Anyone else feel like they "over-gorge" at Buffets

[stoudt6]

just to get more then their moneys worth? Why is it that I probably eat twice as much food at a buffet then I do a normal meal. Is it a mental thing that I need to try as many of the items offered. Whenever I go to a buffet my eyes are saying "yes " as I go in, but when I leave my Stomach and head are saying "what were you thinking".

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I just eat my normal amount of food when we go to Buffets.

My husband says I don't eat enough at them to be worth paying the inflated price. Good thing we don't do them alot.

Part of it is that I'm not a big fan of buffets. Too many people touching the serving ware and you never know when someone has coughed or sneezed in the vicinity of the food. Yuck.

 

[vettegirl]

That is why I avoid them, as I can't eat that much and it's a waste of money for me.

 

[SM101]

I think the tendency is to overeat at buffets, because you want to try some of everything (as opposed to just one plated meal) plus you're somehow trying to get your money's worth.

I personally don't like buffets - I'd much rather have a nice sit down meal. I'm going to have to suffer through them though since I can't see not doing a character meal or three when I take my daughter to Disney next year.

 

[Redbudlover]

I am not a buffet fan in general, but do go to character meals rather than stand in line waiting to see them. I don't overeat there. I like to try different things but if I eat only a bite or two I am fine. Personally compared to other TS I find them inexpensive. Especially when you consider you get your drink, appie, entre and dessert. I particularly like Tusker House and CP - find their food better than the others like Chef Mickey or Akershus.

 

[vicki_c]

I never overeat because I'm trying to get my money's worth - I don't think that most of the buffets are that different price-wise from what my total would be a table service @ Disney. However, I might tend to overeat because there are so many choices -- sort of like Thanksgiving - I take what look like tiny portions of things and the next thing you know the plate is packed!

 

[Me!Thatswho]

I usually do, but this past trip I definitely made an effort to limit the amount of food I ate and not worry about the price. FYI: we ate at three buffets: Tusker House, Beergarten, and Chef Mickey's for dinner, and one family- style - Ohana's - for breakfast. Instead of taking a scoop of whatever it was I wanted to try and ending up with a mound on my plate half-way through the line, I took only about two bites worth of whatever struck my fancy. This meant I returned to the table with what I would consider to be less than I would get from a regular sit-down meal, without putting something off until the second "run". Then, when I back for seconds, I made sure only to take what I really loved and only enough to bring the meal to the same level as a sit-down which meant that I probably could have used a soup bowl instead of a full plate,. Not only did I have room to enjoy desert and a beer (which I usually do not partake in because of "space" concerns), I managed to leave feeling good as opposed to feeling like the character in the Meaning of Life (re: no room for an after-dinner mint).

And, in the sense of full-disclosure, I usually gain between 5-10lbs after a typical trip. This time, however, I actually lost two pounds. So, while I am usually one of those worrying about getting their moneys worth, I definitely think my strategy this time around was better in the long run.

 

[Kay1]

At the Tusker House, I tried some of the bread pudding even though I was really full. At a non-buffet I would never do that. So, no, I don't ever gorge myself but sometimes I'm very tempted to at least try something that sitting there looking so good.

 

[sweetsusannah]

We call them stuffets in our house and we try to avoid them but do on rare occasions go to one, particulary at DW. There is something about having all that food in front of me that kicks me into cavewoman mode, "see food must eat it." Like a previous poster commented to combat eating everything, I too get a very small portion of all the things I want to try and if something is very good I go back and get more of that one thing.

However, I also think most resturants have exagerated portions. I try to leave a quarter of my food on my plate.

 

[dalstitch45]

I do tend to overeat a little. Only because I want to try so many different things.

 

[RMulieri]

I eat my normal amount.But lots of people do overeat at them simply because 1) the mentality of getting "monies worth" and 2) wanting to try a bit of everything.

 

[dburg30]

IMO I probably eat less at a buffet. I can stop when I'm full / satisfied, but if I order something at a TS place, be it WDW or back home, I tend to want to 'clean my plate' even if I ordered too much to eat..

 

[DisneyFamily123]

If I don't like the food, no I don't over eat. But two places are a problem for me... Crystal Palace and Tusker House.

I solved the Crystal Palace problem for my next trip by scheduling a lunch on 2 different days... so on each day, I only have to try half the food! I enjoy their cold salads and the carved meats.

Tusker house is just soooo.... good..... I didn't go last trip though, but I do have a dinner next trip. I just like that kind of food... So, my goal is to try whatever I want, but just take smaller portions.

 

[mainegal]

Yes, I am sure I do eat too much. I just want to try a taste of everything!

I like that beverages and dessert are included in buffets. Paying cash, I would drink water and skip the dessert at a regular table service restaurant.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We just do breakfast buffets now but we eat the normal amount of food, the food at the dinner buffets is just too salty and that would bloat us up and make us miserable.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I don't overdue it, but I totally enjoy the option to choose just a bite or two of many different types of foods that I couldn't do while ordering off a menu. I also share a pastry with my family if i want to try just a bit. If you factor in the cost of a juice and coffee to a TS breakfast meal, you are right at the price of a buffet. The little things add up.

 

[PSUGuy]

I under-eat in the hours leading up to a buffet and I'll have my fill, usually favoring shellfish, but I'm not about to ruin the rest of the day by pulling a 'Mr. Creosote' just to extract the maximum value out of the meal.

Bill From PA

 

[disneychic2]

We try to avoid buffets because the temptation to overeat is so great. However, we do occasionally go when we're at Disney, but I have a plan. I only get enough food so I can still see my plate in between each item. Then I enjoy dessert. Okay, a lot of dessert. It's not a perfect plan! Love the "stuffets" comment!!

 

[Melodious]

Yeah, I too eat more at buffets. In general, I love to try things and at buffets I definitely feel the need to try everything and eat my favorites.

 

[aenelson]

I actually just get a bite or two of everything that looks appealing to me, because I am a picky eater. If I am not full after that, then I will go back and either get something low cal or more of something that I found I really liked a lot. I really do not eat much, but my DH eats enough for both if us. He is really skinny so I really do not know where he puts it all, because if I just look at the food there goes 10 pounds to my thighs!