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Buffets are a wonderful, gluttonous thing, whether they’re in a fancy Las Vegas restaurant or a church hall potluck. But like most things in life, they’re not free-for-alls — though we’ve all probably seen people do some seriously gross things at a buffet. There are some unwritten etiquette rules you need to follow. Next time you’re at a buffet, never do these things, for the sake of your fellow diners.
You ever wonder why there’s often signs telling diners to use a new plate every time they go up to the buffet? It’s because buffets can spread germs easily, and one of the most common ways is by using a dirty plate to get more food. As you eat, your utensils and plate are contaminated with your saliva. If you take that plate to get more food, you might touch the serving utensils to the plate, spreading around way more of yourself than you realize.
At a buffet, each item should have its own serving utensil or two. You should only use the correct serving utensil for each item. That way, if one item is contaminated, you avoid spreading that on to other food items. Plus, people with food allergies and sensitivities greatly appreciate avoiding cross contamination too.
For the love of the buffet gods, don’t let your kids wander around a buffet unsupervised. I’m sure little Timmy is a real saint, but kids just don’t understand buffet rules and lack self control. Nobody wants Timmy’s grubby fingers in the chocolate pudding on the salad bar, or swiping across the stack of clean plates.
Sure, a buffet is all you can eat. But it shouldn’t be “all you can throw away” as well. Food waste is not only bad for the planet, it’s bad for the bottom line of the restaurant, which may have to raise prices if people keep throwing away tons of food. If you’re not sure if you’ll like something on the buffet, take just a little bit and try it before committing to a larger portion.
EVERYONE touches the serving utensils in a buffet, and you don’t know where anyone’s hands have been (especially little Timmy’s!). To cut down on germs, everyone should wash their hands, or at the very least, use a generous amount of hand sanitizer, right before hitting the buffet line. And if you’re sick, please do everyone a favor and stay home.
The clear plastic or glass sneeze guard is on buffets for a reason: to prevent sneezing, breathing, and coughing directly onto the food. It’s meant for you to reach under with your arms, but not duck under with your head, even if you can’t reach something. If you have to sneeze or cough, step away (and aim away) from the buffet, and do it into the crook of your elbow. Just because it’s called a sneeze guard doesn’t mean it’s OK to sneeze on.
It may be tempting to snatch a little cherry tomato from the salad bar, or pop a chicken nugget in your mouth from your plate while standing in a slow-moving buffet line, but don’t do it. Eating can cause saliva to fly, even if you don’t see it, contaminating the food. If you’re just taking a bit of something to see if you like it, eat it back at your table instead of right there at the buffet.
You really shouldn’t be touching food with your bare hands at all at a buffet, but if you do touch something, it’s yours. You need to put it on your plate, whether you want to eat it or not. This is something that can happen with things like bread rolls or cookie platters. Don’t rifle through them looking for the best one — or better yet, use tongs.
Not only is talking on the phone annoying everyone around you who has to listen to your conversation, but you’re also spreading saliva around unwittingly, especially if your conversation is animated. Plus, you’ll be holding up the line and contaminating the serving utensils with whatever germs are on your phone when you’re juggling it and your plate.
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