The Best Buffet Strategy to Maximize Your Dollars and Stomach
When I planned my recent trip to Las Vegas, the city of excess and indulgence, I knew I had to make a stop at a buffet. Vegas is home to some of the best buffets in the country. And since I like buffets and hadn’t been to one in years since pre-COVID times, this was the perfect opportunity to eat at one and use my buffet strategy. What’s a buffet strategy? It’s a methodical way to work the buffet to maximize your enjoyment of the meal and get the most value for your money. Read on to learn how to do it!
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How did this strategy start?
The idea of a buffet strategy came about as a joke between my friend and me many years ago. I was one of those kids who ate bowls of soup and bread rolls at buffets.
Then while watching TV one day, the main character of a sitcom visited a buffet and explained to skip the bread rolls and go for the fish. Since then, I’ve had a buffet strategy that has been expanded and honed over the years.
I should add that this post is meant to be comical. I’m not the optimal buffet eater because of my food and eating preferences.
I also don’t encourage wasting food. Every piece of meat or seafood came from an animal that gave its life for us to eat it. Even vegetables take water, sun, and care to grow and harvest. So enjoy eating, but not so much as to waste food or make yourself sick.
Pre-buffet
1 | Find out the restaurant’s offerings
When deciding which buffet to visit, take a look at all your options including what each offers. Eating at a local Asian food buffet is going to be different than a buffet in Vegas in terms of what food is offered, the variety of the food, possibly the quality of the food, the price, and so on.
Before visiting Vegas, I watched reviews of buffets there on YouTube and read reviews online. I ended up choosing Bacchanal Buffet versus The Buffet at Wynn because I liked the food options. I plan to go to the one at the Wynn on my next trip.
If you don’t have the option to scope out the offerings, do a quick trip around the food stations once you’re seated. You’ll have a better idea of what’s offered so you can decide what you most want to eat.
2 | Make a reservation
Make a reservation as soon as you can. Decide if you want to go on a weekday or weekend and for lunch or dinner. Dinner may have more food options, but lunch may have everything you need for a satisfying meal.
Some buffets may have specials or add-ons. I know of one that had the option to pay more for extra items like lobster.
If you don’t get the reservation you want, keep checking daily and even several times a day because spots will open up as people’s travel plans change.
If you don’t have a reservation, you may end up waiting an hour or more for a table, especially if you want to eat dinner there on a long holiday weekend or during the high season.
In general, I find earlier mealtimes are better because there are fewer people at the restaurant. That means less time waiting in lines for the food. The restaurant is less likely to run out of the most popular foods as well.
3 | Ask about any specials
Some buffets in my area have specials such as a birthday discount or free meal if a certain number of people are paying. There’s also pricing where children under a certain age eat for half price or for free.
4 | Note the time limit
The buffets I considered in Vegas had time limits of 90 minutes and 2 hours. That seems like plenty of time to eat a meal. But if you consider all the variables that add to a meal, then you could run up to the limit.
Assisting children, seniors, or other people to get food
Sitting far from the food stations or having mobility issues
Standing in line waiting for food to come or to be served
Taking a rest break or bathroom break
Time to eat your food including picking seafood out of their shells
I found 90 minutes to be enough time to eat. I was done eating well before 90 minutes were up, but some young adults at the table next to me started eating before I did and were still going strong after I finished. If that could be you, note the time limit so you stay on pace.
If you have mobility issues, ask if you can have seating closer to the food stations.
5 | Eat lightly & stay hydrated during the day
While you might be tempted to avoid eating the entire day before a buffet dinner, it’s actually better to eat lightly during the day. Your stomach will shrink if you don’t eat at all.
Eat a small light breakfast or lunch to keep yourself somewhat sated but still hungry enough to eat dinner. Drink plenty of water the day before the meal and continue drinking the day of the meal.
You’ll want to be hydrated so you’re comfortable and ready to eat (not drink) during dinner.
6 | Exercise
Some people find that exercise is a great way to increase their appetite, while for others it can be blunting. If you know that exercising makes you hungry, get in a workout before the buffet. You’ll be so ready to eat!
7 | Wear stretchy pants
Dress comfortably in loose-fitting clothes that will stretch while you eat. For me, that’s pants with an elastic waist.
Do you know the scene from the movie The Nutty Professor, where Eddie Murphy tells the salesperson that he wants spandex, all spandex? He’s ready for a buffet.
During the buffet
8 | Meat and seafood
Go for the meat and seafood, then more meat and seafood.
Some people say to start with a bit of salad or soup as an appetizer or warm-up to help your stomach adjust to eating, but I think they are too filling and delay getting to the good stuff.
Meat like prime rib and seafood such as crab legs, sushi, and sashimi are considered higher-end items. They cost more to provide, so that’s where you’ll get the most value for your dollars.
I’ve been to buffets where crab legs were in short supply. You had to be at the seafood station or keep an eye on the station to get them when they came out or they would be gone.
There was no shortage of any of the meat or seafood offerings when I was at Bacchanal.
The only challenging thing was how much time it took for me to get the meat out of the crab claws. They came pre-cut, but I still had to work at each one, which took quite a bit of time.
9 | Wait in the longest lines
You’ll want to minimize the number of times you get up and line up, which can cut into your eating time. You may have to wait in line for the most popular foods at the busiest times.
Those are usually the meat and seafood stations. The wait times can be even longer at stations where food is made to order such as the crepe or noodle bowl stations.
I like to see how the lines are moving. I sometimes line up at the slow-moving stations first to get the waiting out of the way. But if I notice that the lines vary in wait time, I’ll keep an eye open and wait until the line gets short.
10 | Double plate and stack the plates
You have two hands, so why not carry two plates? Using two plates at once allows you to get double the amount of food in only one pass at a food station.
You can also stack your plates. I saw plenty of people stacking smaller plates on large ones and stacking crab legs upon crab legs.
11 | Eat in line
If the place is particularly crowded or you feel you’re just not going to eat what you want by the time limit, you could try nibbling on food while waiting in line for other food.
I think this is a bit unhygienic and you may be frowned on by other visitors, but this was mentioned by a well-known restaurateur Dave Chang so I think it’s an option.
12 | No carbs
No bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, or other starchy items. They’re cheap to provide and fill you up while often not giving much nutritional value.
Skip the vegetables too unless you really like them. If you really want or must eat carbs and veggies, eat the proteins first, then veggies, then the carbs if you want to get the most value for your meal.
13 | Skip the usual stuff
Skip anything you can easily buy or make at home. Go for the food that you would rate 9/10 or anything that’s rare and exciting to try.
The dim sum station at Bacchanal was popular, but since I get dim sum regularly at home, I skipped the whole section and moved on to the sushi and poke area next to it. I’ll even skip desserts because sweets and ice cream are easily accessible at home.
14 | Minimize drinks
As mentioned above, drink plenty of water the day before the meal and drink enough to stay hydrated the day of the meal.
During the meal, minimize liquids because they will fill you up. Stick to water or small amounts of other drinks you might want to try. Pass on bowls of soups and cups of soda or other liquids.
15 | Pace your eating
Pacing is key to being able to eat more. When you start to get full, take a break so you can get a second wind or at least take on a last round of desserts. Walk around, chat with your party, and use the restroom.
16 | Take small portions
Another tip is to take small portions of each item that you genuinely want to try on your first pass. This is a good option if you like variety or just want to try as many items as possible.
You can savor the flavors and textures without eating too much of any one item. If you really like something and want more, get more of it on your next pass.
Post buffet
17 | Stay upright for at least 1 hr after
Stay upright for at least 1 hr after eating and even longer if you can. When you stay upright, you allow gravity to assist the movement of the food and prevent food from coming back up into your esophagus, an unpleasant feeling. You’re less likely to find yourself suffering from acid reflux, indigestion, and heartburn.
18 | Walk it off
Take a gentle stroll or a brisk walk after your meal to help digestion. Walking for 10 to 30 minutes is ideal. The physical activity stimulates the abdomen, promoting movement in the gastrointestinal tract and enhancing digestion.
19 | Take antacids if you need them
You might feel stomach discomfort or heartburn after overindulging at the buffet. Antacids such as Tums and Pepto-Bismol can help neutralize excess stomach acid and provide relief. Follow the dosage instructions and consult your doctor if you need to before taking them.
20 | Eat light the following day
Eating light the day after a buffet can give your digestive system a break and give you a chance to restore a balanced diet. Buffets often involve consuming large quantities of varied and rich foods.
Focus on eating healthier nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, salads, and other foods that are gentle on your stomach. And rehydrate with plenty of water.
Wrap Up
If you like eating well and getting the most value for your money, use the tips above the next time you visit a buffet. You might be amazed at how much you eat!
What are some of your favorite buffets? What are your tips for eating well at a buffet?
