To not understand why Harvester STILL have restrictions 'for Covid' ?

[gvdv]

We're going out for a family birthday this weekend to our local Harvester. Whilst I appreciate it may not be everyone's choice, for those of us going it suits us well, everyone likes something on the menu and we feel it's reasonably good value.

However in just speaking to a colleague who went last week, she informs me that the restrictions introduced during Covid are inexplicably still in place, and you have to have someone serving your salad at the (serve yourself) salad bar...!

I mean what is the point of this? We have zero restrictions now elsewhere aside from in a medical setting. I just don't get it. I'm quite particular about how I arrange my salad, as I'm sure are others, and having someone dish it up for you just isn't the same!

Virtually every virus can cause things like autoimmune flare ups, especially if you've never had it before. Covid isn't a remotely unusual virus, in any way shape or form.

We are going to make ourselves very ill and allergy/autoimmunity prone if we all insist on living in a bubble with no contact with other people. Variety in environment and exposures help us build a healthy microbiome and immune system.

Blaming it on covid. But just a cost cutting exercise.

Some of us have had to food careful our entire careers. Not a great surprise why

Did you ready my post at all 🙄

I literally can't eat at these places because of a food allergy! It's not that I don't like it, I love the idea but it's literally dangerous for me. That means no salad for me when the rest of the family want to go to harvester (as is in the OP's case), that I miss out on hotel breakfasts, that I've never before been able to enjoy a buffet restaurant (despite liking the idea of the food and the being able to go for multiple different things/servings) because it's too dangerous. I have never before covid found a buffet restaurant or salad bar which was served by staff and thus eliminated the risk of cross contamination. That's why I welcome these things, because i want to go to buffet restaurants but literally have been unable too and now its finally safe for me and thousands like me (not to mention far more hygienic too).

Of course I welcome a new method of service which means I can actually eat! It's still unlimited for everyone else, people's only complaint seems to be that they might have to go up more than once/ask for more which might be 'embarrassing'. And i'd say opening up these (often cheaper) style of eating to a massive larger chunk of people and making it more hygienic is far more important than that.

"Of course I welcome a new method of service which means I can actually eat!"

So alternatives to serve yourself buffets didn't exist until now?

"I literally can't eat at these places because of a food allergy! It's not that I don't like it, I love the idea but it's literally dangerous for me."

Yes, for you.

But not for millions of other people.

Why would you want an entire category of dining to be 'eliminated', simply because it's not suitable for you? That would be similar to a vegan saying that steak houses should be 'eliminated'.

So alternatives to serve yourself buffets didn't exist until now?

You really do lack some reading comprehension don't you. I quite literally said in my last post that

I have never before covid found a buffet restaurant or salad bar which was served by staff and thus eliminated the risk of cross contamination.

So yes, there is no direct alternative. Sure there are traditional restaurants where you sit down, order and food is brought to you, but there hasn't been a type of restaurant that is identical to the buffet style in every way except for the risk of cross contamination.

And the obvious difference with your rubbish vegan analogy is that i'm not asking for people not to be able to eat it still, just for service to be in a way that is inclusive for all, including people with allergies, no change to the food is required. Not to mention being vegan is a lifestyle choice whilst having a potentially deadly allergy is not.

"So yes, there is no direct alternative. Sure there are traditional restaurants where you sit down, order and food is brought to you, but there hasn't been a type of restaurant that is identical to the buffet style in every way except for the risk of cross contamination."

But if you have to get a waiter to serve the food then it's clearly not "identical to the buffet style in every way". You said "I welcome the elimination of self serve buffets and salad bars in favour of staff doing the serving! I" That's a completely different style of dining.

"And the obvious difference with your rubbish vegan analogy is that i'm not asking for people not to be able to eat it still, just for service to be in a way that is inclusive for all, including people with allergies, no change to the food is required."

But you are asking for an entire category of dining to be 'eliminated' to suit your needs. So if you had your way, the millions of people who enjoy self serve buffets wouldn't be able to do so.

Sorry I draw the line at eating fecal coliforms. If people could be trusted to actually wash their hands when they've been to the loo then great but until we get there no I don't need to be exposed to anyone's poo to have a healthy immune system.

YANBU. We went to Harvester almost entirely for the salad bar, and we won't be back until it's back properly. It's not as if their food is anything to write home about; literally the main draw for us was the salad bar options. I don't want to have to explain why I just want a massive amount of cucumber and whatever, or why my son needs more olives.

I realise people here will tell me I'm unreasonable (don't worry, I've RTFT, I see you) but I'm allowed to have a different opinion. I'm neither 'angry' nor am I obsessed with eating in chain restaurants.