase in foot traffic first quarter 2023 compared to January 2021, according to Placer.ai which tracks foot traffic at restaurants and retail outlets.

Golden Corral provides unlimited opportunities for entrepreneurs looking for a proven, family-oriented restaurant model. The brand seeks individuals and partnership groups with previous restaurant experience and strong business acumen. Golden Corral’s support team will provide potential candidates with established systems and operations support to help guide them and grow their business in an exciting segment.

For more information on the Golden Corral franchise opportunity, visit the franchising website, or connect with Joyce Bunn at jbunn@goldencorral.net to set up a time to speak by phone.

*The weekly average sales figure was based on 349 restaurants systemwide. 155 restaurants had sales higher than the average.

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Golden Corral
Golden Corral is the largest National Buffet chain, offering delicious comfort food classics allowing guests to create their own unique and perfect plate. Learn More