AYCE - the 'all you can eat buffet' or the 'all you care to eat buffet'
A run down on what you need to know of AYCE.
Humans by nature set their expectation of taste to some extent on the price. Have you heard someone excitedly talk about a cheaper-priced buffet offering? I’m guessing hardly, if not at all. In general, the line of thinking “If I didn't have to pay much, it can't be that good” comes to mind. Mind you though, I’ve comes across buffets offerings at some hotels that were less inexpensive and far more satisfying than what was on offer at some international 5-star chain hotels.
Buffets provide people the opportunity to eat whatever they want (from all that is offered), with no limit to the quantity consumed – all in exchange for a fixed price. It grants the customer the freedom to be a glutton, where it’s more of mix than match - where a delicate sushi might share the same plate with a spicy meatball without discrimination.
Essentially, on one side of the coin, there are people who want to eat the broadest selection of food on offer, i.e. the ‘all I can eat’ type. They attach great importance to eat as much as they can so as not feel, they overpaid for their meal. This type of customer considers the buffet as a challenge to intentionally overeat. On the flip side, are those who wish to select their favourite food from the dishes on offer and fall into the ‘all I care to eat’ category.
Like in many facets of life, buffets attract an assortment of customers, from a big family which might have grandparents and young kids who will probably under eat, to the boisterous group of super eaters – the kind restaurants wish to avoid.
In the case of those who want to fill their stomachs as quickly as possible, restaurants employ a number of research-backed actions to get people to end up eating less. These tactics include placing the cheap, carbs-filled dishes at the front of the buffet line, the use of smaller and heavier plates to limit the amount of food on it, the use of larger than average spoons for inexpensive food like potatoes and smaller than normal tongs for meats and seafood. The more expensive items usually appear further down the line, where plate space is at a premium and they tend to be on small platters.
As a customer, don’t make the mistake of not eating for a while before going for a buffet. When you don't eat for some time, the size of your stomach shrinks and as a result, you won't be able to eat as much as you want to. If it’s a Lunch buffet, have a decent sized (normal) breakfast in the morning. Buffet experts recommend something light and high in fibre, like a bowl of cereal, as your body processes these meals quickly. Your body needs to be well-hydrated to help you process what goes down your throat, so make sure you sip water throughout the day before you go in.
As a frequent buffet eater I’ve learnt from my several past visits and now have an accurate estimate of my appetitive which I appease with a calculated approach. To get the most out of my buffet experience and better value for the price I pay, I first take a look around to identify dishes that have more expensive ingredients in them and, provided I like what's on offer, make my move.
Start with a soup or salad. I usually have both. One might think that a soup and / or a salad might take up precious stomach space, but the science behind this line of thought says otherwise. The high water content of soup and salad makes it easier for your stomach to process the heavy stuff that follows. Focus on protein rather than carbs, which are not only inexpensive but will also just bloat you up.
As some wise person said “A buffet is just like life itself; you have so many choices, it’s up to you to choose wisely”. Likewise, as in life there is the downside to most choices and buffets are no exception.
Going to a buffet and only having one plate is being overgenerous– pricewise. Follow the three-plate minimum/five-plate maximum adage to get the best out of a buffet. The five-plate maximum includes soup, salad, starter, mains and dessert.
Buffets are based on an economic concept called the law of diminishing marginal utility. This law states that when you increase consumption of a product, the marginal utility of each additional product consumed beyond the first (assuming all other factors are constant) will decrease. In short, each plate at a buffet has less value to you than the one that came before it. The first plate might be very satisfying. The second plate a little less so. Beyond the third plate, the marginal utility value drops to zero or even negative – you are simply forcing yourself to eat because you want to eat your money’s worth.
Arahoz Noorhem is an educator who teaches English as a foreign language, a professional jazz pianist, music composer, bird watcher and an intrepid traveler.
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