Take some Old West decor, a massive buffet, and throw in some good food, and you have Ames’ newest buffet, Pizza Ranch.

Founded in 1981, Pizza Ranch has since grown significantly over the past 10 years to eight states and more than 100 locations. The Ames location, 1404 Boston Ave., opened three weeks ago.

But what sets the Ranch apart from similar local businesses is its diverse buffet.

“We have a really large selection of salad bar items, a wide variety of chicken, and we do what we call a ‘do-it-your-way’ buffet,” said Rob Schultz, manager and co-owner of Pizza Ranch. “When you come in and don’t see a type of pizza you like on the buffet, just tell us and we’ll get it out there.”

Schultz said the buffet started out only as a promotion a few months ago, but since it’s gotten such a good response, it is going to find a permanent place.

Interestingly, Pizza Ranch’s entrance into a market the size of Ames doesn’t happen very often. For the most part, franchises were limited to opening in small towns and rarely in medium-sized cities. But with the recent addition to Ames, the company is looking at expanding to larger markets.

“This is one of the prototype stores,” Schultz said. “We have different uniforms than other locations and we’re also in a larger town than other locations too.”

Although students are slow to try Pizza Ranch, most of Ames has been supportive during the first three weeks of business.

“We’ve seen a little bit more of students now, but I feel that it’s going to grow,” Schultz said.

Some students feel that the slow reaction is because of the price.

“I feel that when given the choice of getting quick, cheap pizza compared to the better food Pizza Ranch offers, students will go for the cheaper stuff,” said Samuel Druvenga, junior in management.

Druvenga said he grew up with a Pizza Ranch in his hometown of Waverly, and is still excited to see one come to Ames.

Others in the community are just as excited, Schultz said. Entering a new market, there have been some difficulties in the first couple of weeks of business.

“There are four of us who started the restaurant and we’ve been working long days because the community has been supportive since the first day. But one struggle is that we started out with two delivery cars and shortly after we opened we found that we needed two more just to keep up with all the orders,” Schultz said. “That was unexpected.”

Ultimately, though, Schultz said that anyone should give Pizza Ranch a try if they are looking for a unique dining experience in Ames.

“It’s a fun family atmosphere and has great food. Trust me, the chicken is the best you will ever taste.”