‘Pawn Stars’ boss Rick Harrison talks Las Vegas tourism drop and buffets’ decline

For decades, Las Vegas buffets were a tourist jackpot. Today, food halls are a big draw.

Even “Pawn Stars” boss Rick Harrison has noticed the evolution of people’s eating habits, calling the buffet’s decline an example of “Darwinism.”

“You know, 100 years ago, lobster was considered poor people’s food, so everything has changed,” Harrison told Fox News Digital in a video interview from his restaurant, Rick’s Rollin Smoke Barbeque & Tavern. 

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The once-famous buffets in Vegas have given way to trendy Strip food halls in recent years.

In 2020, Rio’s Carnival World Buffet closed down before reopening as Canteen Food Hall in 2024.

ARIA Buffet also shuttered in 2020, reopening as Proper Eats Food Hall in 2022. 

The Big Top Food Court at Circus Circus, which opened in 2021, replaced a small portion of the venue’s buffet.

Despite the changes, the menu at Harrison’s restaurant leans on barbecue tradition – the kind that takes 16 hours in a smoker.

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“We don’t cut the time,” Harrison saidl. “It’s not 15-and-a-half hours. It’s not 15 hours and 45 minutes. It’s 16 hours, every bit of it.”

Harrison said all the meat at his restaurant is locally sourced.

“We’re kind of known for our burnt ends,” he added. “For people who don’t know what the burnt ends [are], that’s the fatty side of the brisket.”

Harrison said he was born and raised in North Carolina, which he called “mostly the barbecue capital of the world.”

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His restaurant, which is next to the pawn shop, receives thousands of visitors every day, he said.

“People from overseas don’t know about American barbecue, and when they find out about it, they absolutely love it,” Harrison said.

With tourism numbers down in Vegas, many people have pointed to the expensive pricing, especially when it comes to food.

On that point, Harrison called the $1,000 steak “the most ridiculous thing in the world.”

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“I wouldn’t fall for the gimmicks,” he said, noting there are still places to eat “a good ol’ American steak” for $50 to $80.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority recently released its numbers for July visitors, noting a 12% drop from last year.

There were 3,089,300 visitors in July compared to over 3.5 million last year, while occupancy on the Strip dropped 7% from 86.5% in 2024.

Harrison attributed the decrease to “people skipping vacations” due to inflation. 

The great thing about Vegas, he said, is the variety of food offerings.

“You have everything from a food court to five-star restaurants,” Harrison said. 

“So, it’s a little bit of everything here. … You got something for every budget here.”