[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by Raiderman

Because the buffet I frequent IS cook to order (mongolian stir fry, pasta station, etc), and they are generally free for us. Plus, I can't buy food or eat at a restaurant with the same level of quality for 7,000 points. Some buffets are grody, some are very good and fresh.

Makes sense. I don't generate enough points, so for me it would be retail price.

What buffets do you frequent with a cook-to-order, quality option?

[Raiderman]

We like GVR. Although on the lower end for pricing, everything is fresh, as the turnover is very high. I've found that especially true at the Chinese station. Just about every time I want something, be it ribs, dumplings, etc, they are freshly cooked and put on the line right before I get them.

Their carving station keeps the price low, as they have turkey, ham, and roast beef or brisket instead of prime rib. But they have Mongolian stir fry, cook to order pasta station, etc. Their sushi is mid-quality, and they just switched to peel and eat shrimp instead of peeled, so I no longer have that. I don't want feet on my food

Their dinner buffet is $15 retail.

[jtjtjtjt]

Originally Posted by C_A_Braun

Interesting system. The buffet waiter doing twice as much work in your opinion deserves only half the pay while the one doing half the work deserves twice the pay?

Assuming you are in the widget manufacturing industry I would like to come work for you. I would make $30/hour to build you 5 widgets and sit on my butt doing nothing for 30 minutes each hour vs the guy who also makes $30/hour building you 10 widgets working non-stop.

Remember I am also making a judgement as to what they should be making. The widget make who sits on his butt 30 minutes each hour obviously does not deserve the same pay as the guy who works a full hour and produces twice as many widgets.

A waiter that goofs off should be paid less and I would take that into consideration.

[Caltovegas]

I tip a dollar to the cashier, hostess, and leave about three on the table when I leave. That's what I was told was the vegas way. As to why a buffet?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1yQ3hUz3z8

[BBMW]

More variety in a single meal. More value, especially if you select carefully. In a normal restaurant, they portion and control the balance of the plates to maximize their profits (ie lots of cheap carbs and limited expensive proteins.) If I go into a restaurant here (NYC) and order King Crab Legs, I get a set portion of them for $40+, and that doesn't include an appetizer, desert, and any soft drinks. In Vegas, I have gone to some of the buffets (I'm thinking Aria specifically) and can eat all I want of them, plus everything else on the buffet, for $36, including non-alcoholic beverages.

You MAY get higher quality in a normal restaurant, but then you're likely paying more per head, and getting less for it. And, of course, the buffets are NOT created equal (nor are the normal restaurants.)

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

I just don't see the attraction of a buffet. Why would someone eat at a buffet when they can have a perfectly nice meal in a regular restaurant - and the food quality is much better, cooked to order, and you don't feel as if you are in a cattle car or on a cruise ship?

[Caltovegas]

Something else to consider is its not like Gus the head fy cook cooking in the casino buffets. Some of them are good except for steaks and pizza. I have yet to find a buffet with a decent steak or pizza.

[C_A_Braun]

Originally Posted by Caltovegas

Something else to consider is its not like Gus the head fy cook cooking in the casino buffets. Some of them are good except for steaks and pizza. I have yet to find a buffet with a decent steak or pizza.

The buffet at "The Fremont" does steaks to order on some nights of the week. They have generally been passable but YMMV.

[BBMW]

While I agree with this, that's not what I'd be eating at a buffet. I'd never eat the pizza because, why bother, when there's likely much better food available. And if you want beef, prime rib, which many buffets have, is usually a better choice on a buffet. A steak needs more individual attention than it's going to get on a buffet, they're cut too thin, and usually get overcooked.

Originally Posted by Caltovegas

Something else to consider is its not like Gus the head fy cook cooking in the casino buffets. Some of them are good except for steaks and pizza. I have yet to find a buffet with a decent steak or pizza.

[SpamDeleted]

For me the tip depends mainly on how much I eat. For example, at a breakfast buffet I typically only have one plate of food and one drink. For that I'll tip $1-$2.

At a buffet like Bacchanal where I have multiple drinks and go up many times for food I'll tip more because there are more plates to clear more often.

Oh, and I always tip a $1 the guy who makes my fresh omelet.

[SLCPUNK]

I tip 10% as a base, but if they are doing a great job I bump it up.