Do you like buffets?

[Stormborn]

Inspired by this thread.

Do you like buffets? Why or why not?

In the past I always liked buffets because it was a lot of food, a variety, and usually a good price. My wife hates them because the food is never hot enough for her and often is of poorer quality. In my more recent experiance she is right about the latter.

What about you?

 

[Mycanid]

I like buffets of home made food, like at a pot luck kinda thing. Not so much a fan of them in restaurants, and I like cold food. :\

 

[hafrogman]

I like Jimmy.

...

I also tend to be a fan of the salad bar buffets, where the heat is not a big factor, but it's more adventerous than just salad. Sweet Tomatoes, Souper Salad, Sizzler. . . lotta 'S' names.

 

[kenobi65]

Generally speaking, no.

1) I'm a relatively fussy eater -- at any given restaurant , I'm probably not going to be interested in 75% of what's on the menu to start with. So, in most cases, "variety" isn't a big draw for me.

2) Quality of the food is also a factor.

3) As someone who's trying to maintain a healthy weight , "all you can eat" = "kiss of death".

All of that said, I do like CiCi's, but that's a pizza buffet, and pizza is like ambrosia to me.

Finally, I do like Jimmy pretty well.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I don't like buffets mostly because of the "burden of knowledge." I have a degree in biochemistry, spent two years working as a hospital lab tech, and now I'm working on a Ph.D. in bioengineering. While I don't think the concept is flawed in theory, I don't trust other people to be sanitary at all. In fact, I fully anticipate they won't be. While I'm certainly don't have an OCD for hygeine, I prefer not to take chances.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I get what you're saying, but I see both sides.

My Dad is an Allergist/Immunologist with a Masters in Public Health. Because of his training, I'm always noticing things like cross-contamination by using servers from one dish being used in another...or the disease vectors of untold numbers of people with unknown hygene habits handling the serving implements. Especially kids.

But when you have a couple of growing-boy cousins coming to eat, nothing but nothing beats a buffet for filling them up on the cheap. They're also a great way to introduce someone to an unusual cuisine.

There is definitely a spectrum of differences in quality of buffets, even within a given chain.

For example, there are Golden Corrals, Souper Salads & Jason's Delis that I like, but also others that I won't even go to. Worse, a buddy of mine was out East and was informed that one of his favorite Chinese restaraunts had been busted by the Health Department for scraping uneaten food back into the trays on the steam tables.

OTOH, Texas De Brasil, Fogo De Chao, and Boi Na Braza (all high-end Brazillian churrascarias) have INCREDIBLE buffets.

Also OTOH, Luby's and similar chains eliminate the disease vectors because the only persons using the serving implements are employees with gloved hands.

 

[GlassJaw]

No, because my experience with buffets is that the food is generally subpar.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Yes, Buffets are awesome. Anyone who says they do not are wrong.

 

[bodhi]

As the other posts seem to support, it really depends on the buffet place.

I've been to places that would get beat by a good high school (or grade school) cafeteria.

Sweet Tomatoes (at least the one in Clackamas, OR) is great, if you're into veggies. And there's Brazil Grill (churrascaria in Portland) if you're not (and the buffet comes to you!).

There's places like Hometown Buffet and Izzy's, which are okay, but more about "value" than about good food.

And then there are places like the Pagoda Floating Restaurant (Honolulu, HI), which has a dinner buffet that includes hot crab legs. Now, a place like that, I can definitely get my money's worth.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I get what you're saying, but I see both sides.

For example, there are Golden Corrals, Souper Salads & Jason's Delis that I like, but also others that I won't even go to. Worse, a buddy of mine was out East and was informed that one of his favorite Chinese restaraunts had been busted by the Health Department for scraping uneaten food back into the trays on the steam tables.

OTOH, Texas De Brasil, Fogo De Chao, and Boi Na Braza (all high-end Brazillian churrascarias) have INCREDIBLE buffets.

Also OTOH, Luby's and similar chains eliminate the disease vectors because the only persons using the serving implements are employees with gloved hands.

I think you kind of hit on a more subtle point - from what people have been saying, I think buffets in the west of the country are of a better quality than those here on the east coast. My experience is pretty limited, but at least that's what I gathered.