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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to ask for your "All You Can Eat" restaurant tips?

168 replies

Goldenbug · 15/11/2017 18:44

I'm visiting an establishment in a few weeks that offers an "all you can eat" buffet type deal of foods from around the world. How can I get my money's worth?

Avoid fizzy drinks I assume. Don't want Co2 taking up precious stomach room.

Should I have a big meal the day before to prepare?

Eat slow?

Tips please. I want the restaurant to remember my visit as "Run Out Of Food Saturday".

OP posts:
CupcakeEater · 15/11/2017 20:09

Tap water only and ditch the carbs :-)

IHaveBrilloHair · 15/11/2017 20:10

Why do people think it might be outing?
Cosmos is all over the place, as are Jimmy Chungs, probably more but they are the two I've been to.

ArcheryAnnie · 15/11/2017 20:11

We go occasionally to an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, and love it. The turnover of food is very high, and we've never been ill.

Agree little and often is the way to go. (Our buffet has an extra charge if you leave a plateful of food at the end, a policy I highly approve of!) It's a good opportunity to try stuff you wouldn't normally order, just a little bit, and then if you love it you can get more.

I don't think I'd bother with sushi at one of these, though. Very cheap sushi isn't worth the stomach space.

Original poster
Goldenbug · 15/11/2017 20:11

It is in Reading. Why would anyone ever want to go anywhere else?

OP posts:
ohtheholidays · 15/11/2017 20:13

There's one we go to a few times a year and the food is gorgeous,they constantly put fresh food out and the place is very clean and tidy and they have special serving stations where they cook food fresh for you.

I never try to eat as much as I can,I just enjoy the fact that I can try little bits of lots of different types of food.

The currys and mexican is always good and the fresh cooking stations the steak,lamb and scallops are always good and the duck pancakes or lamb one's when they have those are gorgeous and the satay chicken.

The one we go to does do some nice puddings the Tiramisu was very boozy,which I luckily tried before anyone gave our 10 year old DD some Grinand the ice creams are always good and the cheesecake.

ifnotnowtenwhen · 15/11/2017 20:14

Grin @ reading. Never been...

Is it mimosa? I’ve been and they’re fine. Clean etc but I like the fact the kids can try new stuff —by double dipping—

HemanOrSheRa · 15/11/2017 20:16

I quite enjoy eating at our local Cosmos. It's always packed, with a high turnover of food. DS enjoys it. It is what it is.

GabsAlot · 15/11/2017 20:16

its good if peopl al like different foods

dont fill up your plate make more trips

dont mix cuisines it dosnt taste good-no carbs unless u want to fill up quickly

HotelEuphoria · 15/11/2017 20:17

No, no, no!

Quality over quantity. Hate all you can eats, been on one all exclusive ever, and never again.

I would spend your money on less, elsewhere.

WorraLiberty · 15/11/2017 20:17

Take heed of this story OP. A man actually died after visiting one of those places.

DullAndOld · 15/11/2017 20:19

yes i have been to Cosmos in Reading, the greed and general piggery did make me feel a bit sick and i ended up being rather abstemious and only having two plates of food.
I had no concerns about food hygiene there.
My advice is no rice, no noodles.

HemanOrSheRa · 15/11/2017 20:20

Worra Grin.

KitKat1985 · 15/11/2017 20:23

*No good ever comes of a plate of onion bhaji, with a duck pancake roll, garlic mushrooms and salad and a side of garlic bread. Followed by a plate of chowmein sunday dinner lasagne with a side of chips garlic bread popadum wedges. Followed by chocolate fudge cheesecake trifle with ice cream fruit profiteroles.

No good whatsoever unless you enjoy bloating and nausea followed by a 3am shit your pants belly ache.*

I actually laughed until I cried at that. [Disclaimer: I have been drinking] Wine

OP, you may want to try and watch this if you can find it still on Channel 4. www.channel4.com/programmes/the-2000000-calorie-buffet/on-demand/62770-001

The key thing that came out of it though is that a lot of people make the mistake of loading up of filling, cheap foods like chips, rice, bread and pasta, which not only is cheap for the restaurant to supply, but also means people are too full to eat much of the expensive items. So go easy on these foods.

DullAndOld · 15/11/2017 20:23

lol worra I thought that was real Grin

Nutellalovesme · 15/11/2017 20:23

Maybe a silly question but why are Tupperware boxes frowned upon?

Original poster
Goldenbug · 15/11/2017 20:23

And it isn't gluttony. I had a salad today, so that'll make up for 2 week's time.

OP posts:
DJBaggySmalls · 15/11/2017 20:27

The elastic waistband is your friend. £17 is hardly a challenge though, I bet its all bean salads.

bakingdiva · 15/11/2017 20:29

Just to reassure you, one of my Chinese colleagues frequently goes to Cosmos in Reading and she loves the Chinese food there!

HermionesRightHook · 15/11/2017 20:31

Nutella because it's not really in the spirit of it: it's all you can eat, there's no limit except that you have to eat it all there and then. A lot of them will give you an option to pay for a large takeaway box separately if you want, though, on top of or instead of sitting in.

If you've paid for a single plated meal in a restaurant and you don't finish it, tupperware away - but an all you can eat is there to allow you to have more than you would at one meal, you can't then just load the rest of it up and take it home.

I'm not a fan personally: they appeal to my greedy side, and I do like the tapas-y effect of them, but the food is often not great and I end up eating an unbalanced meal because I go for main dishes rather than carbs. I'd rather just pay £17 for a really nice main, tbh.

cathyclown · 15/11/2017 20:31

I wish I had an appetite for anything now. Honestly, might post separately about it.

Sounds like piggery to me. How would you move after all that.

DullAndOld · 15/11/2017 20:31

my dd introduced me to cosmos in Reading, she said she would go there with her friends before they got pissed and went clubbing, then threw it all up later...Grin sorry, sorry.

I was quite impressed though, the food was really rather good, not a bean salad in sight, and a lovely fresh grill.

DullAndOld · 15/11/2017 20:32

*throw

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 15/11/2017 20:32

Mirai,what are you exasperated about?a buffet?somewhat of an aerated response

HemanOrSheRa · 15/11/2017 20:37

Yy diva our local Cosmos is always full of Chinese people eating and thoroughly enjoying themselves.

I think some ALL You Can Eat places don't have a license for food being consumed off premises? Not sure. But I did get told off in Cosmos a long time ago - DS had overdone it on a bowl of self dispensed sweets. I thought it would be ok to wrap the leftovers up in a napkin for another time - It wasn't Blush.

coddiwomple · 15/11/2017 20:45

Let's be honest, the business model is such that the restaurants will not lose any money because people are stuffing themselves like a goose in December.
Punters believe they are having a bargain, restaurants make good business and everybody is happy.

Why not, it doesn't hurt anyone? (says a lot about our society, but so many things do)