Buffet abuse

[shesulsa]

It's interesting because they charge an adult rate and a kids rate; the kids rate is based on age (so much per year). There are items there tin the latter afternoon that are not part of the "lunch buffet" but they are marked as such (they cost extra.... mostly the pricier seafood). I go there with my kids maybe once a month and I'm very strict with them that they do not take anything unless the eat it, and that does not include multiple trips to the desert buffet.

Buffet etiquette ... I've often wondered if buffet restraunts should just post a sign at the head of the line outlining this.

We also occasionally eat at a buffet who prices children according to age, has a senior citizen discount and all adults are charged the same, regardless of how much or what they take. "All you can eat" means "all you can eat" unless they specify otherwise.

However, my kids abide by the scout rules: Take half as much as you think you can eat on your first trip. After you finish that plate and your drink, if you still find yourself *hungry* then you may go back for more - and only one trip to the dessert bar.

But again, this is voluntary behavior - it hasn't been asked of us and we could certainly make a dozen trips to the buffet as we pleased ... there's no sign limiting us.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Reminds me of the standup comic who tells the "You go now!" jokes about the Chinese buffet, but this one is for real.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,319688,00.html



I actually side with the restaurant on this matter.

It's really no different than fat people having to pay for two seats on an airplane if they cannot fit in a single one.

Furthermore, it's a private business. They do have the right to refuse service.

Being 6'3" and 295 lbs. (* Need to loose some after the holidays *) and 21.3% body fat this morning I can see where people might get upset about what someone might eat.

But as others have most likely stated, if there were no signs for extra charges then the sign for "ALL YOU CAN EAT" would have been in false advertisement. I saw signs in Japan for places that said "No Sumo". (* It was during the visit many Freshman Sumo still looking to gain weight/mass to Nygoya. *) So they did not let them eat. They even looked at me funny. As I did not eat off the buffet but off the menu they did not have a problems.

 

[crushing]

However, my kids abide by the scout rules: Take half as much as you think you can eat on your first trip. After you finish that plate and your drink, if you still find yourself *hungry* then you may go back for more - and only one trip to the dessert bar.

That is certainly better than my: Take 1.5 times as much as you think you can eat on your first trip, then only half that on the second trip and clean both plates.

 

[CoryKS]

That is certainly better than my: Take 1.5 times as much as you think you can eat on your first trip, then only half that on the second trip and clean both plates.

"You go now!"

 

[grydth]

The customer's right.

The restaurant did not advertise any limitations on the buffet, and it appears that they had not double charged him on multiple prior visits. They had no basis to do this to him out of the blue.

 

[Rich Parsons]

However, my kids abide by the scout rules: Take half as much as you think you can eat on your first trip. After you finish that plate and your drink, if you still find yourself *hungry* then you may go back for more - and only one trip to the dessert bar.

But again, this is voluntary behavior - it hasn't been asked of us and we could certainly make a dozen trips to the buffet as we pleased ... there's no sign limiting us.

I think the rule you stated above is not only polite but it shows signs for health and not over eating just to over eat. If the child/person wants to think about what they put on that plate then they have to think and choose what they want to eat first. This also stops waste most likely.

One trip to the dessert bar is also good health for over all sugars.

Yet, you are correct, unless specified you could visit as many times as you want.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I think places like this play the law of averages. Overall they make money although they make more on some and may even lose a bit on others..it works out.

Until someone comes along who is a 'regular' (several times a week) and eats more than they 'pay'... you are losing money on them every time and unfortunately you can't afford a regular like that.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I think I saw the owner of one of our local buffets crying as we were leaving after a camp the one year....they just couldn't restock fast enough.

 

[jks9199]

I have seen average teen-age boys put a hurt'n on a buffet bar.

When I was a lad... my buddies and I put quite a hurting on more than one buffet or all-you-can-eat place.

In fact, the guy who did the most damage was the skinniest of us!:jaws::eye-popping::shrug:

 

[jks9199]

That is certainly better than my: Take 1.5 times as much as you think you can eat on your first trip, then only half that on the second trip and clean both plates.

Well... my method is to take a little of everything that looks good the first time.

Then go back for more of the stuff that was good.

Then go back to make sure....

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Well... my method is to take a little of everything that looks good the first time.

Then go back for more of the stuff that was good.

Then go back to make sure....

Jks9199, you and I have the same method. I will add that I may add in a couple of more times just to make sure.

(it is a good thing that I only go to a buffet once every couple of months)

 

[arnisador]

I think I saw the owner of one of our local buffets crying as we were leaving after a camp the one year....they just couldn't restock fast enough.

The place in Southgate Plaza? But they didn't say I couldn't go back for eighteenths!

 

[jks9199]

Jks9199, you and I have the same method. I will add that I may add in a couple of more times just to make sure.

(it is a good thing that I only go to a buffet once every couple of months)

I didn't say you had to stop at three trips...

It's just that I can't intake that much anymore without multiple, serious repercussions. And not just in the waist line...

We used to have a seafood chain in my area where just about everything was all you can eat; you could get more of the same, or any lesser priced item on the menu. We wore out more than one waiter/waitress there when I was younger... Lots of fond memories of that place, because with 2 younger brothers, and the occasional visit by an assortment of cousins, it was one of the few places my folks could afford to take us on my dad's government salary... And there was a carousel in the mall, and you got tickets for a free ride at the restaurant.

(Of course, in hindsight, I'm surprised the carousel combined with all-you-can-shovel didn't lead to some other forms of gastric excitement!)

 

[michaeledward]

Althought it was not a buffet, one of the saddest dining experiences I ever witnessed was at the Thursday night, all you can eat lobster nights at Pappadeaux's.

Now, I spent a bit of time on the South Shore. I've got (or at least had) some lobstermen in the family (Mom's cousins). But, I don't eat the damn things.

One night, I watched Ray and Steven eat about thirty lobsters between them. I truly appreciate that gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, because of that visit. oh.... <<shudder>> ... just thinking about it makes me swear off the 'all you can eat' idea.

Just because you can do a thing, it doesn't mean you must do a thing.

 

[Monadnock]

Althought it was not a buffet, one of the saddest dining experiences I ever witnessed was at the Thursday night, all you can eat lobster nights at Pappadeaux's.

Now, I spent a bit of time on the South Shore. I've got (or at least had) some lobstermen in the family (Mom's cousins). But, I don't eat the damn things.

One night, I watched Ray and Steven eat about thirty lobsters between them. I truly appreciate that gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins, because of that visit. oh.... <<shudder>> ... just thinking about it makes me swear off the 'all you can eat' idea.

Just because you can do a thing, it doesn't mean you must do a thing.

At my last job we used to go to an Indian restaurant buffet for mongo helpings of Chicken Tiki Masala. Now, I am sure there is some contradiction with why they offered the buffet and what we intended to do with it. We stuffed ourselves every "Orange Chicken Monday" as we called it. But I am sure that is downright distasteful in Indian culture. Nonetheless, we had a blast, and I think they enjoyed watching us eat.

 

[CoryKS]

If you really want to be appalled by excess and waste, take a cruise. Unbelievable. You have two choices for an entree each night at dinner, and people would take both just because they can and then leave half of each. And don't get me started on the midnight chocolate buffet (ugh!)

 

[kaizasosei]

not really a buffet, but reminds me of when i used to take advantage of the fishmarkets samplers in tokyo department stores. i ate way more than i have in some sushibars, also i tried a fair bit of really expensive and really rare fish and whale sorts.

i don't know if it was wrong, but i was pushing it a bit. the trick was to really spread out and not get noticed.

in the case of buffets, unfortunately or fortunately im not that a big eater. but i always wondered how buffets sustain a bunch of people who eat mass amounts.


j

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The place in Southgate Plaza? But they didn't say I couldn't go back for eighteenths!

That was the one. I think it was after that visit they switched their recipes cuz th foods been crappy ever since, lol.

 

[jks9199]

not really a buffet, but reminds me of when i used to take advantage of the fishmarkets samplers in tokyo department stores. i ate way more than i have in some sushibars, also i tried a fair bit of really expensive and really rare fish and whale sorts.

i don't know if it was wrong, but i was pushing it a bit. the trick was to really spread out and not get noticed.

in the case of buffets, unfortunately or fortunately im not that a big eater. but i always wondered how buffets sustain a bunch of people who eat mass amounts.


j

That's not really very different from making dinner of bar snacks... There was a time when you could put a pretty good "meal" together from the bar snacks, for the price of a drink or two...

(I don't spend much time in bars; it may not be as true anymore.)

 

[elder999]

That's not really very different from making dinner of bar snacks... There was a time when you could put a pretty good "meal" together from the bar snacks, for the price of a drink or two...

(I don't spend much time in bars; it may not be as true anymore.)

Showin' yer age there, Jim.....:lol: