Buffets: Good or Bad?

[thomas998]

Depends.

Most buffets have a high % of cheap-filler-foods. Foods that tend to be unhealthy, high carb, high fat, high salt/sugar, and inexpensive to make. Filler foods include foods like pasta (mac n cheese), hot dogs/sausages, breads, bread pudding, biscuits, potato, jello, croutons, When they have produce, it tends to be the cheapest vegetables: iceberg lettuce, whole bananas, melon, maybe raw broccoli, mealy apples, industrial oranges, and industrial tomatoes.

When they have more expensive produce it tends to be...hard to access. It will be at the far end of the buffet (from where diners start) and served from a small serving container.

One that made me laugh out loud was a buffet at the Grand Floridian. At a buffet that was supposed to feed 300+ people, they had blueberries, but the 'serving' bowl was the size of a teacup, and the serving utensil was a teaspoon. That = each person is only supposed to take 1 blueberry!?!?!

Buffets are very often set up using psychological tricks like that, where the serving bowl/utensil size indicates an idea of how much of each item they are supposed to take. In the above blueberry example, most people are hard wired to feel guilty if they take all the blueberries, even if that only =1/4 cup of fruit.

I worked at such a restaurant (ages ago) and was sometimes tasked with setting up the buffet.

The WDW buffets are better than many buffets, but the pricing is often absurdly high.

I suppose the tricks might work for some people... but I understand most of them and given the extremely high prices for the buffets I tend to look for the higher cost items and will ignore thinking about someone else behind me. I'll also use the scoop and strategically pull out spoons full of the proteins with the filler veggies left behind. Nothing against the folks behind me but given the price they are charging I"m not going to fill my plate with cheap filler.

Of course at the end of the day I've still vastly overpaid for what I had, but you expect that at the house of the mouse.

 

[SplashJacket]

Everyone pays the same price so those who eat less help pay for those who eat more. I don't eat that much, so I avoid buffets, Boma is an exception.

I do like the ability to try a little bit of a lot of things. At a nearby salad bar at home I can do that and pay by weight rather than all you can eat. Best meal in the city to be sure, my coworkers all seem to agree as thats where they always go. I usually wind up with a great meal for $6(dec 2022), plus a couple bucks for a drink, and it's plenty of food. I feel like it's kind of a miracle that it still exists.

I think it's kind of interesting that the poll overwhelmingly favors buffets, and the comments seem to go the other way. I want to stress that I feel food is one of the high points at Disney, buffets excepted.

I think if you like a buffet, there's not much to talk about, you just like it. Variety and quantity, and in Disney's case, characters, are primary discussion points, but there are a lot of discussion points for disliking it, whether it's the price, quality, cleanliness, etc.

I also think there's some sampling bias. I don't think "I'm fine with buffets" is necessarily equally as positive as "I'm not a buffet fan" is negative. I think the poll would be more telling if it asked Table Service or Buffet, because I'd assume most people would prefer TS, and that would highlight a relative difference, because it's hard to outright dislike a lot of food, and the crux of the question is more trying to ask whether you like the system of buffets.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think if you like a buffet, there's not much to talk about, you just like it. Variety and quantity, and in Disney's case, characters, are primary discussion points, but there are a lot of discussion points for disliking it, whether it's the price, quality, cleanliness, etc.

I also think there's some sampling bias. I don't think "I'm fine with buffets" is necessarily equally as positive as "I'm not a buffet fan" is negative. I think the poll would be more telling if it asked Table Service or Buffet, because I'd assume most people would prefer TS, and that would highlight a relative difference, because it's hard to outright dislike a lot of food, and the crux of the question is more trying to ask whether you like the system of buffets.

There's also a big difference between breakfast buffets and lunch/dinner buffets. I said above that I'm a big fan of a quality breakfast buffet but have no interest in a lunch/dinner one, and I know a lot of people who feel the same way. I didn't vote in the poll because none of the answers reflect that.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There's also a big difference between breakfast buffets and lunch/dinner buffets. I said above that I'm a big fan of a quality breakfast buffet but have no interest in a lunch/dinner one, and I know a lot of people who feel the same way. I didn't vote in the poll because none of the answers reflect that.

See, I can only justify the cost of a buffet if I'm going to eat a large enough meal where it satisfies two "slots" that day. So I'll do a 10:30 buffet (regardless of whether Disney calls that breakfast or lunch), and it'll be my breakfast and my lunch that day. Likewise, I'll do a 3:00 meal taking the place of both lunch and dinner.

Unrelated, I think there are at least four different "categories" of TS meals at WDW.

- A la carte
- Prix fixe (order from a menu)
- Prix fixe (family style)
- Buffet

I'd be curious where people rank each of those. Like do people think of Ohana and Boma as "the same thing," or do they put them in different categories? What about Ohana and Space 220?

 

[UNCgolf]

See, I can only justify the cost of a buffet if I'm going to eat a large enough meal where it satisfies two "slots" that day. So I'll do a 10:30 buffet (regardless of whether Disney calls that breakfast or lunch), and it'll be my breakfast and my lunch that day. Likewise, I'll do a 3:00 meal taking the place of both lunch and dinner.

Unrelated, I think there are at least four different "categories" of TS meals at WDW.

- A la carte
- Prix fixe (order from a menu)
- Prix fixe (family style)
- Buffet

I'd be curious where people rank each of those. Like do people think of Ohana and Boma as "the same thing," or do they put them in different categories? What about Ohana and Space 220?

When we do a breakfast buffet it's usually at 9:30 or later and generally wouldn't eat lunch, so I guess I'm the same to an extent.

My main thing is that I love essentially all kinds of breakfast foods so it's nice to be able to get a little bit of everything. Even then, the only breakfast buffet I really like at Disney is Boma (and maybe Tusker House since it's very similar, although I think Tusker House is character dining so it probably costs more).

I personally hate prix fixe from a menu. I think it's a giant rip-off and anti-consumer in most cases -- Victoria & Albert's and I guess Takumi Tei (I don't know much about it) are probably the only places at Disney where prix fixe actually makes sense from a consumer standpoint. Prix fixe family style is different, although I generally don't like family style regardless.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I personally hate prix fixe from a menu. I think it's a giant rip-off and anti-consumer in most cases -- Victoria & Albert's and I guess Takumi Tei (I don't know much about it) are probably the only places at Disney where prix fixe actually makes sense from a consumer standpoint. Prix fixe family style is different, although I generally don't like family style regardless.

I agree. I understand why Disney does it at some of the "experience" restaurants like Space 220 and Be Our Guest, because otherwise they're inundated with a deluge of people (lifestylers, Disney Adults, DVC members, and cast-as-guest chief among them) ordering an appetizer to share just so they can get inside the place and get the Instagram pictures. But I've done each of those (once at Space 220 and a few times at Be Our Guest) and won't be back unless and until the policy changes.

(and maybe Tusker House since it's very similar, although I think Tusker House is character dining so it probably costs more).

Yeah it's about $10 more per person. My deal with the kids is that we do one character meal in exchange for never waiting in line for a meet-and-greet, so I'll bite the bullet once per trip.

 

[thomas998]

Everyone pays the same price so those who eat less help pay for those who eat more. I don't eat that much, so I avoid buffets, Boma is an exception.

I do like the ability to try a little bit of a lot of things. At a nearby salad bar at home I can do that and pay by weight rather than all you can eat. Best meal in the city to be sure, my coworkers all seem to agree as thats where they always go. I usually wind up with a great meal for $6(dec 2022), plus a couple bucks for a drink, and it's plenty of food. I feel like it's kind of a miracle that it still exists.

I think it's kind of interesting that the poll overwhelmingly favors buffets, and the comments seem to go the other way. I want to stress that I feel food is one of the high points at Disney, buffets excepted.

That also applies to some of the experiences that include alcohol. No one in my family drinks, so when we've done the events that included alcohol we feel a bit screwed over by paying a higher price that includes drinks we'll never drink. I've been tempted to get all the drinks and then poor them out so at least Disney isn't making an extra profit off me.

 

[Lilofan]

I think the most expensive buffet ( $200 per person ) all u can eat and drink at more than 50 stations is Party for the Senses 4-9pm at World Showcase pavilion at Food and Wine. One year Cirque performers were there for entertainment.

 

[Weather_Lady]

We do fewer buffets than we used to, although we understand the appeal and still love really unique ones like Biergarten. I know the quality of the offerings on most WDW buffets has gone down over the years (and am still sorry we never made it to Cape May in the days when crab legs were on offer, since now we'll never go!), but that's not even our primary reason for avoiding them these days. DH and I both struggle with our weight and are increasingly conscious of portion control as we age, and our daughter has become a vegetarian (meaning much of what you pay for in a buffet price -- carving stations, seafood, etc., is wasted on her), so the only person getting full value from most buffets would be our son, who is tall, athletic, and blessed with the skinny gene!

 

[mysto]

That also applies to some of the experiences that include alcohol. No one in my family drinks, so if when we've done the events that include alcohol we feel a bit screwed over by paying a higher price for that includes drinks we'll never drink. I've been tempted to get all the drinks and then poor them out so at least Disney isn't making an extra profit off me.

Completely agree. I used to help organize river trips with friends, and as we got better at it we stopped including alcohol in the communal budget because it's unfair. Bring your own plus some to share was the eventual system.

 

[Phonedave]

We do fewer buffets than we used to, although we understand the appeal and still love really unique ones like Biergarten. I know the quality of the offerings on most WDW buffets has gone down over the years (and am still sorry we never made it to Cape May in the days when crab legs were on offer, since now we'll never go!), but that's not even our primary reason for avoiding them these days. DH and I both struggle with our weight and are increasingly conscious of portion control as we age, and our daughter has become a vegetarian (meaning much of what you pay for in a buffet price -- carving stations, seafood, etc., is wasted on her), so the only person getting full value from most buffets would be our son, who is tall, athletic, and blessed with the skinny gene!

I thought that Cape May Cafe was one of the worst places I ever ate - not just at WDW, ever. It really was not good - all around.

And that skinny gene, yeah that goes away - I eat smaller portions now myself.

 

[Hockey89]

I thought that Cape May Cafe was one of the worst places I ever ate - not just at WDW, ever. It really was not good - all around.

And that skinny gene, yeah that goes away - I eat smaller portions now myself.

There were times you walked past Cape May, and you could smell the bad seafood. Never ate there for that simple reason...

 

[Lilofan]

There were times you walked past Cape May, and you could smell the bad seafood. Never ate there for that simple reason...

Same for Biertgarden which I like but the smell in the dining area is overwhelming.

 

[buckeyegator]

ate 3 times at cape may before character returns for breakfast, no complaints.

 

[James J]

ate 3 times at cape may before character returns for breakfast, no complaints.

Likewise, our last visit for breakfast was in May 2022 and it was a hit with both my wife and I and my vegetarian parents.

 

[Phonedave]

There were times you walked past Cape May, and you could smell the bad seafood. Never ate there for that simple reason...

- Clams that were more sand than clam
- Overcooked crab legs that came out approximately every 20 minutes and ran out in 30 seconds
- Overcooked dry fish
- Unshelled shrimp that were not deveined either
- My server made a point of pointing out "the best part" - dessert. Half thawed frozen cakes that still had ice crystals in them and were weeping water across the platter.
- My server also disappeared. She brought my initial drink order, and then never showed again until I got a check.

 

[NelleBelle]

Likewise, our last visit for breakfast was in May 2022 and it was a hit with both my wife and I and my vegetarian parents.

Good to know that your vegetarian parents liked it. Both my mom and I (and niece) are and although I'm not necessarily a fan of buffets, I'd give this a shot if my niece ends up going with us just as an alternative to going to Chef Mickey's (gag) for a character breakfast since we're already going to be at YC.

 

[irenesun]

Buffet has its cons and pros. You need to be able to restrain yourself, and take only what you have planned to eat. Yes, with this you need to have great willpower. Very often there are unpleasant situations when children touch everything with their own hands (this is at best). Just a question for parents on education.

 

[Hockey89]

- Clams that were more sand than clam
- Overcooked crab legs that came out approximately every 20 minutes and ran out in 30 seconds
- Overcooked dry fish
- Unshelled shrimp that were not deveined either
- My server made a point of pointing out "the best part" - dessert. Half thawed frozen cakes that still had ice crystals in them and were weeping water across the platter.
- My server also disappeared. She brought my initial drink order, and then never showed again until I got a check.

That is everything I thought it would be. Shrimp not deveined would make me puke. That’s disgusting.

 

[Lilofan]

- Clams that were more sand than clam
- Overcooked crab legs that came out approximately every 20 minutes and ran out in 30 seconds
- Overcooked dry fish
- Unshelled shrimp that were not deveined either
- My server made a point of pointing out "the best part" - dessert. Half thawed frozen cakes that still had ice crystals in them and were weeping water across the platter.
- My server also disappeared. She brought my initial drink order, and then never showed again until I got a check.

We ate at Cape May 15 years ago. Looks like quality has not improved.