I'm no skinny guy myself and tend to eat big at these type of places, but I don't go that often. When I do, though, I take what I can eat and I eat what I take.
I've seen slobbish behavior by a lot of patrons who load up, cherry-pick the expensive stuff and waste more than even I eat. The result is that reasonably well-mannered patrons end up subsidizing the slobs.
If the restaurants cannot exclude the worst abusers, they either must raise prices, discouraging patrons who eat modestly, or go out of business.
Now if hospitals could only do the same thing to those who pull into ERs for minor ailments with no insurance, no intention to meet even a modest copay and who aren't even in the country legally.
When I worked in Washington DC, the upscale cafeterias in Crystal City or Georgetown charged by the pound - for everything: salad, chinese, pasta, ice cream, etc.
I did eat at a Chinese "All You Can Eat" place in Fort Walton Beach FL.
They served a huge assortment - Chinese, Dim Sum, Sea Food, American food, desserts, etc.
The only thing they charged extra for was the sushi.
But - I saw a TON of wasted food there.
It really was a crime.
Not me...
I'm no skinny guy myself and tend to eat big at these type of places, but I don't go that often. When I do, though, I take what I can eat and I eat what I take.
As do I, although I'll often try something new, and take a small amount: If I don't like it, I won't force myself to eat it.
If the restaurants cannot exclude the worst abusers, they either must raise prices, discouraging patrons who eat modestly, or go out of business.
Then these people should have been told before beginning their meal that they weren't welcome, or that they would be charged more for their meal.
I'm 100% in favor of a private company being able to refuse service to anyone: However, they MUST inform the "guests" first, and give them the option of complying with the different rules, or leaving.
Mark
I have to say that I mostly agree with you. My mother always told me to take all I want but to eat all I take.
I go to an all you can eat buffet about once every year. There is always someone in there who eats enormous quantities of food. I am sure that these places take these eaters into account as a cost of doing business. I also always see others who eat only a very small amount. Then there are folks like me who eat a reasonable amount and are moderately pudgy. Either way, it costs the same.
To me, “all you can eat” means just that!
Bon appetit!
Bull. If you serve an all you can eat buffet you are taking your chances and frankly most people don't even consume a fraction of what their all you can eat tab costs at the outset. What he did is false advertising.
How would you feel about a restaurant that advertised one price on the menu, but charged you a higher rate when the bill came?
This ‘all you can eat’ place is certainly capable of changing their business model, but how you can support restaurant changing the rules after the fact? Like ‘all you can eat’ places don’t know that a certain percentage of their clientele is going to eat big? Please.