Buffet Etiquette

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I love WDW!!!!! I always have and I hope I always will.

The one thing that REALLY gets under my skin is buffet dining. Some people just do not have manners as well as cleanliness and they allow their children to behave the same way.
People that use there hands to put food on their plate, use a utensil they have already had in there mouth to get more food. Take something and put it back, reaching over someone else because they can't wait and what ever happened to "excuse me"??!!!! The list can go on and on!!!!
Then we have the issue of children at the buffet...I understand you promote independence in your children by letting them do things by themselves, but sneezing and coughing over food, poking food with fingers and using fingers to serve is not acceptable.
Recently while waiting for dessert we watched as a child coughed and ran their finger over to trays of food.....no parent to be seen. Myself and 2 others behind me went to the manager and the trays were removed right away but parents wake up (please)!!!!!!!!

 

[tadamom]

I cannot stand to see kids at the buffett lines by themselves. My son whose 5 will go with me sometimes to help fix his plate but he is not allowed to touch things or get to close!

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Good for You!!!!! I think that is what should happen so everyone can enjoy themselves!!! Thank you

 

[Sabrina90744]

I love WDW!!!!! I always have and I hope I always will.

The one thing that REALLY gets under my skin is buffet dining. Some people just do not have manners as well as cleanliness and they allow their children to behave the same way.
People that use there hands to put food on their plate, use a utensil they have already had in there mouth to get more food. Take something and put it back, reaching over someone else because they can't wait and what ever happened to "excuse me"??!!!! The list can go on and on!!!!
Then we have the issue of children at the buffet...I understand you promote independence in your children by letting them do things by themselves, but sneezing and coughing over food, poking food with fingers and using fingers to serve is not acceptable.
Recently while waiting for dessert we watched as a child coughed and ran their finger over to trays of food.....no parent to be seen. Myself and 2 others behind me went to the manager and the trays were removed right away but parents wake up (please)!!!!!!!!

ITA my kids are 7 and 9 and I make sure I am with them at the buffets.

 

[MA pigletfan]

i am with you on this!! This is why WDW is pretty much the only place i would even consider eating buffet style..not that i am a germ-a-phobe but its just nasty when you see the contamination happening in front of you! ick!

 

[nicoleakr]

I totally agree with this. I always go up to the buffett with all of my kids. It's unreal.

 

[Tink3Belle]

I hate it when people use the same plate and take it up with them when they tell you to get a fresh plate. Yuk!

 

[MOREMICKEY4ME]

I agree with this on a kid level, but I have even more disgust on the adult level.
There is a local restaurant in town (Japanese) that has a habachi grill and people sit around it to eat. There are usually about 10-15 people at each sitting. It's quite a fun experience. The chef will cook something and toss it across the table for you to catch it in your mouth, make veggie volcanos, etc.
My husband and I went to this recently and a grown man and woman were eating with their hands all over the assortment of food. This is a sharing experience (kind of like "Family Style" at some restaurants) where plates and bowls of food are left on the table and everyone shares.
It grossed my husband and I so much that we left.
So it seems that some of these kids grow up to be adults and do the same thing. EEEWWWEEE!!!!
I am planning the next Disney trip and see that Ohana's is "Family Style" and while I would love to try it with my husband, I don't think he will try this again!!!

 

[disneyloveNY]

Ohana's is family style but it's just your family at your own table.

 

[WDWsocstar12]

Ohana is family style but only with the people at your table in your case your table would only be you and your husband. So you can still go and enjoy Ohana without having to worry

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I agree with this on a kid level, but I have even more disgust on the adult level.
There is a local restaurant in town (Japanese) that has a habachi grill and people sit around it to eat. There are usually about 10-15 people at each sitting. It's quite a fun experience. The chef will cook something and toss it across the table for you to catch it in your mouth, make veggie volcanos, etc.
My husband and I went to this recently and a grown man and woman were eating with their hands all over the assortment of food. This is a sharing experience (kind of like "Family Style" at some restaurants) where plates and bowls of food are left on the table and everyone shares.
It grossed my husband and I so much that we left.
So it seems that some of these kids grow up to be adults and do the same thing. EEEWWWEEE!!!!
I am planning the next Disney trip and see that Ohana's is "Family Style" and while I would love to try it with my husband, I don't think he will try this again!!!

Ohanas is different, you will be at a table with only you & DH, don't miss out!

 

[MOREMICKEY4ME]

Thanks for pointing that out. I thought you had to sit with a group of people. Now I will pencil it back into the MUST-DO's!!!

 

[Unregistered]

Note to self: demand from Disney that all concierges be fired if they ever send me to another buffet.....

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Not only is it gross to use the same plate, but it could be dangerous for people with food allergies. My mom has celiac disease and if a crumb of bread or something with glutton in it gets in her food, she will get sick. People using the same place and touching the serving spoon to their dirty plate poses a risk for her and others with allergies.

I agree...people can be rude at buffets...but it's WDW! What can I say?!

 

[blueiis99]

I agree with all of you!!!, some people need better manners at a buffet.

I unfortunately, have a dh that has family members that fit the "bad" bill.

We went in 2005, and went to BOMA for dinner. I chose this since it was in oour hotel, and DH's grandparents had driven up that day from Miami to be with us for a few day in Disney.

Well His grandmother is one of those that will push, and not think about utensils or anything....I tried going behind her and fixing things as she went, but I was the one that got the dirty looks from the staff. Trust me thsi was a nightmare. (she absolutly gives NYers a bad name) We will never do this again.

I always make sure that, my dd touches nothing, and washes her hands before eating, (or getting something to eat) I keep my head above any plexiglass partition, I never touch anything with a dirty utensil, and if you must cough of sneeze....its done AWAY from people, and food!

alas, though there are those, that will never get it!

 

[Mischa]

DH & I see this all over (not only at Disney) and we think "our parents would have smacked our hands..." for doing the stuff we see other people and kids do nowadays.

Didn't these people have parents that taught them manners?

 

[StanH]

Buffet etiquette???

Grab and move, grab and move! Don't hold up the lines by looking!

"Is this chicken or fish?"

"It's chicken, now grab and move, grab and move. You're taking so long, the food is going to go bad by the time my turn comes. I'm like a ninja at the buffet. I don't even know what I have until I get back to the table."

"Oh! They had short ribs??? I didn't know that!"

"Grab and move, grab and move."



Thank you John Pinnette.

 

[MikeS.]

I almost got into a fist fight with a guy at a local chinese buffet when I called him on it for getting crab legs with his hands instead of the tongs. Darn ignorant hillbilly.

 

[desertbloom]

There are probably less germs in a butt licking cat mouth than there are at some of those buffet tables. Blech!! I won't eat at one unless I am one of the first ones in line when it opens.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

I agree that buffets are pretty gross and we RARELY go to them. Not only that, but we're a family that doesn't do "all you can eat" too well.

Funny story, we went to Old Country Buffet a couple years ago for breakfast (1st and last time) and my then 4 year old son looks around and says "mommy, why is everyone here fat?" While I agree that it was rude, he certainly had a point...