Originally posted in The Savory
January 9, 2015 By: Kimlai Yingling
There’s definitely a science to making your way around an all you can eat buffet. I’ve spent many birthdays and holidays when I was younger at buffets with my family so my buffet experience and knowledge are deeply embedded into my memory. Buffets can actually be quite enjoyable and provide an overabundance of new things to try BUT you must keep some pointers in mind.
•Pace yourself
•The food isn’t going to disappear so take your time
•It’s not a race
•There is no time limit.
Here are some tips to make you the master of your domain.
LOOK FOR COUPONS
Buffets can get expensive and there is a large amount of food being offered but there’s always an opportunity to get a better deal. Check online for coupons and check Yelp for check in offers. Knowing you didn’t pay full price will make your buffet experience even better.
GO AT THE RIGHT TIME
If it’s your first time at a particular buffet you may want to go when it’s less crowded so you can really get familiar with the layout. If you are already familiar and don’t mind crowds then the time doesn’t really matter. But remember the more people at the restaurant means more food is being turned over at a faster rate. There might be a price increase for weekends.
WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES
The last thing you need to worry about is sore feet. 6-inch heels do not belong in a buffet.
DO A FULL WALKTHROUGH
Before you tackle the buffet line, you need to get a game plan. Take a walk through to get an idea of everything that’s available. This will cut back on the amount of food that lands on your plate that you don’t really want. Just because it’s a buffet doesn’t mean it’s a green light to consciously stuff your self with food you don’t like. You want this to be memorable.
HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE EXPENSIVE ITEMS
The Salad bar buffet is usually the first thing you see. If you take a few minutes to walk around and explore you will notice that the meats, seafood and more expensive items are strategically in the back. Really want to get your money’s worth? Start in the back.
DON’T LOAD UP YOUR PLATE WITH ONE ITEM
Buffets are about experiencing a lot of things. You want to be real careful to not get overly anxious and do a 1 plate last plate overload.
DON’T GO ON A COMPLETELY EMPTY STOMACH
Make sure to eat a snack earlier in the day. You don’t want to your stomach to make a power play to overtake your mind and make bad choices.
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LUNCH AND DINNER
Lunch buffets are going to be about $5.00 less than the dinner buffets and there will be fewer options.
Enjoy!