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Customers at America's biggest buffet chain can pile their plates high with steak, shrimp and comfort food favorites, but behind the all-you-can-eat spread is a carefully calculated balancing act, according to a new report.

Golden Corral has developed a sophisticated system to keep the buffet model viable despite challenging economic conditions, The Wall Street Journal recently reported.

The chain, which has roughly 350 restaurants across the U.S., predominantly in the South and Southeast, offers about 150 different buffet items. What customers might not realize is that they are carefully arranged into "modules" that mix expensive and inexpensive foods, CEO Lance Trenary told the Journal.

AMERICA'S FAVORITE FAST-FOOD CHAIN NAMED: MCDONALD'S WINS HEARTS BUT NOT BEST BURGER, SURVEY SAYS

Pricier items like meat and seafood are paired with lower-cost items like hush puppies and french fries.…