Evergreen Chinese Buffet located on 1665 E. Main St. #500, in Kent, Ohio is an all-you-can-eat buffet that has been serving its customers for many years.

Due to Covid-19 regulations, the buffet is no longer self-serve, and for the time being, the dining room is closed. The buffet is surrounded by plexiglass where customers can go up and order food they want, and an employee will make a to go container for them. 

“We don’t want anybody to touch the food,” said Matt Zheng, manager of Evergreen. “Mostly, one employee touches the food, and the second employee checks out.” 

The buffet now has separate enter and exit points, and customers are asked to stand six feet away from each other while waiting in line. 

Limited dishes are being offered on the buffet, those being the most popular. Customers can call in orders from off the menu for carryout instead of off the buffet as well. 

Dan Angle, a customer of 20 years, said, “They’ve got a really good setup because they moved the counter to the back where the buffet is and put a plexiglass window up, and now they just load your container up for you right off the buffet.”

As of now, the dining room is closed and hours are reduced on Fridays and Saturdays to a 9 p.m. closing compared to 10 p.m. previously.  

“Hopefully, we can open back up to normal, maybe by the time Kent State starts school,” Zheng said. 

Masks are available for anyone entering without one, as well as hand sanitizer by the checkout counter.

“We are keeping the customers in mind and want to protect both them and employees,” Zheng said. 

Gina Schlegel covers downtown and construction. Contact her at [email protected].