Meet the family behind new Warner Robins steak house and buffet

James Spornhauer has made a career in the restaurant industry, as did his mother, most of his 10 siblings and his children.

Now, Spornhauer and his son, Greg Spornhauer, are gearing up to open Good ‘n Plenty Steak House and International Buffet in Warner Robins.

Other family members also have key roles in the new venture.

James Spornhauer’s wife, Miriam, is the office manager. His daughter, Ariel Johnson, is over marketing, and her husband, Kreig Johnson, is the executive chef. Spornhauer’s other daughter, Brittany Bennett, is their attorney, and his other son, James, is over maintenance and real estate.

Greg Spornhauer, who also serves as operations manager for the new restaurant, got his start working at the drive-thru at a Steak ‘n Shake in Columbus, Ohio.

The elder James Spornhauer was serving as a regional vice president for the franchise at the time. He retains ownership of Steak ‘n Shake franchise restaurants in Warner Robins and in Columbus, Ga.

Most of the family reside in Middle Georgia.

The restaurant at 1208 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins is expected to open in August.

How Good ‘n Plenty Steak House and International Buffet came about

Good ‘n Plenty Steak House and International Buffet has its roots in two other family-owned restaurants.

The elder James Spornhauer’s mom, Gloria Moore, started working at a Frisch’s Big Boy as a teenager.

“Pretty much, she worked in restaurants most of her life, and not just in them. Good ‘n Plenty was actually her first big venture as her own concept,” Spornhauer said. “The name Good ‘n Plenty is kind of in tribute to her.”

Moore started Good ‘n Plenty Steak House in the rural, unincorporated community of Macon, Ohio, in the early ‘70s. The restaurant had a successful run for more than a decade until health issues led Moore to close the restaurant.

“I still have the original menu,” Spornhauer said. “We’re going to post that up front and kind of tell the story. But she ran a very successful business, and at that time, she started pulling in other family members, including my older brother.”

His older brother, the late Ray Spornhauer, took what he learned from working at Good ‘n Plenty when he moved to Texas where his wife is from. He continued working in the restaurant business before eventually opening Ray’s Buffet in Lufkin, Texas.

Now known as Mr. Ray’s Food Court, the restaurant has been in business for more than 20 years and is operated by Ray Spornhauer’s wife, Rosa.

“I’m kind of pulling from his background,” James Spornhauer said. “So, in keeping with family tradition, we’re marrying the two concepts, kinda sorta, and that’s where we end up with the Good ‘n Plenty Steakhouse and International Buffet.

“The reason we’re going with international is, because we’re going to be featuring American food, Chinese food, Italian food, Mexican food, and we are going to have a section of our buffet dedicated to flavors from around the world. On a rotating basis, we’ll have new and exciting things, food that maybe people have never heard of or have never tried, and it’ll be put on the buffet so that people can experience things from all across the world.”

One of the dishes expected to be featured on the around the world section of the buffet is Spanish chicken & chorizo paella.

The restaurant’s take on this Spain’s iconic national dish features tender chicken, savory chorizo and seasoned rice simmered with tomatoes, garlic, peppers, green beans, smoked paprika and traditional Spanish-inspired spices that’s finished with fresh parsley and served with lemon wedges, according to Kreig Johnson.

“It’s a hearty, flavorful introduction to Spanish cuisine,” he said in a text message.

Another dish is patatas bravas, a beloved Spanish tapas classic that features crispy roasted potatoes topped with a smoky tomato brava sauce and a creamy garlic aioli, according to Johnson.

“It’s a simple yet bold side dish that perfectly complements the paella and showcases the vibrant flavors of Spain,” he said in a text message.

How Good ‘n Plenty Steak House and International Buffet will work

The restaurant will offer a breakfast buffet, then move into brunch, next transition to a lunch, and finally, the dinner buffet.

Each buffet will have a set price, which includes a drink. An upcharge is added for a steak.

“Being a steakhouse/buffet, if a person would like to come in and get just the buffet, they can do that,” Spornhauer said. “On the other hand, if you would like to have a wonderful hand-cut steak, you can add that to your buffet.

“If you want a ribeye, I’ll cook you a ribeye. If you want a tenderloin, I’ll do a tenderloin. If you want a New York strip, I’ll do a strip. If you want a bistro filet, we’ll do it.”

The buffet includes a salad bar and a dessert bar, which will feature homemade ice cream.

“Most things we do here are going to be from scratch,” Spornhauer said. “It’s clean cooking. It’s good food. Hence, it’s good and plenty.”

A wide range of drinks are expected to be available, including soft drinks, lemonades, teas, slushies, energy drinks, juices, coffee, cappuccinos and frappuccinos.

The restaurant will also offer beer, wine and specialty drinks such as margaritas, but those drinks won’t be included in the buffet price.

The restaurant seats up to 300 people in the general dining area and up to 50 people in the private dining room.

In addition to being tasked with developing a website and a social media presence, Ariel Johnson is behind wall sections of the restaurant that feature a country which has food represented on the buffet.

Pricing & more for the Good ‘n Plenty Steak House and International Buffet

The breakfast buffet is $12.99, plus steak $22.99; brunch is $14.99, plus steak $24.99; lunch is $15.99, plus steak $25.99; and dinner is $18.99, plus steak $28.99.

The restaurant will offer takeout from the buffet at $8.49 a pound.

Customers also may order from an online menu through the restaurant’s website or through third-party delivery. Carry out orders may be called in to the restaurant at 478-236-2367.

The restaurant is expected to offer staggered, reduced prices for children 12 and under, with children 3 and under eating for free. Senior and military discounts also are expected to be offered daily.

Hours will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

The restaurant is located in the former Fresco Italiano space, which before that was an Ole Times Country Buffet before it moved across town to its current location in Centerville.