McDonald's used the lock-down to get rid of their 24 hour breakfast. I don't go there anymore, because their breakfast sandwiches were the only thing like, and being retired for 20 years, and being a night owl all those years, there's no way I'm setting my alarm just to get to McDonald's before 10:30 a.m
Turning Stone Casino, run by the Oneida Indians is near me. I only go once a month or once every-other month to meet friends for lunch. When the lock-down came, they closed completely for well over a year. When they reopened, they were insisting that people had to wear masks and social distance. I told my friends I wouldn't be going back until they got rid of those rules. It was about two years before I finally met them.
In the aftermath of the lock-down, they got rid of their 24-hour buffet, which we thoroughly enjoyed. We'd usually meet one Friday during the month, because they had "Senior Friday," and they'd give you a senior discount for your meal. They'd have a D.J. who would play music from the 50's and 60's. They had taken part of the area the buffet had once been in, and turned it into a sports-betting bar and seating area.
About a year after they reopened, they opened a new gourmet buffet that is only open 4-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday for dinner. The cost is $36.99 for adults. $16.99 for kids. They are also open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. for dinner. Brunch for Saturday and Sundays costs $36.99. Dinner on Saturday costs 39.99. Kids dinner is $18.99. Sundays dinner runs 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Adults $36.99. Kids $16.99. No senior discounts whatsoever. I would never pay that kind of money to eat at a buffet, especially since I don't eat fish or seafood, or care for prime rib if they serve it, so it wouldn't be worth my while to go.
They also stopped giving you free play money for the slot machines. The amount was based on your previous month's spending. I usually got $15 in free play money that I could use one day each week for the four weeks of the month. Since I only went there once a month, I never used the other 3 free plays. They also gave you $10 to use each month towards any purchases you made at the casino, like food, souvenirs, etc.
They got rid of the $10 voucher, and now require people to earn 100 points a day, in order to earn free plays. Unless you spend big bucks there, you'd never be able to earn the points you need to get the free plays.
This casino took aways all the incentives to get you to go there. I only take $60 with me once a month, and only play 15 cents a spin, so when it's gone, I go home. Sometimes I come home with money, but nothing in the amount of what I took with me.
“there’s no way I’m setting my alarm just to get to McDonald’s before 10:30 a.m”
Here it’s 11 AM but the app ordering and double points for breakfast do stop working at 10:30.
We used to go to the Turning Stone buffet several times a year, but then the food started to get bad. I think it sat out too long and spoiled. Then I worked a while there in surveillance so I just stopped going to any of the stores and restaurants there. It got really ridiculous during covid so I left and never went back. I hear it’s not good anymore anyway. It seems like they are trying to make up for it by becoming the biggest marijuana producer in NY state.