This started in the 70s and the 80s,and
they were very popular.I think it was
kind of sign-of-the-time.They were a
family-style restaurant.They did not
serve alcohol,but it was a lot of food for
not a lot of money.The most obvious
money saver for a buffet restaurant is
that there's less need for servers.But
these restaurants apply another strategy
that's hidden in plain sight.
Pay attention to the layout of a buffet line.
Buffets often put cheaper,or more filling
carbs towards the beginning of the line.
And to try to stop people from taking
more than they can eat,these restau-
rants might provide smaller than average
dinner plates,or really big soft-drink
cups,so you can fill up on soda.Because
of the tight profit margins,the food
quality wasn't as great as it probably
should have been or could have been.
自助餐开始于七八十年代,非常受欢迎。我觉
得自助餐有点像一个时代的写照。他们是一种
家庭式餐馆。他们不提供酒,而提供好多不需
要花很多钱的食物。一家自助餐馆最明显的省
钱方式就是减少了对餐馆服务员的需求。但这
些自助餐馆会有一些藏在我们眼前的省钱策
略。
注意自助餐摆放食物的线路布局。自助餐通常
会在最开始的位置放较便宜的食物,或更多填
饱肚子的碳水化合物。为了阻止人们吃得太
多,这些自助餐馆的盘子要比平均类型的盘子
小,而饮料杯却很大,这样你就可以加满汽水
了。由于利润微薄,食品质量可能并没有本该
达到或能够达到的水平那么高。