Which MS Coast casinos have crab legs, and how much do the buffets cost? What to know.
South Mississippi casinos at one time were said to be the the largest consumers of crab legs in the U.S.
Steep price hikes, crab leg shortages and the coronavirus pandemic, however, has since cut into the availability and the claim.
Today, only three of the 12 Coast casinos offer crab legs — Treasure Bay in Biloxi, Silver Slipper in Hancock County and Hollywood Casino Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis.
That could change, but not given the current inflation and supply chain issues .
Customers came to expect crab legs on every buffet and Coast casino operators like Chett Harrison at Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi say the casinos paid a price to keep the popular seafood menu item on the buffet.
That began to change in 2011, when Palace Casino general manager Keith Crosby temporarily pulled crab legs off the menu due to high cost and unreliable supplies.
In 2017, when the cost of crab legs soared, a surcharge was added to several casino buffets in South Mississippi. This kept the buffet price lower for those who weren’t willing to splurge for crab legs and kept the seafood available for those willing to pay the higher price to get plates or buckets of crab legs.
The price of the buffet at IP Casino Resort in Biloxi actually was lowered to $24.99, so people who don’t eat crab weren’t penalized for the high cost. A bucket of Dungeness or snow crab legs was and additional $5 a pound or $9 for two pounds.
IP Casino’s buffet is one of five still closed after COVID.
Crab legs on menus, then off again in Biloxi
In 2017, Crosby again discontinued crab legs on the buffet at Palace Casino when the bulk rate for crab legs rose from $5 a pound in May to $8.45 a pound by July, an almost 70 percent increase in two months.
“Sadly I don’t think its going to get better,” he said.
In 2019, the buffet at Hard Rock Casino Biloxi got a $2.3 million refresh, with new decor, a new menu, a bar added and the wall was opened to deliver a view out over the water to Deer Island.
Weekend jazz brunch with crab legs was priced at $21.99, including two free mimosas or deluxe Bloody Marys, and customers could buy a pound of crab legs to take home for an additional $6.
Like all the casinos and buffets, the Hard Rock buffet closed in March 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Satisfaction Buffet has just opened and, for now, is available only one weekend a month. Crab legs aren’t on the buffet.
How much do crag legs cost now?
Here is how the cost has increased at the three Coast casinos that still offer crab legs:
▪ In 2017, the weekend buffet at Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis with Dungeness and snow crab legs was $27.99. Today the weekend crab buffet is $49.99.
▪ In 2017, Treasure Bay Casino’s crab buffet was $23.99 with a player’s club card or $25.99 without. Now the crab buffet is $47.99, with discounts available for military and players card members. Customers must be 21 or older.
▪ In 2017, Silver Slipper Casino’s weekend crab leg buffet was $27.99 with card and $29.95. That rose to $49.95 in 2021 and is the same price today. Customers must be 21 or older.
Will the price hold?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture report on food prices in March said all food prices are expected to increase through the end of the year.
The cost of dining out is expected to rise 5.5% to 6.5% through the end of the year.
Grocery prices could increase another 3% to 4%, the report said, so it might make economic sense to buy crab legs and cook them at home.
In some cases, it actually costs more. Snow crab legs at one online site are $23.99 a pound plus shipping, which runs an additional $42 midweek or $108 to have the order arrive on the weekend. Dungeness crab legs generally run $5 more a pound and free shipping is available for bulk orders for those throwing a party or who have the freezer space.
This story was originally published July 24, 2022 at 8:13 AM.
