Why I Avoid The Buffets

[sandybobandy]

I'm a big germ freak and my husband doesn't believe me when I say I want to wear laytex gloves to spoon up my food. lol

But now because of your post I want to bring my own spoons to dish up my plate! Hahahaha!

 

[100 acre wood]

we actually carry Purell and everytime we go up for food now, we purell before we touch our food. Now this can't save us from the tasters and the sneezers of the world, but it is a little better than nothing. Latex gloves, hmmm, not a bad idea!

 

[Vavasmon]

we actually carry Purell and everytime we go up for food now, we purell before we touch our food.

We have also been doing this since DD caught Norovirus on the Disney Wonder. Also I don't eat whole fruit from a buffet because so many people (including adults) pick through it like the grocery store. Cookies and Donuts are other things that often seem to get hands - parents seem to let their small children go the the cookies without any supervision. Reusing the same plate can have the same effect as touching the serving utensil since your fork/spoon has been in your mouth and then touched that plate.

 

[mousebit]

I only eat at buffets when I'm at WDW. I've got myself convinced that there's something magical about germs at CP and 1900 PF!

My brother owns a restaurant and always shares horror stories - of both the staff and the customers. Scary stuff.

 

[DisneyGirlie]

Buffets are definitely not my thing for the exact same reason the OP posted. You never know what's going on and since the food is sitting there in the open it is extremely susceptible to germs. Most of the character breakfasts are buffet so that's why I always go to 'Ohana's because it's not buffet. Thank goodness.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Buffets are definitely not my thing for the exact same reason the OP posted. You never know what's going on and since the food is sitting there in the open it is extremely susceptible to germs. Most of the character breakfasts are buffet so that's why I always go to 'Ohana's because it's not buffet. Thank goodness.

CRT isn't either, and if you just eat the hot food at Akershus, that's served family-style as well.

 

[DisneyGirlie]

Awesome, thanks for the info disneyfav!

 

[bellebud]

It's not going to do any good to set age restrictions on who can go to the buffet line by themselves!

We stayed at Poly Conceirge a few years ago when they were refurbing the Hawaii building, and conceirge was in another building. At the evening desserts, a gentleman (I'd guess in his 60's), was putting cakes/cookies on his plate, but putting some in his mouth and hovering over the open platters and he was chewing w/ his mouth open and looking down, and food was dropping from his disgusting mouth back into the community platters. He was a pig! How do you not know you're doing that?????? ewwwwww!! (and paying so much extra for conceirge, I was really annoyed!)

 

[mpls_mm]

I think if you just avoid buffets thinking you are beating germs and general disgustingness, you are missing the point. Plants that package food have cleanliness standards laid out such as exactly how many parts of insect feces and parts there can be to every part of food. The government has guidelines that allow for so much contamination. Add that to the fact that they only check about 5% of all food to make sure the guidelines are met, and the serving of the food is not the issue. I did a report in my nutrition class three years ago and the filthiest, least checked food is baby formula, f you read what they allow in it and how they actually screen it and how many recalls they have a year, you would vomit. The point is, there are problems everywhere, unless you are going to grow your own food or live in a bubble, you are going to get germs. I grew up in the south, we left food out all day, never switched cutting boards etc. I remember my grandmother re-using grease endlessly and picnics where ham and potato salad sat out all day with flies buzzing and we lived.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think if you just avoid buffets thinking you are beating germs and general disgustingness, you are missing the point. Plants that package food have cleanliness standards laid out such as exactly how many parts of insect feces and parts there can be to every part of food. The government has guidelines that allow for so much contamination. Add that to the fact that they only check about 5% of all food to make sure the guidelines are met, and the serving of the food is not the issue. I did a report in my nutrition class three years ago and the filthiest, least checked food is baby formula, f you read what they allow in it and how they actually screen it and how many recalls they have a year, you would vomit. The point is, there are problems everywhere, unless you are going to grow your own food or live in a bubble, you are going to get germs. I grew up in the south, we left food out all day, never switched cutting boards etc. I remember my grandmother re-using grease endlessly and picnics where ham and potato salad sat out all day with flies buzzing and we lived.

You're exactly right! Which is why I feel the way I do. What I know grosses me out, but so long as I don't know - ignorance is bliss.

As I posted before -

Honestly when I see or KNOW that these things happen it bothers me a lot. However, my logical side knows that this happens many times that I don't see. I take comfort in the fact that really our immune systems are stronger from being exposed to germs and I don't get sick very often at all from going out to eat.

 

[mpls_mm]

You're exactly right! Which is why I feel the way I do. What I know grosses me out, but so long as I don't know - ignorance is bliss.

As I posted before -

Honestly when I see or KNOW that these things happen it bothers me a lot. However, my logical side knows that this happens many times that I don't see. I take comfort in the fact that really our immune systems are stronger from being exposed to germs and I don't get sick very often at all from going out to eat.

I just love buffets! We do them in Vegas, on cruises, the casino and at Disney. We even do them at home. I have a high metabolism and eat a lot and so do my kids. We all like different things and I need mucho desserts!!!Buffets make me We are going to our favorite prime rib buffet tomorrow

 

[Tricia1972]

I just love buffets! We do them in Vegas, on cruises, the casino and at Disney. We even do them at home. I have a high metabolism and eat a lot and so do my kids. We all like different things and I need mucho desserts!!!Buffets make me We are going to our favorite prime rib buffet tomorrow

Mmmmm, Vegas Buffets! Now that's good eating. Paris and Bellagio are my favorites. (But I haven't been back since 2005 so there may be better options out there now)

 

[ElizabethB]

We don't like buffets because we like our food fresh and hot; and we like to be served -- hate getting up to serve ourselves.

 

[Delta Hog]

DH loves many of the Disney buffets, such as Boma and the Cape May clam bake, but it's rare that I allow him to drag me to them. Too many people bringing too many germs and doing too many ungodly things. We hadn't been to one in a while, but in order to do the Candlelight Processional in Dec. we had to take Germany because it was the only restaurant available on our chosen days. Biergarten was wonderful...until I saw the kid pick up each spoon in each type of food, taste it, then toss it back into the food. UGH!! Thank goodness there was another side of the buffet to which I could retreat, but for all I know the kid's brother was doing the same on that side, LOL.

Yuck. However, it would have been me, simple solution would have been to find an employee, say "a child was putting these spoons in his mouth, can you replace with fresh ones for these items?"

That particular tray of items would still be contaminated I understand..............

 

[Native NYer]

SO GROSS!!! This is exactly why I'm not a fan of buffets. Where is the parent/adult when this is happening? Last month at both the Crystal Palace and 1900 Park Fare, my mom sat with my 4 year old nephew while I got his food. This way, no chance of little fingers touching anything. I'm going to have to rethink my ADRs for August.