Why Do Some Cruisers Act Like a Pack of Wolves When Faced with a Buffet?

[SheriNtexas]

I am astounded at the lack of manners in the buffet line. I could care less how much people eat, but I was really appalled last year when a lady in front of me scraped the onions out of a bowl with her bare hand. I had no clue what to do or who to complain to. It really made me think about eating at the buffet again.

 

 

Now THAT is gross!!:eek:

[Cruisetrio]

I am astounded at the lack of manners in the buffet line. I could care less how much people eat, but I was really appalled last year when a lady in front of me scraped the onions out of a bowl with her bare hand. I had no clue what to do or who to complain to. It really made me think about eating at the buffet again.

 

 

I agree....indulge, fill your gut, whatever....but dont be unsanitary and rude. I too have seen the bare-handed food grab at the buffet. eewww

[Hemisphere Dancer]

I don't know about this but maybe it has something to do with leftover prehistoric survival instincts. Like the other poster, I have noticed this on land as well .... I was at a crab leg buffet in Las Vegas when a man in line behind me started reaching OVER me. Couldn't get fed fast enough, I guess. This got me to thinking ... when you go into a sit-down restaurant and order off the menu, in most cases you are patient while waiting for your food, chit-chatting w/ your dinner companions. Yet the food is not a guarantee, i.e. it is "unseen" - behind the kitchen doors being prepared. There is no mad rush to get to the unforeseen food. All bets are off at the buffet, though. Whereas, right in front of you, you have laid out a seemingly endless supply of food, people act like it's not enough, will NEVER be enough! MUST GATHER UP ALL THE FOOD IN SIGHT! And will not hesitate to "fight" anyone else in line competing for said food. (Again, pre-historic behavior remnant?)

The only other rationale I can come up with is, after waiting 30 mins just to get to the start of the line, then another 30 mins actually moving through the line (of course, taking into consideration all the cut-ins) maybe people pile it on because they don't want to have to go through a second time. I dunno. I hate cruise ship buffets for all the above reasons.

[jessemon]

I just got back from my 4th Carnival cruise and I enjoyed it(I always do), but I've noticed something that really aggravates me. I'm a fairly young guy, but I've got manners, and apparently this is a rare trait in people these days.

What really aggravated me the most was the people in line for the buffet. I rarely eat buffets, as the food is NEVER as good as when it is served to you immediately, but other than that, I have discovered why people gain 15 or 20 pounds on a cruise. The majority of these people seemed to think the food was going to run out--They stampeded when the buffet line opened, they piled their plates as high as possible(sometimes higher than wasn't possible, hence the spilling of food on the line, the floor, themselves, etc), they were pushy, rude, and crass. My girlfriend and I finally just stepped out of the way, disgusted, and waited till the line died down some. In the future when I miss my seating in the dining room, I will eat from the slim pickings offered on the room service menu rather than to witness the gluttony from the slobs at the buffet(not all of the diners, but a good many...I was very surprised). I actually lose weight on a cruise, because I do not find the food, no matter what dining venue I eat in, all that great. Some of it is good, but I can eat way better at almost any non-chain restaurant in New Orleans. I go on cruises for the relaxation, the visiting of ports, the romantic aspects of it---NOT for the food.

The funny part is I've cruised on every big cruiseline and some of the smaller ones...It's always the same.....It is like these people are never going to eat again (at least for the next 5 minutes) It is just amazing.

I saw an old fellow push a young lady (20 or so) out of his way to get a muffin or something. It was really funny when he was walking away and the young ladies drink just happen to spill all down his leg.;)

I learned a saying from an very nice bartender I used to know.....Someone would bang a glass or hollar at her for another drink.....she'd say.....

"IT AIN'T A PINT OF BLOOD"...I always thought that was funny.....:D :D

[scubacindy]

I have experienced all the behavior from pushing, cutting in, reaching across to get things like I would have eaten the whole cake before they could get their slice.

 

But, the absolute worst I witnessed on my last cruise was at the condiments, sour cream to be exact. A lady took her finger and cleaned off the serving spoon then stuck her finger in her mouth and licked off the sour cream.

 

That is how we spread viruses and other diseases. Another good reason to avoid buffett style meals.

 

I personally, only go for breakfast, or will have a sandwich from the deli. I do not like the self serve bins of food as I am very picky now about who may have decided to taste from the serving spoon.

 

What you see is probably a reflection of what they do at home too! Makes me think twice about knowing a person before eating at their home or a dish they bring to a pot luck dinner!

 

Cindy

[CeleBrat]

Last cruise we were on, we saw a man sitting there with several plates of food, including a plate with 6 oranges on it. This was on the Embarkation buffet, so we thought maybe he's taking them to his room.

 

Not so much! He ate 2 oranges, then left the other 4 there on the table.

 

What a waste! It was definitely a situation where his eyes were bigger than his stomach.

 

CeleBrat

[Lulachick]

I don't like buffet either but that is where my DH and m-i-l wanted to eat for 2 of 3 meals of the day so I went with the flow and hoped for the best. I also Mystery Shop for Golden Corral so it can get interesting watching people act like it is their last meal. I managed to tick my DH off one day that we ate at the buffet, they insisted that we eat at the buffet for dinner:eek: and when I tasted the entree I was not to thrilled with the taste ( it wasn't bad just not what I wanted), so I pushed it to the side and promptly went and got myself a pizza - talk about slap him in the face:D . We did not eat at the buffet again for dinner. I don't pay a small fortune to eat at a buffet for dinner when I can get the good stuff in the formal dining room. LOL everyone

[hunter2004]

My last cruise, I missed all buffet except the 2 days at sea where I have buffet. I just want some simple and easy. I stood in line for long time because people infront of me never finish piling on their plate. It all you can eat I don't know why they don't go back for 2nd time. My husband always ask me "where have you been?", I said, "I got lost.!!!"

[nimbex1970]

How funny your all mostly from Europe originally, maybe the older europeans remember being hungry!! which our generation are mostly in the western world have never known. I hate to see everyone rushing the buffet but with the old lady and the yogurt, maybe something from her past might be causing this. Be nice peeps

 

 

Don't know about that, mom grew up in the depression... leaves one single piece of something left on her plate... means everything was excellent enough to eat almost all of it, but plenty enough not to finish it all and not still hungry needing seconds which couldn't be refilled by the host.

 

dad in law, immigrated from Czech with my hubby... will eat the left overs from others plate instead of seconds as he is unable to waste any food and the waste on buffets causes endless grumbling for him. In Czech they were waiting in lines for hours and not knowing what food will be left to buy and lived on lard and bread many days.

 

Not living through either... I'm a buffet hater that takes multiple trips with tiny selections to try things and leave what I don't like the taste of.... drives the family nuts, they think I'm a wasteful glutton:D

 

 

OP, know what you mean, when one persons plate weighs in at 5 Lbs, half is left and they're in line again piling it up... I wonder if they think the food will run out and they'll be left hungry.... drives me nuts too.

 

so many variations on how to look at it, I've never found the sense of it either, but look what I travel with... someone is always grumbling about the buffet eating of others, probably why I despise them.

[L2J]

but piling your plate high with 85 pieces of bacon...that takes it to a different level

 

 

Nothing wrong with that :D MMM...Bacon...should be it's own food group :D

 

Last cruise I went to the Lobster buffet and saw this little old lady - guessing she was probably in her 80s and couldn't have weighed 80 pounds soaking wet - with a plate piled high with everything lobster. It was probably more food that I could have eaten and I can put away some serious groceries.

[Guienevere_Arianette]

(cue 80s music) I'm hungry like the woooolllllfffff........

[LHP]

(cue 80s music) I'm hungry like the woooolllllfffff........

 

Good one.... (as I clean the coffee off my computer screen)

 

A little warning though next time...Ok??? :)

[KroozNut]

I read all the replies and the only thought I can come up with is, nobody should be rude crowding and pushing their way through the buffet line but on the other hand, people like me save their hard earned money and if I want to eat 3 pizzas Why can't I, if I want 3 plates of food what's the problem. People cruise for different reasons, to relax, to party, to visit ports, to eat foods they don't get all the time and like me all the above. Other things that are disgusting are people who are loud and drunk cussing and not caring if kids are around. I lived in Las Vegas for 15 years and the same thing happens, people lose their money so when it comes to buffet time they eat more and take more than they can handle because they feel they deserve it.

 

Just my 2 cents worth

 

Longhorn -

 

I don't think anyone has a problem with taking and enjoying all that you want; it's the people that pile it on, and then leave most of it to waste. For me, it's the waste that gets me going. As long as one eats/enjoys what they take; no problem at all! : )

[WeatherGeek]

On the Imagination last month, there was never a wait at the salad station :D Made me even more happy to be a salad eater.

[sjohnson529]

My DH is a sausage fanatic. He doesn't get to eat it at home. On a cruise, or any venue with "all you can eat", if sausage is involved, he'll pile his plate high, and eat every bite. Now he doesn't shove people down to get to it, and he patiently waits his turn, but on vacation, he's the sausage king. Me on the other hand....BACON RULES!

[loungelizard]

It's more like the 3 Little Pigs than the Big Bad Wolf...especially when it comes to breakfast meats. I was reading about a Chinese restaurant that banned a particular family from eating off their buffet...NOT for eating like Homer Simpson at the Frying Dutchman, but for taking huge plates of food, eating a little, and then leaving the rest to be thrown out. Gluttonous cruisers are a reflection of the wasteful and disposable society we all live in.

[mzloolue]

I agree about waste.

It does bother me.

Especially when meat is wasted as something had to die to provide it and it is not right to waste it.

 

I take a little of several things.

If I want more then I go back and get some that is hot.

 

My mom used to say "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach".

[LonghornCruizer]

Longhorn -

 

I don't think anyone has a problem with taking and enjoying all that you want; it's the people that pile it on, and then leave most of it to waste. For me, it's the waste that gets me going. As long as one eats/enjoys what they take; no problem at all! : )

 

 

KroozNut

I just went back and read the first post and the post said nothing about waste, I was just responding to the post and the replys I read. It talks about rudeness and slobs .Waste is wrong yes but, sometimes the lines are long and people don't want to go through the long lines again. Some want to try different things so they pile it on. (Like me I'll try anything once but I might not like it). I still think most people look at it as I want my $2500.00. and no matter what if it includes waste they are going to get it. Question? How many of those people gorging thereselves order room service and didn't eat all that food eithier? Being rude and pushing and being unsanitary has no excuses but thats everywhere now days.

 

Again just my opinion;)

[LonghornCruizer]

Just to set the record straight. I go on a cruise to eat in the dining room not the buffets. I like the fish and chips, deli and room service for breakfast. MMMM love the salmon, bagel and coffee. The days in port I like to eat in the port to try out the caribbean foods. I'm not a buffet hog I only eat maybe 2 times on a 7 day cruise in the buffet :D I can go to Golden Corral when ever I want at home

[Name game]

I am astounded at the lack of manners in the buffet line. I could care less how much people eat, but I was really appalled last year when a lady in front of me scraped the onions out of a bowl with her bare hand. I had no clue what to do or who to complain to. It really made me think about eating at the buffet again.

 

This is actually scary and dangerous, not to mention disgusting. I guess people do stick their fingers and their hands into buffet foods. What about the person who sneezes on top of the buffet? Icky, I think I just turned myself off to buffets.

[KroozNut]

MMMM love the salmon, bagel and coffee.

 

I'm with you Longhorn... roomservice salmon, bagel with cream cheese and hot coffee. MMMmmm, doesn't get much better than that!

[cruisecavy]

This is one of my biggest pet- peeves ever! When people feel the need to pile everything onto their plate, take one bite, and then throw it all away. I usually find this to be popular with the younger children...but I've seen adults do it too. It just really ticks me off. Someone cooked this for your pleasure and I highly doubt they wanted you to take one bite and throw it away!

 

Anyways, I never eat breakfast at the buffet. My parents always make me come with them to the dinning room and they insist it's better. We very rarely use the buffet in general. Lunch we don't "pig out”, instead we just go get a bit of pizza and a salad. Then dinner is always in the dinning room, no matter what. The only time I get a lot of food is when my parents go out to the club area or casino and I watch my sister. Then I go to the buffet, grill area, etc, come back to my cabin, and spend rest of the night eating and hanging out with my sister. But at least we take what we are going to eat.

 

As far as manners go, oh gosh! It's chaotic. Its just food, it's still going to be there, and it's not a life or death situation if you didn't get the pasta salad you wanted. I always think one day there is going to be a mosh pit in the buffet area and I can see people fighting for the lobster or whatever "special" thing they are serving that day. :eek:

 

The bottom line is don’t be rude, use your manners, and most importantly, take what you are going to eat.

[Yvonne]

I've seen those plates piled high too, and I can never understand it. You can go back people, as many times as you'd like!! No need to be overloading that first plate.

 

Sometimes I feel guilty for how many plates I have, but I don't pile them high. I put 2-3 items on, and sometimes only a spoonful or two, as I'm not sure I'll like it and don't want to waste it if I don't want to eat it. But I'll go back 2-3 times and try other things, get more of something I liked, etc.

[Taleci]

I get disgusted by the same behavior at Costco. People descend upon those sample tables in hoards as though they have never eaten before.

[cruisecavy]

I get disgusted by the same behavior at Costco. People descend upon those sample tables in hoards as though they have never eaten before.

 

 

Lol! I love that store, and oh my gosh the samples, you could pretty much eat your lunch there. :D This one lady kept hitting my feet with her cart for pizza! It was so rude and pretty much I got trampled over once people started coming. I have seen people ballistic for some food. It's amazing to see what people will do for free food.