Buffet - does everyone have to order?

[dfuller]

Does anyone know if each person in your party has to order at the family buffet restaurants? We are going to Boma's (one of our favorites), but each time we have gone, it seems like such a waste to order for my daughter, as she eats so little, and at $25 a head, and $11 for kids, I'm wondering if she can just eat off our plate? I'd hate to pay $11 for 5 bites.....input?

 

[msmayor]

Sorry, but there is no sharing at buffets.

 

[pearlieq]

Yes, just to confirm, all parties must order and you can't share. I think 2 and under are free, though.

Just console yourself by saying you're paying for the "experience" and have a zebra dome for me!

 

[nbodyhome]

There isn't sharing, although at character meals, I believe that they can not eat but pay $5.00 per person for "entertainment".

Denise

 

[gigi1313]

is your dd old enough to hang at the arcade by herself while you guys have dinner? otherwise, even if she eats only *one* bite, she's charged for her meal...

some families get more than their money's worth and others don't get their money's worth... sad but true!

 

[Lewisc]

Does anyone know if each person in your party has to order at the family buffet restaurants? We are going to Boma's (one of our favorites), but each time we have gone, it seems like such a waste to order for my daughter, as she eats so little, and at $25 a head, and $11 for kids, I'm wondering if she can just eat off our plate? I'd hate to pay $11 for 5 bites.....input?

People who eat very little don't get a discount and people who go back to the buffet table multiple times don't get charged extra.

If a person literally eats nothing the CM might be nice and not charge but buffets are charged by the person and not by the table. Children who eat from their parents plate still get charged.

 

[bicker]

If a person literally eats nothing the CM might be nice and not charge but buffets are charged by the person and not by the table.

As Denise mentioned, this is typically not the case. Rather, there is a $5 entertainment charge assessed in such cases. That charge chased my mother away in 1997.

 

[n2mm]

Unfortunately, this is why we no longer do buffets when grandson travels with us. He is considered an adult now (11) and hardly eats anything on the kids menu, and won't touch the adult food, so we now only take him to sit down and counter service restraurants and pass on all buffets (except Trail's End). I'm sure Disney doesn't miss our business, but am sure that we are not the only ones in this situation. I do tell the CMs this often when calling and making dining reservations and when they try to push the character meals.

 

[Kay1]

My m-i-l has the annoying and mystifying habit of saying she isn't hungry when it's time to order in restaurants. Then, she proceeds to help herself off the plates of everyone else. The server at Boma finally put a stop to this and made it clear that she would be charged, period.

She claimed to have no appetite but ate ten desserts "so as not to waste my b-i-l's money". Since that time she has actually started to order something for herself, although only an appetizer or side salad. (She still sneaks food from our plates.) Anyhow, Boma did not go for her usual routine so maybe they're strict about this.

 

[Lewisc]

As Denise mentioned, this is typically not the case. Rather, there is a $5 entertainment charge assessed in such cases. That charge chased my mother away in 1997.

I know that's true at character meals but the OP was asking about Boma. I think the CM will either charge the full child price or might waive the charge if the child literally eats nothing.

 

[bicker]

Oops... sorry -- missed the reference. Thanks for the correction.

 

[nbodyhome]

I had mentioned that is what happens at character meals - I haven't heard of a situation at a place like Boma. I guess its up to each restaurant - but if someone takes one bite (off a plate), at that point they should be charged in full.

That isn't to say that I don't think that the age limits for what should be a child and adult are a little off, but then again - there are a lot of people who don't eat a lot off of buffets (when I was on property for 8 days recently, they plied us with food - including Boma breakfast and Cape May Cafe breakfast for 4 days at a TA event). Because I wasn't really paying - I'd paid for the conference, not individually for meals - I didn't feel like I had to eat my price worth. And I didn't. Same with Chef Mickeys, when I was treated there. It is hard for me to justify a place like Liberty Tree, which is about $30.00 when all is said and done, and I just don't eat that much.

Denise

 

[pedro2112]

If a person literally eats nothing the CM might be nice and not charge but buffets are charged by the person and not by the table.

Case in point is when we ate at H&V last March. Our youngest DD was just getting over a 24 hour stomach flu.. she did go up to the buffet and put food on her plate, but then she proceeded to lie down on the bench seat and pass out without eating anything other than one bite and a sip of sprite the server brought for her. Although we never asked for it, the server never charged our daughter. I think that's the first time my wife ever tipped 25% on a buffet before!