I’m not here to judge buffets in general. In fact, I love them! But then again, there are some buffets that look more like a salmonella bar, than a salad bar. So before you dash to grab the last crab leg, load up at the ketchup fountain, fill your sixth bowl of New England Clam Chowder, or pile on two pounds of bacon bits onto your all-you-can-eat salad, check out my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for proper buffet dining:
Proper Manners For Buffets (GettyImages.com)
Tip #1 – You Don’t Have To Always Eat All
When you go to a buffet, don’t pile up your plate so high that it looks like you are playing a game of Jenga with breadsticks. Remember: You can go back up as many times as you like, so don’t rush, don’t panic, and please maintain a reasonably sized plate.
Click ahead for 2 more buffet tips
Tip #2 – Keep It Clean
When witnessing foul manners at a buffet, I recommend offering the offending person some gentle assistance. Say something like, “Here’s another plate for you. That lasagna looks delicious!” This way, they may rethink the urge to grab the chicken breast with their hands…and then return it back to the main tray.
Tip #3 – Take Care of Your Server
A server at a buffet restaurant is the unsung hero of the culinary world. They are like the unknown solider who goes first into the foxhole to make sure it’s all clear – risking life and limb in the process. Who else would hand you your weapons and supply you with ammo? Which, in this case, is silverware, drinks, and plenty of napkins.
Do you have a great story about how you witnessed poor manners at a buffet? Post all the details in Comments below. As always, if you have another manners question, I look forward to hearing from you at manners@quickanddirtytips.com. Check out my Modern Manners Guy Facebook page, follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT, and of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips.
My wife recently followed a women in a buffet line and probably will never set foot in such an establishment again. As she moved salad greens to her plate with tongs, she first brought each leaf to her nose for a “sniff test”. My wife doesn’t recall if any failed the test and were returned to the bowl. I doubt it – I’m sure she would have bolted if she had seen that.
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