I think the food waste is much higher with a buffet given how many people I've seen pretend they're at Golden Corral while inside the UC. Also you have a serious hygiene issue in the clubs, which oddly I've not seen replicated in other buffet venues in Las Vegas where people seem to know not to re-use dirty plates or stick their hands into serving dishes, but for some reason the UC just brings out some over the top bad behavior.

I also find it odd that United is still telling us about onboard service restrictions to "minimize the risk of transmission and keep customers and employees safe" while at the same time putting out an open buffet at the lounge without anyone supervising what people are doing there. Does my Polaris meal have a mysteriously higher risk of contamination vs a tray of noodle salad with a serving spoon that repeatedly touches dirty dishes?