Buffet Staff Attempt to limit me to Three Plates?

[deknoiJT]

For anyone here who has not been to a buffet, the concept is very very simple. You can eat as much as you want and return to the serving area as many times as you want. Some chain buffet joints have a time limit on the gastronomic festivities.

On this occasion we were on a weekend trip to Pattaya and we ate in a mid range place, a buffet we have enjoyed many times before.

After filling my 3^rd plate from the selection, I was on my way back to my table, plate in hand, when a member of staff stopped me to inform me that I could not fill my plate again. When I recovered from my best involuntary dumfounded impression, complete with mouth open, I laughed and shook my head at the staff person in disbelief. No comment from myself seemed appropriate at the time.

Dear staff person, it is a buffet!!

Relaying the story, my partner was gung ho and wanted to complain to the management. I assuaged his fears and even he was able to quickly laugh about the situation.

Of course I did not stop at that 3^rd plate, instead I did what you are meant to do at a buffet and I ate too much. I did make a point of holding each newly filled plate high for the staff member to see when I could spot him. He was the only staff member who approached me and he didn’t approach a second time.

Everyone has their buffet routine and here is mine:

When I go to a buffet I will first walk around all the tables and food areas to investigate and mentally rate the range and quality of food. Hot meats, cold cuts, seafood, BBQ, steamed, salads, desserts. All groupings need to be sighted and their importance to my taste buds assessed on that particular day. As a rule I do not partake in anything coated with batter and deep fried.

I usually do 7 or 8 plate refills. This includes salad and dessert. I am not a volumetric eater and I never overload my plate. It’s a buffet, go back as many times as you want!!

Edited June 30, 2014 by deknoiJT

[Pomthai]

Perhaps they thought your were a health risk to yourself and had your best interests at heart.

[NeverSure]

[cornishcarlos]

Just one waffer thin mint..?

[martynsnowmans]

wow , i, pleased you cheap charlies , balloon chasers , stay down that end of the country ,

who ate all the pies , you did , you did .....

[ZigZagMan]

7 or 8 refills, eh?

Maybe this post should be added to the antisocial behavior thread?

[tifino]

a Mr Creosote in the making

...but I've always been prompted by my close Thais, to not eat like a farang.

A farang fills plate to overfilling and gorges in bursts ( I am visualising Homer Simpson's tactics here)

A Thai puts a bit on their plate, and comes back again, again, again, and... again, and again...

Do it the Thai way, and your eating experience won't be questioned

[Stradavarius37]

Lighten up, TV Martyrs - let the man alone with his drumsticks.

[bkkjames]

a Mr Creosote in the making

...but I've always been prompted by my close Thais, to not eat like a farang.

A farang fills plate to overfilling and gorges in bursts ( I am visualising Homer Simpson's tactics here)

A Thai puts a bit on their plate, and comes back again, again, again, and... again, and again...

Do it the Thai way, and your eating experience won't be questioned

Another Thai way is to order the cheapest dish that includes unlimited salad bar and take the main home untouched after 20 trips to said salad bar.

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mesquite]

Aren't you the guy who broke the chair?

[ZigZagMan]

Aren't you the guy who broke the chair?

Really.

This is the same guy from the broken chair dispute thread?

[mesquite]

Aren't you the guy who broke the chair?

Really.

This is the same guy from the broken chair dispute thread?

Looks like it. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/734585-outrageous-behavior-cinema-chair-broke-they-ask-me-to-pay-for-damage/?p=7975457

[daoyai]

They (the staff) should understand as it is now ramadan the OP had not eaten all day !

[ZigZagMan]

a Mr Creosote in the making

...but I've always been prompted by my close Thais, to not eat like a farang.

A farang fills plate to overfilling and gorges in bursts ( I am visualising Homer Simpson's tactics here)

A Thai puts a bit on their plate, and comes back again, again, again, and... again, and again...

Do it the Thai way, and your eating experience won't be questioned

Another Thai way is to order the cheapest dish that includes unlimited salad bar and take the main home untouched after 20 trips to said salad bar.

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I was in the Bangkok, Pan Pan Italian restaurant and saw how abusive some can be at a buffet.

They have a nice 'anti-pasta bar' with lunch. You can order a small or large plate. (the small appetizer plate gets one trip to the anti-pasta bar)

I noticed a sign 'no sharing' and we watched a Thai lady pile it up high on the small plate, then added more, then added more then added more and even more after that.

It's was astonishing how much food could be piled so high, I thought she was going to get the entire buffet on a small plate.

Then she sat down and fed the entire family.

Edited July 1, 2014 by ZigZagMan

[Ulysses G.]

I hate to admit it, but he has a legitimate beef. The whole point of a buffet is that one can eat as much as they want. Personally, I rather go somewhere with better food and order a reasonable amount.

[ZigZagMan]

[Ulysses G.]

OP,

Whats the point of your thread?

To show that you are rude and a bully to wait staff who are just trying to keep a job?

You have to be American...wouldn't be surprised if you have some kind of camo clothing or hat right now.

There are plenty of boorish British and Aussie balloon chasers as well as Americans. Don't be a twit.

[A1Str8]

But why do people have the misconception that they need to eat as much as they can just because it's a buffet lol.

I know it's about the money and i love buffets but i will still eat as much as i feel like eating instead of stuffing my mouth until i can barely move just so i can say: even though i feel like vomiting, this money was well spent. I consumed as much food as i do during three meals on other occasions.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sirineou]

OP,

Whats the point of your thread?

To show that you are rude and a bully to wait staff who are just trying to keep a job?

You have to be American...wouldn't be surprised if you have some kind of camo clothing or hat right now.

Don't you think it is ironic that you would accuse the Op of being rude, and then make the "you have to be American" comment?

[tifino]

why? - probably the same thinking a fella goes into a brothel, pays for an hour, and expects to have sex non-stop for the whole hour

[AyG]

This reminds me of an occasion at a buffet in Ayutthaya. There were three grossly obese Americans sitting at the next table - two of them so large they could only walk with quad canes. They spent the whole time grumbling about how dreadful Thai food was - too spicy - whilst repeatedly refilling their plates, piling them high. Utter gluttony. And they accompanied all this with diet Coke!

[ZigZagMan]

Some people think it's a contest to see if they can beat the house.

Too bad, since the chefs have to dumb it down to compensate for the hogs.

[pgrahmm]

Are you the same guy that broke the theater seat who's partner was gung ho to take on the management there too??????

[bkkjames]

Someone in the restaurant industry here told me that the cost (variable) for the avg 5 star buffet goer is between 28 and 35%. They obviously never seen my wife eat smoked salmon...

For the cheapo buffets I imagine the cost is a bit higher.

[Bender]

out of curiosity, is your partner thai and overweight?

[pigeonjake]

he would never get an invite to my barbi,, wow,,

ide have to kill 2 pigs for him,,

[Seastallion]

Just one waffer thin mint..?

Too many people here won't get that.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJZPzQESq_0

[Berkshire]

I hate to admit it, but he has a legitimate beef. The whole point of a buffet is that one can eat as much as they want. Personally, I rather go somewhere with better food and order a reasonable amount.

UG, don't you find this whole thread a little on the bizarre side? Has it happened to you? I've been to countless buffets in Thailand and never, I mean NEVER has anyone ever questioned how many times I go back for a dish. Was it a miscommunication? Perhaps. It's puzzling to me how farangs in Thailand find themselves in such bizarre situations that most of us folks don't. It's not just this thread, but various others. That's why I question many of the things that people say on this and other Thailand forums.

[mca]

a Mr Creosote in the making

...but I've always been prompted by my close Thais, to not eat like a farang.

A farang fills plate to overfilling and gorges in bursts ( I am visualising Homer Simpson's tactics here)

A Thai puts a bit on their plate, and comes back again, again, again, and... again, and again...

Do it the Thai way, and your eating experience won't be questioned

Unless its an international hotel's seafood on ice buffet dinner night and then step aside as a single Thai family clears the entire display in one fell swoop.

[tifino]

yeah Post#18 hits the nail on the head...showing it's not just in Thailand