Even before the Covid-19 crisis, visits to popular chain buffets I always knew were greater risks for illness. I'd try to block out the little kids that were running around touching all the plates, grabbing spoons. For a child, the sneeze guard is a only a glass ceiling that they can only reach under with their hands. But it's not just kids, it's the nature of the beast. It's the public serving themselves, with shared spoons, and tongs, dropped into gravy and sauce. Under the best of circumstance and even with the most careful approach, I think it was near impossible to believe at any buffet you weren't being exposed and potentially exposing others to germs. But speaking for myself, I took the risk. I guess the question becomes will we take that risk again someday? It's a popular food service model. It allows for a lot of food to be served to a lot of people, less expensively than the traditional sit at a table an have an individual meal served to you format. People go to Vegas and Casino's with "Visit the Buffet" on a list of things they are going to do. I just wonder how quickly this may rebound, or what changes might be implemented. How much will be just general public trust? Or will I find myself in the future with sepia toned photos of a buffet, telling stories of how food use to be served?
True. It's hard for me to believe the "buffet" format would disappear. But it's equally hard for me to believe that in 8 months people will be flocking to round about, set out food, being obtained by grabbing shared utensils. Guess I'm thinking more of popular chain buffets or Casino buffets, than wedding, funerals and more private applications of the format.
I've got a feeling we'll slip-slide back to the old status quo. But then maybe when a second wave hits we'll smarten up again? For a while? I'd like to relax, fall back to the old normal.
Watched a really kind of disgusting video where a persons hands were covered in a black light luminescent lotion, then that person went through a buffet, then other guests...then at some point the lights were turned off black light turned on and that dye was present on everyone's plate, and everyone's food, even on one other persons face. I want to strive to returning to someday trusting our immune systems. I would like to believe someday, sooner than later I would be willing to go through a buffet. Have to admit, NOT on my list of first wave things to do after restrictions are lifted.
my parents lived off of the 'free' buffets in vegas for years. we enjoy them at the hotels on our trip to florida. but i have to wonder if we'll ever do any of these types of 'public' events again. i don't mind not going back to the old normal. maybe we can create a better normal.
A few things will change. Remember unsealed jars, boxes and bins in the grocery stores, remember before seat belts? It is impossible for mankind to live in a sterile bubble...so pick your poison. The vulnerable should always take extra precautions, but it's amazing how the healthy human body handles life.
Every year in Wuhan they have an enormous pot luck festival, usually making it into the Guiness Book of World Records. They held it again, this year, in January: Wuhan neighbourhood sees infections after 40,000 families gather for potluck | The Star I'm guessing that's the last time they hold this pot luck event. On the other hand, these days everyone's attention span is so short, maybe by next year people will go "Remember that coronavirus last year? That was crazy." "Huh? What are you talking about? Oh yeah, I remember now." Well, at least we can hope we'll all be vaccinated and it will be gone and forgotten by then.
i'm just hoping our families and friends can get back together someday without endangering anyone's life
I live here, and of course buffets will be back. The answer lies in one thing: Buffets are profitable. And if there's one thing this town loves, it's profit.
I like buffets too, however the sickest I have been in a long long time was after eating at a particular chain that specializes in buffets. It was a wonderful meal but just a few hours later I had a world class case of intestinal distress with vomiting and problems at the other end also. It was all gone by the next morning but till then I was very sick and didn't leave the house after getting home. I wonder about just regular sit down restaurants where multiple people touch your food and when your food is bought to your table it is handled by the server who transports it through most of the restaurant. I can't help but wonder how their business in the future will look.
I live just down the road in Laughlin and I, too, think the buffets will be back but in a modified form that more resembles cafeterias. Silverware and napkins already at the table as place-settings like a normal restaurant. Single servings placed on small dishes (possibly disposable?) so patrons just take the dish and don't all have to touch a common serving spoon. Food stations like the slicing of prime rib and making of omelettes to order can still be done since here most of that was done as a touch-less exercise behind glass already. No public beverage dispensers; all drinks brought to the table or refilled by staff. Free standing buffets in restaurants will likely go by the wayside in favor of full sit down service again. Restaurants that are 100% buffets will most likely be gone. An executive at Souplantation has already announced they don't see any way to profitably reopen and are shut down permanently. EDIT ADD: A mask may be required any time you get up from the table to get food. No one allowed anywhere near the food serving areas without wearing one.
Ditto srellim234, I see a change in how buffets serve their food. It will involve more overall labor, not to mention labor in constant cleaning, which, in turn raises the costs. Probably why Souplantation decided to just close.
