powerplantop
Executive Chef
Like the one comedian joke goes. The sign say Buffet not All Day.
Outrageous Restaurant Portions ...WhoWhereWhy?
- Thread starter mollyanne
- Start date
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Like the one comedian joke goes. The sign say Buffet not All Day.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
What is wrong with a regular non buffet restaurant? Why does it have to be all you can eat?
bakechef
Executive Chef
I wonder why people see a buffet as a feeding trough. On the occasion that I visit a buffet, it seems like the majority of the people are eating insanely large amounts of food.
You can still enjoy a buffet, and the variety without looking at it as a challenge!
You can still enjoy a buffet, and the variety without looking at it as a challenge!
Claire
Master Chef
I can understand the appeal to parents on the buffet thing. For one thing, your fussy-eating spouse and kids can eat what they want, and your more adventurous ones you can encourage to try something new. I'm not a huge fan of them (don't have kids, not a fussy eater, not a fussy spouse), but learned to love them when living in a city and wanting to try new cuisines without committing to an entire meal of something I never heard of (although I've done that, and never regretted it). I don't see why concerned parents, though, can't say something like, "you get one trip" or, "yes, you can have seconds" when it is of something the kid just tried and had never had before. Or, "you get ONE desert!" Unfortunately, if Mom and Dad are heaping the plates and going back for more to "get their dollar's worth", the kids are not going to learn.
Claire
Master Chef
We've actually taken, when we have a taste for a burger, to going to a neighborhood bar where they serve a normal size burger for a normal size price. It is more to our liking than a fast-food chain. We live in a tourist town, and most of the restaurants serve burger meals that I swear could feed a family of four. And they charge a ridiculous amount. The last time we went there we each had a cheeseburger, two rounds of drinks (it was our treat day) and paid $21. And the simple burger was plenty for us.
I love the all you can eat buffet. I can get a small portion of all my favorites, after a salad. I never eat dessert, usually head for chicken of some sort.
Whooo! All you can eat buffet! My favorite! Anyone who's ever had to feed any team knows that the buffet is the way to go. Everyone can choose something that pleases them and everyone can choose their own portion size.
Frankly, I've been known to close down a buffet or two in my time.
I'm not seeing the correlation to huge portion sizes though. You choose your own portion at a buffet so the restaurant can hardly be blamed if you overeat.
Frankly, I've been known to close down a buffet or two in my time.
I'm not seeing the correlation to huge portion sizes though. You choose your own portion at a buffet so the restaurant can hardly be blamed if you overeat.
OP
OP
mollyanne
Flour Child
The invitation and availability of "all-you-can-eat" by the restaurant to the customer is the portion size correlation. Choice or no choice, if the restaurant doesn't make a huge portion available then it won't happen...right?
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A lot of it is greed, I'm afraid.I wonder why people see a buffet as a feeding trough. On the occasion that I visit a buffet, it seems like the majority of the people are eating insanely large amounts of food.
You can still enjoy a buffet, and the variety without looking at it as a challenge!
It's supply and demand. People want it, so businesses provide it.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Perhaps it is now but it wasn't originally.
There was no hue and cry from restaurant patrons for all you can eat buffets that caused restaurants to start offering them 30-40 years ago.
It was a cheaper way to feed lots of people. Experienced waitstaff was not needed, just some kitchen help to keep the steam table filled. The kitchen could prepare larger portions of a limited number of dishes rather than dozens of portions of everything on the menu. etc. etc.
Granted, it probably costs you more for the ingredients per person. That just tells you how good the margin is on ingredients.
Sorry mollyanne, I disagree. (And keep in mind I've been marking papers all day so semantics are at the forefront of my mind here) "All you can eat" leaves the choice to the consumer and makes no assumption. I've seen two girls the same age, weight and height who both played 3 hard games of softball hit the buffet at the same time. One ate barely anything and claimed she was "full", the other grazed for some time before declaring herself satisfied. They each made their own determination about "all they could eat" and IMO neither gorged.
So, my personal belief is that the restaurant holds no responsibility for the amount the consumer chooses to eat at a buffet. The key word there is "chooses".
Sorry I don't see it that way. You can go to any resturant and over eat. There is nothing stopping someone from order several appetizers, or large-sized entrees, and desserts. So why does all-you-can-eat make any difference. I can also go to Wendy's and order 2 ro 3 burgers, large fries, soda and frosty. The invitation and availability is there too.
Checkers makes double-burgers and sells many of them at 2 for $5. Add fries and a large shake and you have the same problem.
Sorry, IMHO it is all about personal choice. Just becasue you CAN so something doesn't mean you SHOULD.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I think there is a higher likelihood a person will overeat at a buffet. It's different from being free to order three burgers, several appetizers, etc. With the buffet, eating more doesn't cost you more as it does with ala carte. There is a psychological desire in SOME customers to ensure they get their money's worth. Heck, you don't want to be cheated and have the restaurant actually make money on you...
OP
OP
mollyanne
Flour Child
Thank you, Andy. Well said.
I was quoted above, out of context, several times above without anyone posting the statement I was responding to. Originally, Alix said she "couldn't see the correlation to huge portion sizes at buffets". I was making the point that due to availability and invitation to eat all you can for one price correlates to huge portions. Andy is right..."there is a higher likelihood a person will overeat at a buffet. There is a psychological desire in SOME to get their money's worth." My picture below said it all and was to show concern for exposing our children to this temptation:
In no way did I ever say that "just because you CAN do something you SHOULD".
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I was quoted above, out of context, several times above without anyone posting the statement I was responding to. Originally, Alix said she "couldn't see the correlation to huge portion sizes at buffets". I was making the point that due to availability and invitation to eat all you can for one price correlates to huge portions. Andy is right..."there is a higher likelihood a person will overeat at a buffet. There is a psychological desire in SOME to get their money's worth." My picture below said it all and was to show concern for exposing our children to this temptation:
In no way did I ever say that "just because you CAN do something you SHOULD".
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Sorry mollyanne, I didn't mean to misquote you or that you ever implyed "just because you CAN do something you SHOULD". Please accept my apology. It is just my frustration with this topic as a whole because imo.. it all boils down to 2 words... personal responsibility. I can discuss it from all angles but that really is where it all starts and ends for me.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
mollyanne, I don't think I misquoted you, but if I did I apologize too. MY point is that at a buffet, the portion size is up to the patron and not the restaurant. Because of that distinction, I do not see the correlation to the original post (and thread title) regarding the outrageous portion sizes some restaurants serve. I think perhaps I was unclear about that. I still do not see that a restaurant can be said to be serving any kind of portion at all in a buffet situation simply because they do not do the serving.
I believe in an earlier post I made in this thread I mentioned that I thought creating several different portion sizes was a good idea so that patrons can then choose the size most applicable to their appetite.
I'm sorry if I offended you mollyanne, I was attempting to connect the thread title and the segue into buffets, I was not trying to slam you at all.
I believe in an earlier post I made in this thread I mentioned that I thought creating several different portion sizes was a good idea so that patrons can then choose the size most applicable to their appetite.
I'm sorry if I offended you mollyanne, I was attempting to connect the thread title and the segue into buffets, I was not trying to slam you at all.
OP
OP
mollyanne
Flour Child
No problem. I understand. Was just wanting to clarify...gotta' do that once in awhile in cyberspace
joesfolk
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2010
- Messages
- 1,724
Actually a lot of restaurants do this. The problem is that you either have to be a child or a senior to get them. But I have seen some places that offer dishes for light eaters.
mollyanne, yep clarity is important. Text is a lousy medium for solo communication, its way too easy to read stuff in where nothing is intended etc.
