Eating buffet-style in Tampa restaurants is nothing new. This has been around for decades, though it hasn’t been as popular as it is now. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves before going to a buffet restaurant, thinking they would have more “space” for more food. This is a wrong strategy because you end up filling your hunger with carbs like rice and pasta and eating more of the same food. By the time you start wandering around the different sections of the restaurant, you are too full to try something new.
Aside from that little tip, here are other strategies you can use when dining in eat-all-you-can restaurants:
Get an overview and start on the “good stuff”
The moment you arrive in the restaurant, have a look at what they are offering. Browse through the different sections of the hall to see what you should start on. You will most likely see the fresh salad section up front but if you eat too much iceberg lettuce or hard croutons, you will feel full before you get to the good stuff—the seafood and the ribs and steaks. Start on what you don’t normally eat at home or cannot order in restaurants. If there is salmon, crabs, shrimps, and lobsters, go for those first.
Watch out for the starch
Rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes are inexpensive and there are loads of these items in buffet restaurants. The management hopes you will munch on these and will feel full after having so much starch in your system. By the time you finish with the starchy food, you won’t have room for the expensive offerings anymore.
Choose items you don’t get to eat outside
What use would a buffet be if you will simply eat fried chicken, bacon, and omelets? These are things you can whip up at home and these are items you can order from any diner. Why skip the smoked salmon, the caviar, the fresh exotic fruits? Go for the items you don’t get to eat outside of that buffet restaurant. Do not go for your favorites. Buffet restaurants are not for that. This dining option should allow you to try out food you do not get at home or in your favorite fastfood.
Eat slowly and don’t overeat
Sure, you may feel good sampling out all the food items you see on the buffet tables, but if you end up feeling sluggish and sickly a few hours after, it’s really not worth it. Relax for a moment and rest before going back to the sections to have your fill of desserts or steaks. Take a moment to breathe, relax, and plan your attack.