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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Buffet etiquette

80 replies

savethecat · 29/12/2019 08:58

Scenario:
There is a queue at a buffet of about 12 dishes. You are about 5th or 6th in the queue for the buffet and just want one item which is the very last dish on the buffet. The queue is slowly moving down with each person stopping at each dish.

There is no-one at all at the buffet from dish 4 down as the latest person on the buffet is taking their time, having a chat, having a good look etc.

Is it acceptable to go past people, grab your one item at the end of the buffet and leave?

OR

Should you just follow the queue past each dish with your empty plate until you get to the last dish?

YABU - queue and wait until you reach your choice
YANBU- just go past the queue to your choice

OP posts:
ferntwist · 29/12/2019 08:59

What happened, were you told off?

TeenPlusTwenties · 29/12/2019 09:00

YANBU

AWaspOnAWindowReturns · 29/12/2019 09:00

If it was totally empty from dish 4 onwards, I can't see how anyone would accuse you of queue-jumping.

Original poster
savethecat · 29/12/2019 09:02

@ferntwist only by my husband

OP posts:
TheTrollFairy · 29/12/2019 09:02

I would just go and get the item I want from the last dish

20viona · 29/12/2019 09:06

I would totally go and get the last dish. YANBU

ChestnutSmoothie · 29/12/2019 09:06

I would say to the dawdler...”I only want some salmon/whatever so do you mind if I shamelessly push in front of you?”

BatRobin · 29/12/2019 09:07

I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to do, but I would have waited in the queue.

ChestnutSmoothie · 29/12/2019 09:07

If there is a queue in operation it’s very rude to ignore it & just go ahead. You should say something, I think.

ClashCityRocker · 29/12/2019 09:14

I'd just say 'oh, I only want X, do you mind if I jump in there?'

churchandstate · 29/12/2019 09:28

I’d wait.

Radardodgingninga · 29/12/2019 09:43

I’d take my plate and start a new queue from the other end. I nearly always do this at a buffet.

Nextphonewontbesamsung · 29/12/2019 09:47

How could you only want 1 thing from a 12 dish buffet?

paranoidmum2 · 29/12/2019 09:47

@Radardodgingninga so causing a collision mid way?

What OP wants to do is fine, but you shouldn’t ignore the direction of the queue.

Chamomileteaplease · 29/12/2019 09:49

Radar People who queue from the other end are soooooooooo annoying! It completely ballses up the flow of the queue from the proper end!

What is your justification for such a heinous crime?

Original poster
savethecat · 29/12/2019 09:50

@Nextphonewontbesamsung the vegetarian option was last

OP posts:
BlouseAndSkirt · 29/12/2019 09:50

There is no-one at all at the buffet from dish 4 down as the latest person on the buffet is taking their time, having a chat, having a good look etc

Now that is bad buffet etiquette!

CakeAndGin · 29/12/2019 09:51

But you don’t know what the people in front of you want, what if the 2nd, 3rd or 4th person also wanted that dish...

EnidFromGuernsey · 29/12/2019 09:53

Oh radar

the OPs scenario is perfectly acceptable but I and my mother would have given you a hard stare! Starting a new queue indeed.........! Shock

Lulualla · 29/12/2019 09:54

Oh, if it's a dietary requirement and there is only one option which is right at the end then go ahead and get it. There really is no need to stand behind the darling queue if you actually need to veggie option and its totally free to get too.

BatRobin · 29/12/2019 09:54

Now that is bad buffet etiquette!

That's a good point! It's worse to dawdle and hold up the whole queue up rather than grabbing the one thing you want, out of queue, but hold no one up.

BatRobin · 29/12/2019 09:55

I’d take my plate and start a new queue from the other end. I nearly always do this at a buffet.

Noooo Xmas Shock

Oysterbabe · 29/12/2019 09:55

I don't agree with queuing at buffets generally. I prefer it when it is a much more informal grab a plate and head for what you want type of event.

Lulualla · 29/12/2019 09:57

@Radardodgingninga
No! Its all smooth sailing until the queues meet in the middle and then everyone needs to jostle and push to get in between one another. Such a stupid idea.
Or are you the only one doing it so you manage to squeeze in and around without trouble? If that's the case, then you're the only one doing it because everyone else knows its ridiculous!

LaMarschallin · 29/12/2019 09:58

BlouseAndSkirt

There is no-one at all at the buffet from dish 4 down as the latest person on the buffet is taking their time, having a chat, having a good look etc

Now that is bad buffet etiquette!

Oh, God - yes.

That person to whom coleslaw is a suspiciously new concept, so they have to stare at it for a bit. Worse, they stir it around a bit while staring.
Absolute worst: they raise the serving spoon to their nose and s-n-i-f-f...

Bloody hell.
No jury in the land would convict you if you bludgeoned them to death with a stick of garlic bread.

(Seriously, I think people like this are really inconsiderate. You get them in supermarkets too, blocking you from picking up something on your list while they stare intently at the mystery that is "2 salmon fillets" or such-like).