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Buffets have a special allure – the seemingly endless array of food that you can sample in small amounts instead of having to commit to an entrée. Lunch buffets. Family buffets. All-you-can-eat buffets. We can all get behind buffets. But when a meal is all-you-can-eat, it can be easy to let your manners slip, making embarrassing buffeter’s faux pas or just making decisions you'll regret that could potentially spoil your meal or your dining companions' as well. If you're going to a buffet, it's important to know the rules so you can chow down without becoming the person who made every guest at the buffet think, "Wow, that person was a train wreck". The following is a list of buffet dining habits to avoid at all costs if you don't want to stand out in the worst way possible.
Overloading Your Plate
The number one way to embarrass yourself at a buffet is to overfill your plate. It is easy to let your eyes be bigger than your stomach and take a little of everything, but an overflowing plate looks unsightly and unappetizing, and you risk having to throw it all away. This is a buffet, which means you can go back as many times as you like. Take small servings, enjoy them, and then head back for more. Packing a lot of food on your plate at once makes it hard to taste each item and savor it, and the more food on your plate, the more likely something will spill or fall off onto the floor for someone else to step in, creating an extra chore for the staff.
Buffet etiquette calls for sampling each dish that appeals to you and then going back to your favorites for seconds or thirds. If you want to maximize your enjoyment of a buffet, it is best to pace yourself and exercise self-control; this will help you avoid overstuffing yourself. You also don't want to appear greedy, impatient, or hasty by overfilling your plate; it shows a lack of self-awareness, and there are likely other people waiting behind you in line who can see you stuffing yourself.
Hygiene and Common Courtesy
The next big buffet don’t is forgetting about hygiene and basic manners. After all, you are dealing with common serving utensils, touching food yourself, and leaving dirty surfaces for the next person. For example, don’t use your hands when serving yourself if there are spoons or tongs provided, and cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing near the food (to avoid spreading germs and discomforting fellow diners). Don’t cut in line, hover over a dish until someone else is finished, or reach over someone’s plate to grab food, as this can cause tension and embarrassment.
Buffet etiquette is all about being patient, considerate, and clean. Using serving spoons and tongs appropriately, returning utensils to their original place after use, and not touching food with your hands are easy ways to show respect for the food and other diners. Moreover, taking a moment to wipe up spills or crumbs, or notifying staff when something is running low, will ensure the buffet remains enjoyable for everyone. In other words, hygiene and common courtesy not only keep you from getting sick, but also show you know the rules and let you eat without drawing negative attention.
Buffets are a time of great merriment if it weren't for people making fools of themselves out of ignorance.
Always take small servings and go back for seconds of your favorites. Follow these simple guidelines, and you will not embarrass yourself. Plus, it's only polite to do this for the other diners' sake, too!
