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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that at a buffet you can take as much as you want

487 replies

Edenviolet · 20/07/2014 18:17

Went out today with dsis. We were starving by lunchtime and there was a huge buffet where we went (hotel), it was included in the price so we took loads as were hungry.
Noticed a couple of women really staring as we loaded our plates up and also when we took lots of the mini desserts and as we walked past one loudly said " I can't believe they are actually going to eat all that"
They kept staring at us and giving us funny looks.

Made me wonder if we really did take too much, surely as we had paid and were hungry it was ok ? I felt a bit judged as they clearly thought we were greedy

OP posts:
lottieandmia · 20/07/2014 18:18

YANBU - what on earth is it to them?

partialderivative · 20/07/2014 18:19

Did you eat it all?

Just asking...

Original poster
Edenviolet · 20/07/2014 18:20

We did! It was lovely

OP posts:
SuburbanRhonda · 20/07/2014 18:21

You should have asked them if they wanted to come and watch while you ate it all.

BravePotato · 20/07/2014 18:22

You could always have gonebzck for more.

Did you eat every single thing ?

Buffets stress me out, I hate them. I feel embarrassed as well as cross for all greedy people.

IMO, you take a reasonable amount. Not "as much as you can shove on your plate"

But then again, who really cares?

Joysmum · 20/07/2014 18:22

Of course you can as long as you meet the rules (if there are any) on wastage and time taken.

Any buffet owners have a hissy fit at their profits disappearing for the night when we walk in. It's clear we like to eat!

Original poster
Edenviolet · 20/07/2014 18:22

Well, they sat there staring for a lot of the time so did watch us! It just made me wonder if I'd broken some sort of unwritten buffet etiquette rule

OP posts:
Sirzy · 20/07/2014 18:23

Yanbu BUT I have always wondered why people feel the need to pile their plates so much at a buffet, especially when they can go back to get more if they want. At least you are it all though, but so many pile high then leave loads. Each to their own though.

partialderivative · 20/07/2014 18:24

I think they are normally worded "All you can eat". I take it you did, so no problem, there, just a snidey comment.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 20/07/2014 18:24

As long as you didn't completely clear out any one item, its fine....

Preciousbane · 20/07/2014 18:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MilkandCereal · 20/07/2014 18:25

I think you should eat as much as you want,but I don't think you should take so much of one thing that there's none or just one or two pieces left for the person behind you. Yes it'll be replenished,but it still seems rude.

emotionsecho · 20/07/2014 18:25

Did you eat it all?

Could you not have just put less on your plates and gone back for seconds/thirds?

When people absolutely load their plates it looks greedy and as if they are trying to stop others having the food, IFYSWIM.

JeanSeberg · 20/07/2014 18:25

Was it a Toby Carvery and did you have 3 Yorkshire puddings lol.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 20/07/2014 18:26

Firstly, the plates were tiny so we had to take a few and we just wanted to sit and eat. I was absolutely ravenous and it was getting busy so didn't want to have to queue up again.

OP posts:
MilkandCereal · 20/07/2014 18:26

And if you,general you take too much at once,,then often people find they can't eat it all,and it gets wasted.

Jubelteen · 20/07/2014 18:29

I couldn't care less how much other people eat, but I do think it's selfish to take too much at a wedding buffet when the B&G have catered for a set number, and people at the end of the queue end up with a few scabby end bits.
In your case YANBU if you ate it all.

Marylou2 · 20/07/2014 18:29

I'm always horrified by people who pile their plates like mini volcanoes at buffets. I once saw a lady on holidat stuffing potatoes into her mouth while she was walking back to her table, she obviously couldn't wait. It was extremely rude of them to comment within earshot though.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 20/07/2014 18:30

No! Wasn't a Toby carvery!

There was loads and loads of food, we wouldn't have taken all of anything. The plates were like saucers though so that made it look worse, when written down it doesn't seem too bad, I had:
Six pieces of bread
Soup and croutons
Greek salad
Tomato and mozzarella salad
Coleslaw
Pasta salad
Potato salad
Four creme brûlées
A jelly
Chocolate slice
Raspberry and chocolate cake
Mini trifle
Fruit salad

All piled up it looked a lot but really wasn't too much (except the creme brûlées perhaps) dsis had about the same

OP posts:
MilkandCereal · 20/07/2014 18:30

Yes,etiquette for a buffet with limited supplies is definitely different.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 20/07/2014 18:31

You took a few plates? Each?

MrsBoldon · 20/07/2014 18:32

You can take as much as you want but if you have hugely piled plates then people will probably notice. They shouldn't have commented though.

I love a buffet but would feel really uncomfortable piling my plate high. It just looks greedy.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 20/07/2014 18:32

And that is a fuck of a lot of food. Fine if you ate it all I suppose but I would have gone up in 2-3 goes!

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 20/07/2014 18:33

y'know, we had similar once on hol when it was an all you can eat buffet thing, both DS's went back for seconds and a whole family watched and judged.... was very concious of them and it ruined my meal as I could just see them staring.

amyhamster · 20/07/2014 18:33

you're winding us up

who eats 6 slices of bread and then all that on top!