Tricks All-You-Can-Eat Buffets Use To Fill You Up

The all-you-can-eat buffet all but disappeared during the first years of COVID-19, but has sprung back up all over America. This video from Mashed explains the tricks that restaurants serving those buffets are designed to break even on unlimited food by filling you up quickly, before you down three plates of roast beef. Well, that's in the first half. The rest of the video is to help you select healthier foods when you are confronted with a cornucopia of choices. It's true that people often approach a buffet with the idea of getting the most for their money, but that's not always the best strategy.

Instead of trying to game the system by eating too much, or eating the more expensive food, maybe you should focus on the overall experience. First, consider what kind of food the place has, and is that something you will enjoy. Find out how much the all-you-can-eat costs before you go, so you won't feel challenged when you get there. Take into account that you won't be taking home leftovers as you would a regular sit-down restaurant. If you are still psyched up for the experience, go for it.

Also, be aware that there are other benefits from an all-you-can-eat buffet. When my kids were young enough to eat free, a buffet was the perfect place for them to try a tiny bit of new foods, without the risk of buying a whole jar of something that they would hate. It was also a cost-effective way to feed my husband, who was 6'6" and could easily eat enough for three people. My strategy was to select foods that were difficult to recreate at home. But now that I live alone, I prefer ordering from a menu, knowing that I will take half of my dinner home for another meal. (via Digg)