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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Shady Maple Smorgasbord is a buffet restaurant located in East Earl, Pennsylvania. It is the largest buffet in the country.[2]
The Shady Maple began as a farm stand run by the Martin family. The name came from its location in the shade of a large maple tree. The farm stand evolved under the next generation of family ownership into a small IGA, Inc. supermarket by 1970. A cafeteria with seating for was added to the supermarket in 1982. This was later expanded into a Smorgasbord (buffet) with 300 seats. Subsequent expansions saw it moved to its own building and seating expanded to 1,200.[3]
The Shady Maple primarily serves the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch. It serves three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.[2]
The buffet is 200 feet long,[4] and together with the gift shop cover 111,000 square feet (10,300 m2)[1]
The building also includes a gift shop[2] and during elections serves as a polling place.[5]
Awards and recognition
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In 2024, USA Today rated Shady Maple Smorgasbord the best buffet in the country.[6][7]
