Sweet Tomatoes Newbie Questions

[seashell724]

Never been and am a little confused.
Is it one price for all you can eat salad and soup?
Can someone describe the process of what to do when you get in there? I heard you get your food first and then pay, is this correct?
Please help! I don't want to look totally out of it when I get in there!

 

[momrek06]

Never been and am a little confused.
Is it one price for all you can eat salad and soup?
Can someone describe the process of what to do when you get in there? I heard you get your food first and then pay, is this correct?
Please help! I don't want to look totally out of it when I get in there!

My parents live in Palm Harbor, FL for the winters.....I have been to the ST's near them BUT it was a few years ago. As I do recall, you walk in and take your tray and get all the salad you want along with your drink. Then you pay. My parents state that ST's has tons of coupons in their local paper. Look online or check newspapers in the area for coupons.

After you pay, you then head to the different entree stations...ie, soups, hot foods and after you are done they have a lovely dessert station.

HTH

 

[KayR]

Its been a while since I have been to the ones in Orlando, but we have one here that should be very similar to the ones in Orlando.

When you walk through the doors you collect a tray and plate (there are divided trays for the kids). Then you walk past the salad items and get what you want from there. They offer extra protein if you want it (chicken, shrimps etc), but usually that is extra on top of the "all you can eat" price. Once you get to the end of the salad line, then you choose your drinks (sodas you get a cup and can fill up from the soda / juice station which is after the cashier). After that you pay.

Then find a table and put your plates down. Now you can start eating, fill up your drink cups or go and get soup / bread / other offerings that they may have. Dessert items are usually in the same area as the soup/bread etc.

You can go get as much of what ever you want. Its a great place to try kids (or yourself) on new foods. If you go get more of something, you should get a clean plate/bowl etc. Staff should come around and clean up your empty or finished with plates. (One thing I do is make sure I leave a tip on the table for the staff that have cleaned up after you - but I do notice that not many people do. If my kids have made a particularly bad mess, I will leave more of a tip (thankfully, they are getting older now and not as messy, but sometimes as toddlers, there could be a little bit more cleaning up than I would like KWIM)

One drink my kids like is chocolate milk and here is a great way to make it. When we get their drink cup, we get milk from the self service station and add it to the chocolate syrup to make chocolate milk. I know this works at our local ST, but they should all be similar and I would anticipate that I could do it in Orlando.

Have fun, its a great place!

 

[cjlvsccm]

Never been and am a little confused.
Is it one price for all you can eat salad and soup?
Can someone describe the process of what to do when you get in there? I heard you get your food first and then pay, is this correct?
Please help! I don't want to look totally out of it when I get in there!

We were confused the first time we walked in last month... I wish I had had the good sense to ask here!

What PPs said is right. So it appears that the salad part is not all-you-can-eat buffet, as you can't really go through that line again without paying. If there is a means to do that, someone please correct me.

But you probably won't need to get more salads, as the soups, bakery, potato, and dessert bars should keep you full with all-you-can-eat!! We had supper there twice on our last trip, and hope to go whenever we make it back.

Definitely sign up on their website, within a couple weeks before your trip. You'll receive great discount coupons to print out. We love BOGOF!!! And by previewing the menus on the website, you'll have an idea of which items you'll want to look for.

Have a great trip!

 

[seashell724]

THANK YOU!
Okay so, salad is one serving only?
Soup, potatoes etc. are unlimited?
Hope I got that right!
Thank you for walking me through the entire process. That is exactly what I was looking for!

 

[hcortesis]

Everything including salads are unlimited. I have gone for seconds at the salad bar many times without question.

 

[Purseval]

Because they put a chain between the area where the soups/pastas etc., are some people think that they can't go back for seconds on salads. That isn't the case, you can go back for as many trips as you want. You also don't have to pay any extra for "protein" in the salad bar line, just help yourself. And yes, you get a new plate every time you go back. As for tip, when we go to buffets we always leave $1 per person since all they are doing is clearing your plates away.

Sweet Tomatoes also has a website, you can sign up for their mailing list and they send you coupons all the time. Their most common one is one free meal with one paid meal and 2 beverages. This is a good deal if you actually buy beverages but if you're like us and normally just have water the savings are negligible. Even if you pay full price it's a very good deal and you won't walk away hungry.

 

[seashell724]

This sounds so FABULOUS!
Does anyone have a price range that I could expect to pay? Can't find any on the website.

 

[KayR]

I have just been to a Fresh Choice which is like Sweet Tomatoes. The cost (for food) was approx $9, $2 for kids 3-5 and $5 for kids 6-?. I had a kids free coupon and a 10% discount from Costco, so it cost me under $16 for me and 3 kids - drinks included.

-Kay

 

[leonad2501]

I have just been to a Fresh Choice which is like Sweet Tomatoes. The cost (for food) was approx $9, $2 for kids 3-5 and $5 for kids 6-?. I had a kids free coupon and a 10% discount from Costco, so it cost me under $16 for me and 3 kids - drinks included.

-Kay

Wow.
I am so impressive with your post !
You have a great post which surely will help many people !
Thanks a lot for sharing !

 

[dunkie7557]

Orlando ST is About $9.00 per person PLUS drinks. I go there a lot when down there. One thing to be aware of is that this place has very little protein-beans in the salad bar and you can buy a small cup of grilled chicken at the salad bar for $1.25. Everything else is CARBS. some of the soups like the chicken noodle will have some meat. But the whole place is Carb loaded so beware. They also do Sunday breakfast buffet. Another option for a good meat buffet is the Golden Corral chain. They are in a lot of places.

 

[cirstrivim]

I accept with information: You can go get as much of what ever you want. Its a great place to try kids or yourself on new foods. If you go get more of something, you should get a clean plate/bowl etc. Staff should come around and clean up your empty or finished with plates.