Serve. I find that at a lot of buffets, the food just
isn't kept hot or cold enough for me.

I guess I'd prefer being served rather than getting it myself but there's pros and cons to each. If I want a little more of this and a little less of that, I have that option with a buffet. And I get so disgusted having to flag down a waitress to get a refill. Seems like once you get your food, and especially if you look like you're about finished you won't see them again until they look for the tip. If I have to go through that, I might as well get up and refill it myself.

I like to be served, but I dislike the fancy restaurants where the waiter is always there hoovering. DH and I went to one restaurant where the waiter actually puts the napkin on your lap. Ick!! Way out of my comfort zone.

I like both.
I certainly prefer a Sunday brunch buffet at a nice restaurant than a seated meal at IHOP.
But prefer a seated meal at a local restaurant to an "all you can eat" buffet at a Pizza Hut.

I meant BE served! sheesh! wish there
was an edit button! lol

I like both. I love all you can eat buffets. especially if the food is tasty. i also like sitting down and perusing the menu. And the best part of eating out is I can walk away from the table and have someone else clean up and do the dishes!

I will never eat at a buffet where you serve yourself. Several years ago we stopped for breakfast at a buffet type restaurant. A family of 7 was in front of us. The kids picked up bacon, sasuage, toast and ham with their fingers. Then an older brother told the smaller kids to put some of the food back, they had too much. We left before eating. I will eat at a buffet if they have employees serving. I agree sometimes the food isn't hot.

I like both.

I am not a big fan of buffets.....seems like the hot foods are never hot enough.

I feel the same as Ron about the buffets. They aren't sanitary. I don't eat huge meals and have always felt buffets were overpriced except for those who overeat. At a hospital orientation, the infection control nurse told us that if you aren't first in line at a salad bar or buffet, you are eating poop. I never forgot that.
I love to be waited on in restaurants.

I would love to just go out....either way for me, but I think I would enjoy the food at a sit down place better.

Trin

No buffets! I have seen way too many children/people sticking fingers in to "taste" and people coughing over the food. Our final one was in Reno and I said no way are we ever eating at a buffet again! So it's been about 20 years!

Count me in with the group that won't do a self serv buffet. I much prefer a cafeteria where you select what you want and they put it on your plate. From there on it's self serve as you take it to your table. They also usually have well trained people who check for refills often. Buffets are nasty. Having said that, I think I have a slight preference for being served over serving myself. I seldom go out for a "nice" dinner and when I do I want the works. Thank you very much.

I'm supposed to avoid buffets while on chemo because of the greater chance of food contamination. So I always go where I am waited on.

What Maryanntx just said should probably be a lesson for all of us. Who wants to eat contaminated food?

I prefer self service/ I can get a variety and know what I'm putting on my plate. I've found most places are clean with the staff constantly cleaning up drips etc.

I agree about buffets. They scare me, LOL. I like to be waited on, but I'm not a fan of fancy restaurants either. Just a regular ol' diner or restaurant is fine by me.

I want professional waitstaff in a good restaurant. A well-trained waiter anticipates your needs and is unobtrusive.

Or, maybe I'll go back in time and eat at a automat! LOL

I like both, just so I get to go out and eat.

Sue

I generally like anything I don't have to cook and clean up after!

I use to enjoy the buffets, but I usually overeat at them.
A sit down and order place is my preference, although they all serve too much food. I usually come home with enough for lunch the next day.

I don't care for most buffets. Once in a while I will go to one when I don't really know what I feel like eating.

I avoid all buffets and salad bars during flu season and I absolutely will not go on family nights when parents allow their unsupervised children to run amock touching with fingers etc. I see adults do that too so I am leery and careful where I'll eat.

We had a great Hometown Buffet manager who kept a sharp eye out for such things. He's no longer there and they've changed their pricing to attract the gullible so I probably won't be going back.

I prefer to be served anyway. When I go out I am not just paying for the food but also the ambiance. Good service is a large part of the experience.

We have a restaurant where you grill your own steak. How stupid is that? You pay premium meat prices to stand around and cook your meat with others. If you get it wrong you can't send it back of course. If I want to cook I will go get a good steak at less than half the price and do it at home.

I eat at buffets often, but I am not that crazy about the food, usually. I will go eat at one tomorrow that serves Mexican food on Thursday, but I just eat the guacamole and fajita beef and ice cream. There is good food and there is a lot of food. To me, buffets are a lot of food, but not necessarily good food.

Now, I wouldn't mind grilling my own steak. No one can get it rare enough for me.

I don't like buffets, but not necessarily because of the "ick" factor. I don't eat that much, and the price is usually just way too high. They cater to the "all you can eat" clientele, as most (not all) of the customers on any one night will demonstrate. And I agree, the food is seldom hot enough. Hot should be hot, and cold should be cold. Lukewarm just doesn't cut it. I prefer to order from the menu on the rare occasions we go out, and split the order if it's going to be too big. Cafeterias where the price is "by the item" aren't too bad, but the food isn't as good as what I would fix at home; and again, not hot enough.

Always table service. Buffets are generally poor food, not cold enough or hot enough, and who knows who has been in there!, LOL. Also, we never eat a full dinner in a restaurant, so why pay a premium for "stuff until you're sick"?

I'm a very good cook, so I'm not going to pay for mediocre food and have to serve myself.

When we do go out, it's usually to a local (non-chain) restaurant with good service and good food at a price that compares reasonably with the "all you can eat" places.

I've been to a few very good buffets (think $40 per person for brunch), but I just don't eat enough to justify even a $15 buffet (and those are usually lousy food). I prefer to order off the menu.

I don't do buffets or salad bars. I almost threw up one time when I saw an ADULT dip a cucumber in the ranch dressing, bite it and then dipped it AGAIN. Double dipping right at the salad bar!! yuck!!

I'm another one that doesn't do buffets for the same reasons already mentioned. And while we're at it, I don't do those chocolate fountain thingies either.

I like to be waited on.

Another no fan of buffets, the only one I do like is at our favorite Chinese place in Louisville. Lots of seafood and sushi on it.

I remember once when we went to a buffet somewhere, Alex just came out of the bathroom. He pointed out a man who was in there with him who "took a dump" and didn't wash his hands...he was right up there at the buffet. Gag.