Are you leery of eating from a buffet?

Question

I am. I've gotten food poisoning & BAD stomach flu more than once. Not again for me.

Answer 1

Absolutely! Having been a server for 25 years, I can tell you that buffets are the worst places. Nothing wrong with the food, but the sneeze guards usually aren't the height they should be. People also let children wander around them unsupervised. If you like buffets and alot of people do, stick with the higher priced end of the stick. Or, if it is a lunch buffet, try to get there just as they open to serve. Same goes for dinner. check with your fav restaurant to see when they change the buffet over from lunch to dinner.

Answer 2

I am a former chef and have eaten at Chinese, Indian and other types of buffets, I am not sure were you eating, but I took food science courses and have a health department certificate for food handling.

If you got food poisioning you would have had more than an upset stomach, all buffet in Canada and the US have to keep the food at a safe temparture, 160 is the level for food to be safe.

If you got sick it was because you were contracting it before you ate there, and if so did you dining companion get sick also??

If you not sure, do not eat at any place other than a chain places with multi-unit operations, as for the gentleman who said something about chicken in the deli, they to have to be maintained at a constant temp or be thrown out, they must be kept at 160 to for them to be safely sold, I worked for a grocery chain as a chef consultant and in there fish department, I made soup and sauces for them.

Answer 3

Before I get something from a buffet I take a look at it first. Is it neat & orderly? Are foods on ice that need to be cold? Is there sternos for the hot food? Serving forks and spoons? If something doesn't look quite right I will not get something questionable. I'll get a cookie, or whole piece of fruit and bottled water. Don't get sliced fruit because it can become contaminated.

Answer 4

I haven't had bad luck at most buffets I've visited, but I only go to reputable places where the food turns around frequently. I am really leary about buy those pre-cooked rotisserie chickens in the supermarket because they are generally kept under lights for hours at a time before sold or refrigerated and sold at a discount. Ugh!

Answer 5

i also got stomach flu i heard some say there was a bug in the food

Answer 6

I avoid them, not through fear of food poisoning but just because the food is so oten overcooked and not very good.

Answer 7

Some are that way, some are not. I never try a new one if I have to be out of the house the next day...

Answer 8

Yeah - you never know how long that stuff has been sitting out, and you don't know if people are putting their hands on the food or sneezing on it....