cmd320

I don't have a problem with buffets so long as the quality of the food is equal to what one would receive if they ordered from the plated menu. I think buffets often get a bad reputation because in many cases the quality of the food is much poorer and it has been sitting out under a heat lamp for too long.

With that said, I would have no problem using a buffet at a hotel even now.

margarita girl

As a vegetarian, I much prefer eating from a buffet than a la carte, because too many restaurants don't have much to offer in the way of vegetarian entrees (and no, fish isn't a vegetable). So I end up eating a salad, or a meat entrée without the meat. From a buffet, I can usually choose multiple vegetables, salads, and some carbs/protein (legumes).

Somehow, I manage not to overeat. My BMI is 22 (18.5 to 24.5 is considered normal). When I was 19 (and a meat eater) my BMI was 27, so definitely wasn't blessed with skinny genes.

chipmaster

I think the days of self serve may be over, but see nothing wrong with all you can eat with multiple stations where you can come back and get more and more and more and look like a Wall-E star.

I've seen the dorms at UC Berkeley, UCLA and UofM and see a very reasonable process for this for lots of people.

SPN Lifer

Even if I were to lick my plate or drool or sneeze on it, what is wrong with bringing it back to refill? How is that any worse than breathing or using my hands in the buffet line?

Yes, the LAS United Club has a sign that heath department regulations prohibit bringing a used plate back for more -- so we can do whatever is necessary. But what is the rationale?

I do hate when someone drops a serving spoon, handle and all, into a tray of food with sauce.

Yet there is no gainsaying the value and convenience of a good Bonv°y buffet — especially for a Platinum Elite or above!
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mtofell

Is this a serious question?

nachosdelux

it reduces one method of transmission: your plate is contaminated, you go back to buffet, and the serving spoon accidentally touches your plate.

It is possible that your plate is "dirty" but your hands are not, so this is why it is a health department regulation.

ftrichard

Two weekends. Two Bonvoy breakfasts in HK. The Le Meridien Cyberport has shut down its buffet breakfast and everything is ordered in individual portions direct from the kitchen. Still an extensive selection of breakfast foods for all tastes and you can order and eat as much as you like. But the hotel is not busy and I cannot see how this quite manual system would scale when occupancies go back to normal in a busy hotel.

Then there's the regular breakfast buffet at the Marriott Ocean Park. This was busy at 8am on Saturday. Everyone wears masks when collecting food and the foods are all covered so collecting it is more of a palaver. Some of it wasn't thought through. For instance, the heavy lids on the hot dishes had nowhere to go so you're holding your plate in one hand, the lid in another, and how do you get the food? Staff clear your used plates immediately so no opportunity to reuse the same plate or dish for a second helping.

Personally, I view this issue two ways. First is the quality of buffet food. I live in Asia so this isn't a problem for me at breakfast or in the lounge. I'd doubtless have a different view if I was resident in the US. Second, is the method of serving and whether this is sustainable in the new world order. I see no problem if buffets are policed as they are at the moment and hygiene and behaviours are enforced. I am more put off when I see children off their leads in restaurant buffets sticking hands into shared food and breathing and spluttering at food height. This isn't a criticism of children per se but errant parents and it's not just behaviour limited to young ones. On Sunday I reported an old guy who was wobbling over our lunch buffet without a mask on lifting individual dishes of salad to his nose to sniff them and put them back. I had the staff remove the dishes and enforce the mask rule.

LondonElite

I couldn't have said it better myself. One of my yacht clubs does a spectacular Easter brunch, with glorious food on display, but it must be so wasteful.

taxare

ftrichard, thank you for this up to date information. I also appreciate the strong views regarding buffets. As the OP, and again understand this is speculation, I am still wondering what they are going to do in large FS hotels. At least some of the new M Club lounges are directly connected to the hotel breakfast buffet area. I admit I am guilty, I along with many other elite members took advantage of the lounge offerings in the mornings as it was quick and I appreciated the breakfast benefit in addition to the many wonderful lounge staff that I have met over the years. They might go with a grab and go, or only provide items that are prepackaged such as yogurts, granola bars and fresh whole fruits. If they did this it rather than a voucher for the restaurant (which is often too slow in the morning) this in my humble opinion would be a significant downgrade in the lounge benefits.

worldspan

Sorry, I love breakfast buffets particularly at high end hotels. My breakfast routinely means oatmeal with both blueberries and raspberries on top covered with some kind of yogurt. That is then followed by an egg white omelette or if I am treating myself eggs benedict. Order all that a la carte and the price is through the roof hence the buffet is fine with me. Best breakfast buffet in the U.S. in my book is at the Breakers in Palm Beach. Internationally, the breakfast buffets are the Westin Beijing and the J.W. Marriott in Hanoi are outstanding (and I am talking Western food). Should be interesting to see how this is all handled or if everything becomes a-la-carte.

Bravada04

When / If all this goes away as in Lounge Benefits, which will be dictated & messaged as safety only..... but will be hugely influenced by cost savings (aka Bonvoyed). It definitely will be the nail in the coffin to be a "Free Agent" in the hotel world. Not sure what benefits will be left when attaining status?
Got my years, just need 40+ nights to reach Lifetime Plat then I will stop chasing this silly game! I will be the first to admit though......an addicting game it is! Was!

cmd320

To be totally honest the only benefit I care about is late checkout. If that’s gone, I couldn’t care less about status.

svo242

I, for one, also love a breakfast buffet at a high-end hotel. The buffets at the St. Regis Bal Harbour (which is also comped for plats) and at the Ritz Grand Cayman were extravagant and offered so many delicious options that allowed me to try (smaller amounts of) many different things, something I would not be able to do while ordering on the regular menu without excessive cost and waste. I hope they figure out a way to thoughtfully serve these buffets in the future! Even if, like others noted above, things are more pre-portioned/packaged to avoid the common touching/grabbing etc.

margarita girl

I’d also like to add that when I stayed at the cat 8 Vana Belle in Koh Samui, I found the breakfast buffet small and disappointing but they had an a la carte menu which featured mostly meat dishes and sugary options, neither of which are very healthy. Not surprisingly, I much preferred the extensive breakfast buffet at the cat 4 Sheraton Samui next door.

clarkef

Practicality. Your plate conduct can easily be regulated, it's much harder to regulate guests' hands, so the authorities do what's practical.