All You Can Eat Etiquette
Photo © Rob Jones
In all my days of travelling around the world, this is the first time I’ve entertained the idea of “all inclusive”.
There’s no particular reason for having avoided it in the past, I’ve just never found myself in this situation.
But here I am ..
Interestingly I have noticed several stages to the experience:
Curiosity - Watch and learn. Get one’s bearings.
Denial - This cannot be true. ‘All this food, and I can have as much as I want, more or less whenever I want?’
Joy - At realising you are essentially a ‘kiddie in a sweet shop.’
Anger - Why didn’t I do this before.
Acceptance - In for a penny, in for a pound…. oh look, that looks nice.
Guilt - I’ll just go back for another plate, but I’ll sit on the other side of the restaurant this time so no one will judge me (like they will?? Everyone’s doing it.)
Boredom - It’s actually all too much. It’s too easy. Its infinite variety is waning.
Depression - Realising that this level of eating can’t go on.
Acceptance - A curious distaste for excess
Indifference - the ability to walk through a buffet area without stopping to look what’s on offer. Selecting five button mushrooms and a slice of salami. Leaving.
And as an observer of people, I have noticed a curious etiquette - which I should add is frequently broken, especially by unsupervised children:
Stand back while you peruse - only step forward into the queue if you are about to attack.
Don’t eat in the queue. Select and then withdraw.
Respect personal space of other diners. Don’t reach across in front of someone to grab the best bits.
Only take what you can eat. Don’t heap. The food is going nowhere. Likewise, don’t waste.
Don’t (obviously) cram food in a doggie bag for later.
Always leave some for others, the salvers will be replenished regularly.
Limit return trips - you really don’t need three plates of food.
Dress for dinner. No overhanging exposed beer bellies.
Attempt to disguise unhealthy choices by placing some grated carrot or a piece of tomato on top of the pile of food.
Once done, vacate swiftly.
On the whole though I have been pleasantly surprised by the experience.
I didn’t mention the drinks did I… like the unlimited Prosecco. No?
R.
