May 29, 2008
Dispelling the Myth of the "All You Can Eat Buffet"
By Stan Dyer
When speaking of restaurants, mention "All you can eat" or "Buffet" and you will get a mixed response. Some people will respond, "Ewwww!", and others will respond, "Ahhhh!" The truth is past experience, preconceived notions and attitudes toward food all contribute to differing opinions on the matter, but it is still best to reserve judgment until after actually sampling the product offered at least twice.
Experience is important because people tend to think in "absolute terms". If one experience at one restaurant was bad, or someone knows someone who had a bad experience, others will assume all experiences will be the same. The same is true of good experiences. Most times, diners will benefit greatly to carefully scrutinize an establishment based on their own, actual experiences and to do it multiple times before passing sentence.
Preconceived notions relate to experience. In the past, diners came to believe that restaurants offering "AYCE" only profited by using stale breads, cheap cuts of meat, and otherwise compromising their product to sell it at a reduced price. The truth is no matter what you are eating, you can only eat so much and restaurants use this knowledge to entice you. You still pay for everything you get, but you think you are getting more for less since no limit is placed on your consumption, and most will choose this option because it appeals to one's sense of value. A good example of this is "Red Robin". They sell a great "gourmet" burger, but how many people really want to pay $8, $10 or more for a burger? To sweeten the deal, they throw in bottomless fries and soft drinks. A restaurant can make a lot of fries from one, inexpensive potato and a soft drink that may cost as little as $1.50 may only cost the restaurant about fifteen cents. A customer would have to eat many fries and drink up to ten sodas just to break even with the restaurant. Nonetheless, the bottomless offer makes the product more attractive and keeps the customer happy with no reduction at all in the quality of the food.
Finally, the most important aspect of the "Myth of the All You Can Eat Buffet" is attitude toward food. People expect to pay a certain price for a certain amount and a certain quality of food. Even though everyone loves a bargain, people many times believe if the price is too low, the product must be defective. Again, before you pass judgment, I invite you to do the research for yourself. Consider places like "Rodizio Grill", 1801 Wynkoop, across from Union Station, 303-297-9277. This restaurant is successful using the "AYCE" method and has many, loyal, satisfied customers. They offer a wide variety of unusual and exotic meats that diners are welcome to sample in any quantity all at one, fair price.
Another restaurant to consider that shatters the mold of the conventional "AYCE" is the "Garden Terrace" at the Inverness Hotel and Golf Course, 200 Inverness Drive West in Englewood, 303-397-722-7222. Now, I have never been, but I have heard enticing reports of a gourmet seafood buffet for $28.95. Believe me, at that price, everyone is happy in a classic "win/win", "quid pro quo" arrangement. I wonder if it would taste the same if they charged only $10? From what I hear, they could probably charge $35 and people would still be clamoring to get in.
There are also restaurants like "1515 Restaurant" at 1515 Market in Lodo, 303-571-0011, that offer occasional "holiday" gourmet buffets. Restaurants like "1515" offer holiday buffets to attract customers on special days with the hope that new, regular customers will be made. They certainly do not want to cut corners when their product is on display in such a manner. A good impression on a special day has twice the effect, but a bad impression can be irreversible.
If Franklin Roosevelt wrote a similar article, he might add, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". The point is, whom do you trust more than yourself? Go out and try a buffet or two, but leave your past experiences, your preconceived notions and your attitudes about food behind. Check the establishment for friendly staff, cleanliness, quality of product and overall value. Chances are good you will find a new friend and go a long way toward dispelling the myth of the all you can eat buffet.