To not want to go to an all you can eat buffet?

[wizarddry]

I've only ever been to once once about 10 years ago. Have they got better? There's just something about the piles of food on people's places and the thought that if they do that many types of food then none of them can be done well. Are my preconceptions wrong? What is your strategy for tackling them? If I say I'll go is it acceptable for me to just have one plate of food or will my hosts be annoyed at me?

There is a resurgence of these type of restaurants in London and the big cities but not as you know it. They are huge feasts with luxury ingredients and cost a lot of money.

www.thened.com/london/restaurants/neds-feast

That looks amazing @Turmerictolly but I would feel vexed at having so much choice. I LOVE food and eat most things so a buffet like that one would torment me. So much lovely stuff and I can’t possibly try everything even though I can see how delicious it looks. I don’t like restaurants with huge menus either- just give me four or five dishes to choose from or we’ll be here all night! (Actually the bigger the menu, the lower the quality I often find, though that Ned’s feast looks like an exception!)

I have been to a "world food" buffet once. Like you @wizarddry, it wouldn't have been my first choice, but I was pleasantly surprised. My advice would be to avoid all the massive piles of carbs and stick to the teppanyaki station, if they have one. That way you can get meats and seafood freshly cooked in front of you. Top up with some veggies and you're good to go! Also avoid the bottomless soft drinks!

The global buffet in our town is brilliant. It's £24.99 a head (half price for under 10's) including refillable soft drinks. It's all 3 dc's favourite place to eat so we're there 3 times a year as they always choose it for their birthday meal.

There's a couple of token beige food options, then a huge amount of Chinese and Indian dishes, most of them pretty good. The live cook stations are where it shines though...steak, seafood, lamb chops etc, all cooked fresh. Huge sushi area too.

We always get far more than our moneys worth when we go. The dc seem to have an innate sense of what costs the most and fill their plates with sushi, lamb chops, calamari, mussels, duck pancakes etc 😂

I wouldn't. Last time I went was long ago, to Melbourne's first smorgasbord restaurant. Never forgot the sight of a kid picking food up, taking a bite and putting it back in the other food. 🤢

This, it’s so weird!
Go or don’t, but why do so many people care about what others are eating? Really weird

It’s so they can have something to write on MN to sound pious. 😉

I'm going to one this month - can't wait.

However, I am a very untypical MNer who doesn't get stressed, annoyed, upset etc. by perfectly normal activities.

We go to one when we are in Newcastle. Its immaculate,, the food is delicious fresh and you can see the chefs cooking.
We visited on a Friday once where the place was filled with Indian families
the ladies dressed in beautiful saris.
I'd take that as a good recommendation

Nobody will give a shit what you put on your plate and eat.

you do you.

I’ve been to one in our local town a couple of times. Despite being fat, I don’t eat a lot in one go, so I’m sure people would expect me to eat 3 large plate fills. I would generally have a couple of pancake duck rolls, then a small helping of noodles and something.

I guarantee many of your group you are with will just eat normal portions. It’s far more unusual to mound a plate up with stuff.