Amarillo Restaurant's Name Change Sparks Questions

Sometimes while driving around Amarillo, I'm not quite sure if I saw something correctly. In those moments, I usually turn around and take a second look. Otherwise, it might remain a mystery forever.

That recently happened while I was out shopping near Soncy Road. I got off the interstate and thought I spotted something unusual. I headed back to the row of restaurants on the I-40 and Soncy Access Road.

A Double Take Along Soncy Road

It looked like a restaurant there had changed its name or something. I figured my eyes were playing tricks on me. When I doubled back, I realized my eyes weren't deceiving me at all.

What had been Lin's Grand Buffet for as long as I can remember is now Li's Grand Buffet. I initially wondered if one of Amarillo's windstorms had blown the 'n' off the sign, but no, the name was changed on the restaurant building too.

Lin's Grand Buffet Is Now Li's

So Lin's is now Li's. Why? That's still unclear. Even the Google listing has it as Li's Grand Buffet. So this was a planned move. The website has also been changed- not the web address in the top bar, but everything else on the page now says 'Li's'.

What We Know About The Name Change

There are other locations of Lin's in the United States so maybe the decision was made to break away from the rest of them. Removing the 'n' from the name would certainly accomplish that. I just don't know why it was done.

What we do know is that the change has officially been made. Lin's is no longer Lin's. Moving forward, Amarillo diners will know it as Li's Grand Buffet.