Why Buffets are a MUST

[floridaishot!]

I actually was admitting that it WAS a mean comment to be making...I have MANY serious food issues and health issues that I deal with emotionally and physically...I am not some "skinny" person thinking food is not that way for others also.

 

[crisi]

If it weren't for the germ factor, I would LOVE buffets. There is such an opportunity to eat a healthy meal with salads and veggies instead of the burgers and fries counter service scene.

There are a lot of healthy options at both the sit down meals (priced more like buffets) and counter service....although you sometimes have to look a little harder for them. The nice thing about buffets is that you can load up on a salad and still have a little bit of something "evil." I haven't eaten more than six fries per trip at Disney for years.

 

[wintergreen]

3. Kids eat Healthier (at least ours do). Unlike the kids menu at sit down places, kids are not stuck with the typical and often unhealthy choices. Let's face it, you're prob not going to order a salad for the kids, but at the buffet then can have one or start with some tomatoes and other cold veggies. And instead of chicken nuggets, they might want the roast chicken or some rice and veggies. You have the kids "buffet" as a back up, but you can try the more healthful options first.

This is exactly the reason that I try to do at least one buffet when we are at WDW. My younger DD (8) will eat almost anything, but my older DD (10) eats: pasta with butter, steak, raw tomatoes and fruit. Not much else. She can have all of these things at a buffet, and really load up on the fruit. The only problem I have now, is that now that she is 10, I have to pay adult prices for her. Oh well. On the other hand, I have found that other restaurants are starting to add healthier options for kids, and that I can ask for a fruit plate to be specially made at most table service restaurants. Also, the fact that both she and her sister like steak means that if we go to a restaurant with steak on the menu, we can order one for both of them to split.

 

[dpic]

Over the course of an evening, just how many folks have touched that spoon anyway?

Probably the same number that touched the door knob, Toy Story guns, the rail on the front of your ride, the monorail safety bar, etc, etc. I know it's a food establishment, but at least that spoon was sanitized at least once a day while everything else you touch in WDW is rarely--if ever--sanitized.

 

[alicenwonder99]

We like going to buffets, but I haven't been to any at WDW yet. This trip, we have a CP breakfast on our list.

My children are very picky eaters, and they seem to eat better at a restaurant if it has a buffet.

I also like buffets with the young children because it is more infomal than a regular sit down restaurant. Buffets are a little bit louder and there's more walking around at a buffet. If I didn't have children, I would most likely avoid the buffets.

We are all small people in our family. No overindulging on food at buffets with us! I think I eat more at regular restaurants because I feel I must "finish my plate". At a buffet I take very small portions.

Mary

 

[shelleyz]

I like buffets for the choice of foods and the quickness of getting your own food. At Disney though its a hard decision. I have 2 DS's 4 and 6 who could split a meal, but at a buffet its at least $10 each and they eat maybe $2 worth of food each. I do it more for the characters. Next trip I want to try Chef Mickeys, only thing is the price. I will be bringing my 2 DS's and neice who will be 13 so I have to pay adult price for her and she will probably only eat $2 worth of food too. LOL. I really like Crystal Palace but I decided I'm only going to do one a trip. Maybe when they become teenagers the buffets will be a good deal but for now I don't think they really are.

 

[jann1033]

Hand Sanitizers (one of which goes by the brand name starting with a P) do not have added anticicobials like a anti-bacterial soap.

They are alcohol gel which kills almost all bugs naturally. A recent study in the Journal Pediatrics found that they SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the risk of gastroinestinal illness and are MUCH more effective in an every day situation then "good old fashioned soap and water" mostly becaue most people do not scrub long ennough with soap and water and alcohol gel takes only one second to wipe out the same bugs.

ot and not to debate... any time you are killing "almost all" bacteria you are allowing the more resistant types ie not as easily killed...to become the dominant bacteria (ie overuse of antibiotics , antibacterials ect )so i would rather remove "bugs" with good handwashing which is removing it from me but not setting up a senario for more resistant bacteria. not that i never use purell but not on every occasion when i can wash my hands

 

[maya44]

ot and not to debate... any time you are killing "almost all" bacteria you are allowing the more resistant types ie not as easily killed...to become the dominant bacteria (ie overuse of antibiotics , antibacterials ect )so i would rather remove "bugs" with good handwashing which is removing it from me but not setting up a senario for more resistant bacteria. not that i never use purell but not on every occasion when i can wash my hands

NOPE! This is a very common misunderstanding.

While anti-bacterial soaps have the theoretical possiblity of creating resistant strains of bacterial, alcohol based cleaners like Purel do NOT!

I study this stuff and the scientists who wrote the book on the dangers of anti-bacterials actually recommend Alcohol based cleaners!

 

[solgent]

"oh here, mommy has some hand sanitizer for you" <singing little happy hand sanitizer song>

OK, I have to ask, what is your little happy hand sanitizer song?

Also do you find that hand sanitizer leaves your and the kids' hands feeling dry? Do you carry moisturizer also?

 

[chobie]

I considered going anonymous for this because I know I'll get flamed...

Having bussed and waited tables for many years I can assure you that germs all over the place in TS restaurants as well. Although I would have loved to have washed my hands everytime I removed a dirty dish or glass from a table, I rarley had the time. The bussers go from putting their hands all over people's used plates and utensils to picking up clean plates and utensils and they do not have time to wash their hands in between. And let's be honest, you have no idea where a cooks hands have been and if they are sneezing and coughing all over the food....

Really if you are that concerned about germs, do not eat out.

I like both buffets and TS at Disney. As new Florida residents we made over a dozen trips last year, ate at Boma at least once a trip and NEVER did anyone in my family become ill.

 

[mamaprincess]

Great thread! Ive been a buffet fan since I was a child. My husband and I are huge buffet fans (not literally ) I love the variety of food you get. I always have trouble choosing from a menu with so many good sounding dishes, just one thing, so for me, buffets are perfect. Not just any buffets, but really good and clean ones.

Our favorite buffets at WDW are: Boma's for dinner, Parkfare for breakfast, haven't had dinner there yet, Crystal Palace for lunch, haven't had breakfast there yet and Cape may for the atmosphere. We also like them because they tend to be more economical. Quick service with 3 children who get impatient is also a plus. My 7 year olds love to get the food themselves. My 2 year old eats mostly fruit.

Even on our honeymoon in Las Vegas my husband and I opted for buffets. Usually, we have a nice sit down dinner when we are alone and rarely eat at buffets around our home.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

We really enjoy Boma, 1900 Park Fare. The other buffets we have been to just weren't special enough for us to return. Chef Mickey's was fine for breakfast, but dinner was yucky! I did like CP, but we haven't been back for several years.

I agree about the germs. If someone is that concerned about germs then visiting a place like WDW is probably not the best choice. Although the buffets at WDW may well be more clean than TS in your hometown. Really we just don't know unless we work at a place.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I like breakfast buffets, prefer sit down for dinner. This time I'm trying Crystal Palace and Boma for breakfast.

Germs are everywhere, so I don't get too concerned with that. Purell is fine, though I hate the smell, I would just advise anyone w a thyroid problem to avoid any antibacterial soap, gel, cleanser, lotion or even toothpaste that has *triclosan*- can be really dangerous.

There's not that much difference between food from the steamer tray in the back or the steamer tray on the buffet- not all food at sit downs is made to order and served immediately, though of course, fresher is always tastier. I agree, though, if I saw someone handle an item inappropriately, I would avoid it or ask for it to be replaced. Touching the spoon handle doesn't bug me

Buffets are convenient, with a good selection and especially good for picky eaters- when my cousin was little we almost always did buffets because she would do the same thing the OP mentioned- "i don't like this pizza". "this hot dog is mushy" "what is this sauce?" "this isn't mommy's chicken" etc.

Some people like do all counter service, avoid buffets, no counter service, all sit down, all buffet, no sit down. I think it's great Disney has so much variety. You can do any of these options or you can sit in your resort room and just order room service. It's totally up to you.

 

[shelleyz]

How many people do you think touched the salt and pepper shaker, ketchup bottle, menu, your silverware before you? Do you think the cloth they use to wash the table is that clean after cleaning all those tables. I use Purel right before I am going to eat. Sometimes I will use a wipe to clean the table. because the kids sometimes put there food on the table instead of there plate. I know there are still germs around though.

 

[Gabriel&Nana]

I like buffets for the selection. I don't like them cause I usually eat too much. Guess I'm on the fence, lol

This is exactly what I think !
I can prove a little of everything I like BUT I finish always eating more than I need

But It´s easier to fins something that my kids like

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I'm not a buffet person but can see why they are popular. But I worked at buffets in college and have seen how the food is handled. The smell of a big pan of scrambled eggs sitting on a steam tray is enough to make me run for the bathroom

Most buffets I've been to are huge quantities of mediocre food. Great food can be done in quantity for a buffet, but so often that is not the case.

I'm going to try one or 2 while on our WDW trip, but more for the characters than the food.

There is one buffet I do like - Le Village in Paris Las Vegas for breakfast. Omelets made to order, crepes made to order, fresh hot waffles covered in Nutella and real whipped cream tons of fresh fruit and awesome pastries. I ate so much that we skipped lunch completely.

 

[JodyTG]

Here's one thing about buffets that was not mentioned...tipping. Buffets are where the problem comes in. I am getting my own food so basically all that I would be tipping for besides paying at the table is drinks and removing plates - all things that I can also take care of myself. There is no way in h-e-doublehocketsticks I'm going to tip anywhere in the vicinity of 15% for such limited service.

I was raised to tip for service, so I do not always give 15%. I used to be a waitress so I understand that it's not that difficult to give good and courteous service. My tipping philosophy is on a rolling scale...
...15% for okay/normal service...
...10% for okay service but had to find the waiter/waitress for drink refills and/or mistakes...
...5% for having to go and get my own drink refills or bad mistakes.
Then there's 20% for okay/normal service with a happy cheerful waiter/waitress...on up to 50% if the service was just beyond awesome (this has actually happened quite a few times.

I know this probably makes me cheap, but I just can't support paying a normal tip for limited service on expensive meals.

 

[crisi]

Regarding germs.

I'm not the most germophobic person in the world. I don't carry Purell, I'll eat an m&m dropped on the floor at my own home (hey, its chocolate!). Perhaps this is why I'll eat out at all. But there is a quantitative difference between the number of kitchen staffers and waitresses that handle your food at a sit down restaurant and the number of kitchen staffers and waitresses - plus seven year old boys who need to touch every roll and the woman that picks up the salad she dropped with her fingers and puts it back in the bowl, or the guy that fingers the surface of the plate below his - that touch your food at a buffet. I don't worry about spoon handles - I do worry about fingers on the food and the quantity of noses above it. Because I don't worry about spoon handles, I don't worry about salt and pepper shakers or ketchup bottles on my table either.

I don't really "trust" food handlers implicitly to wash hands and avoid double dipping the tasting spoon - they are human with human foilbles and certainly not medically trained in hygiene - but its the quanity of people the food has exposure to, not the quality of food handling, that concerns me most about a buffet.

 

[jann1033]

Regarding germs.

I'm not the most germophobic person in the world. I don't carry Purell, I'll eat an m&m dropped on the floor at my own home (hey, its chocolate!). Perhaps this is why I'll eat out at all. But there is a quantitative difference between the number of kitchen staffers and waitresses that handle your food at a sit down restaurant and the number of kitchen staffers and waitresses - plus seven year old boys who need to touch every roll and the woman that picks up the salad she dropped with her fingers and puts it back in the bowl, or the guy that fingers the surface of the plate below his - that touch your food at a buffet. I don't worry about spoon handles - I do worry about fingers on the food and the quantity of noses above it. Because I don't worry about spoon handles, I don't worry about salt and pepper shakers or ketchup bottles on my table either.

I don't really "trust" food handlers implicitly to wash hands and avoid double dipping the tasting spoon - they are human with human foilbles and certainly not medically trained in hygiene - but its the quanity of people the food has exposure to, not the quality of food handling, that concerns me most about a buffet.

yes there is a reason there are sneeze guards above buffets and not regular ts tables..i do not use the salt and pepper at the table at mcds.since i saw a little kid lick one but fool myself into thinking it is only at fast food places kids lick salt shakers))