America's biggest buffet chain cracked the code to all-you-can-eat profits

Customers at America's biggest buffet chain can pile their plates high with steak, shrimp and comfort food favorites, but behind the all-you-can-eat spread is a carefully calculated balancing act, according to a new report.

Golden Corral has developed a sophisticated system to keep the buffet model viable despite challenging economic conditions, The Wall Street Journal recently reported.

The chain, with roughly 350 restaurants across the U.S., predominantly in the South and Southeast, offers about 150 different buffet items.