ONE WEGMANS CAFE TESTS CHINESE BUFFET

ROSEANNE HARPER

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Wegmans Food Markets here is testing an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet in one of its in-store cafes as a way to compete with local Chinese restaurants.

The new twist on the chain's well-established "Wokery" program was launched this month in a suburban unit here.

The store was included in a tour of local supermarkets held in conjunction with the annual Supermarket Food Service Conference sponsored by the Food Marketing Institute and the National-American Wholesale Grocers' Association held here last week.

"We've seen that a large number of Chinese restaurants in this area have all-you-can-eat buffets, and we're always looking for ways to innovate where we can," said James Riesenburger, director of deli operations for the 49-unit chain and program chairman for the food service conference.

The buffet is featured on a large easel sign at the store's entrance. It reads, "The Great Wokery Buffet, $4.59, lunch; $6.29, dinner." An in-store circular also announces it.

"This has implications for the future, as well as for the present business in this store's cafe. We could possibly expand the concept to breakfast," he added. Now, the store offers breakfast omelets cooked to order from an island area in the cafe used for pasta and salad programs at lunch and dinner.

Riesenburger said a decision hasn't yet been made on whether to roll out the buffet to other Market Cafes, which the 49-unit retailer operates in selected units. "We'll test it long enough to enable us to evaluate it sufficiently," he said. He added, however, that the concept wouldn't necessarily be right for all the Market Cafes.

Riesenburger pointed out that, in keeping with Wegmans' commitment to fresh preparation, buffet hours are limited and the hot table is constantly being replenished with items freshly cooked in small batches. Cooks prepare the entrees in woks just a few feet away at the Wokery station.

Buffet hours Monday through Friday are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday the buffet is offered all day from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A cafe staffer told SN that a surprising number of customers make a meal of the unlikely combination of Chinese food and salad greens. The salad bar offers a limited selection of greens, a noodle salad and chunks of melon.

On the day SN visited the store, the Chinese buffet featured sesame chicken, "veggie delight" and a Singapore noodles dish.