Buffet eating - EWWWWW

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kage_ar

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A mention of Chinese Buffet as dinner on another thread leads me to ask the question… am I the only one who hates them? My hatred is not reserved for Buffets of Chinese food, but for the entire restaurant buffet idea.

A buffet at home for a large gathering of friends or family can be wonderful. A buffet at the Parish Hall (or in the Fellowship Hall for non-Catholics) is also fine. I can even suffer through one at a convention or wedding event.

When the average American spots a buffet in a restaurant, the resulting behavior is not a pretty sight. The food is below average on a restaurant buffet… I can go on and on.

Anyone else? Buffet horror stories?
 
Once, while in a Chinese buffet line, my husband kept “meowing” behind me. Needless to say, I chose no meat. :rotfl:
 
Anthony Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential really turned me off of buffets.
 
My fiance, who loves Chinese buffets, makes note of the fact that at every single one in Raleigh, there is an animal hospital across the street- no joke! He has hypothesized that there is an underground tube connecting the two for a direct supply of cat meat.

“The cat’s in the kettle at the Peking Moon…” -Weird Al, remake of Cat in the Cradle.

I’m not a buffet fan either. I feel so heavy after, and I never get my money’s worth since I’m a light eater. I used to like them when I was little, didn’t care the food was second-rate, and could pack away 4 plates without feeling full or getting fat.
 
A horror story:

This is also about my fiance. He was out with friends at a pizza buffet, and couldn’t resist the temptation to pop a piece of breadstick in his mouth while browsing. He started groaning and drooling Homer Simpson style at some barbeque chicken ranch pizza he thought looked particularly tasty. The piece of breadstick fell right out of his mouth and bounced off his plate onto the pizza.
 
I really do not like “commercial” buffet’s. My theory is that all the food is prepared in one big kitchen, then taken by dump truck to all the cities buffet restaurants, unloaded, then back to that great kitchen for another batch. It doesn’t matter what the name of the buffet restaurant is, the food looks, smells and tastes the same. Watching some folks load their plates as if this is their “last meal” sickens me even more than the food, but other than that, I have no complaint. :rolleyes:

Love and peace

Mom of 5
 
Needs to check to see where the closest Chinese Buffet is to me. It is always a good choice for Lunch or Dinner.😛

PF
 
Oh these totally revolt me…

I saw a special once on 20/20 or something like that, and it showed alllllll the lovely germs lurking at a buffet. People who mishandle the utensils, bugs that are very attracted to the food, sick individuals who disregard the need for hygeine…etc.

I can’t bring myself to eat a buffet, ever!
 
Mom of 5:
Watching some folks load their plates as if this is their “last meal”
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In my family, if we went to a buffet, it was often the only meal of the day. Eat then or go hungry. I don’t think my family is alone in this. The buffet was specifically chosen to have enough food for a day.
 
Mom of 5:
I really do not like “commercial” buffet’s. My theory is that all the food is prepared in one big kitchen, then taken by dump truck to all the cities buffet restaurants, unloaded, then back to that great kitchen for another batch. It doesn’t matter what the name of the buffet restaurant is, the food looks, smells and tastes the same. Watching some folks load their plates as if this is their “last meal” sickens me even more than the food, but other than that, I have no complaint. :rolleyes:
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You have answered that mystery! It is strange how it all tastes the same…

I really have to curl up in the corner when I see that the newest mega-buffets have added SUSHI :eek:
 
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axolotl:
Anthony Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential really turned me off of buffets.
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Anthony Bourdain’s book *Kitchen Confidential *really turned me off a lot of things–restaurants in general and Anthony Bourdain in particular! I don’t think I finished it before sending it off to the troops in Iraq for their reading!
 
I have a love/hate relationship with Buffets. I like them because you don’t have to wait for your food and you can choose anything you want, but on the other hand portion control goes right out the window. I am trying to lose weight so portion control is my main priority right now. I went to a buffet on Monday with co-workers and had a hard time keeping portions down.

I do love Chinese buffets though! I usually don’t like other kinds like at Old Country Buffet. Everything is fried and brown. Even the green beans are fattening.
 
If you MUST use a buffet try using the utensils from your own place setting to serve up your food. This will cut down on germs of a multitude of others. Stick to the hot food. Be sure that it is really hot.
 
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WanderAimlessly:
Needs to check to see where the closest Chinese Buffet is to me. It is always a good choice for Lunch or Dinner.😛

PF
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My chinese buffet is right across the street from where i live. I could eat there just about every night! I love buffets because there is something for everyone.

Hey Wanders, come on over this way and we can go to my chinese buffet!
 
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StratusRose:
I like them because you don’t have to wait for your food and you can choose anything you want, but on the other hand portion control goes right out the window.
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For some reason your post reminds me of an advantage to a buffet. It is one of the few ways that allow you to eat vegetarian or at least not have your plate consist of a slab of meat when eating out. You can fill your plate with mostly vegetables and some fruit, with only a little meat and a little starch.

I suppose you can always order a salad, but that is mostly leafy green stuff, and not yellow or red vegetables and fruit.
 
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Princess_Abby:
Oh these totally revolt me…

I saw a special once on 20/20 or something like that, and it showed alllllll the lovely germs lurking at a buffet. People who mishandle the utensils, bugs that are very attracted to the food, sick individuals who disregard the need for hygeine…etc.

I can’t bring myself to eat a buffet, ever!
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I saw this too…food is actually underheated causing lots of nifty bacteria, lots don’t have “sneeze guards”, like they would help anyway especially if kids are going through the lines…

Nasty things commercial buffets. I won’t eat at one either unless it’s very fresh food that I’ve witnessed them put out at a wedding, shower or church event.
 
I don’t like Buffets because then I have to play waitress. First I have to help all the kids get their food… then I have to go fetch the silverware. Then I get to watch them while my husband fills his plate. Finally it’s my turn - only when I get back one wants more maccaroni and cheese and the other dropped his fork. By the time I get to eat, everyone else is practically finished & ready to go.

No thanks. I can do that for free at home. :yup:
 
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kellyb32:
I saw this too…food is actually underheated causing lots of nifty bacteria, lots don’t have “sneeze guards”, like they would help anyway especially if kids are going through the lines…

Nasty things commercial buffets. I won’t eat at one either unless it’s very fresh food that I’ve witnessed them put out at a wedding, shower or church event.
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Weddings I don’t want to be impolite, so I’ll take a few things–and I also know that things were set out within a reasonable time frame, with usually servers standing behind the tables to help assist guests.

Commercial buffets, though…if you go for dinner at 6pm, stuff from lunch could still be sitting out, for all you know!
 
One option I’ve seen at some of the Chinese buffets around here that gets around the hygiene issue is the cooked as you watch variety. Basically, there is a buffet table with various raw meats, vegetables, and sauces. You choose what you want, put it in a bowl, and hand it to a cook, who dumps it all onto a hot griddle and stirfrys it on the spot, giving you a plate (not the one that held the raw meat) of freshly cooked food. As a result, even if somebody sneezed into the buffet or such, your food was cooked after that, which makes it only gross, and not a health hazard.
 
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vluvski:
My fiance, who loves Chinese buffets, makes note of the fact that at every single one in Raleigh,** there is an animal hospital across the street- no joke! He has hypothesized that there is an underground tube connecting the two for a direct supply of cat meat.**

“The cat’s in the kettle at the Peking Moon…” -Weird Al, remake of Cat in the Cradle.
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I thought my family was the only one with that joke, LOL!

It is the same way here…hmmmm…gross!

Malia
 
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