Posted: 9/30/2009 1:39:55 PM EDT
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So, I'm at a cheap Chinese buffet. This place has a price change at 4pm sharp. Arrive before 4pm, and the cost is $8. Arrive at/after 4pm, and the price is $11.
The problem comes in in that they people at the front desk disappear around 3:45 and then fail to clock anyone in until 4:05 or thereabouts. Today, I get here at 3:50. I haven't had anything to eat in 28 hours. I don't want to stand in front and wait for the chintzy bastards to come back and seat me late just so they can charge me an extra $3. Around 4:15, the front-desk chick comes back, glares at me, and starts chewing out my waitress. I have no doubt they're going to claim that since my check didn't start until 4:15, that I have to pay the later price. They've done that before –– I arrive at 3:55, they "forget" to put the check in until 4:03, that sort of thing. I haven't fought it before, but today really pisses me off because of the glaring, and because I was goddamn hungry. What sayeth Arfcom? Discuss. |
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So, I'm at a cheap Chinese buffet. As a rule of thumb, Chinese buffets have some of the worst Health Department violations of just about anybody in the restaurant industry, just something to think about... 
I remember seeing a hidden camera video of a Chinese woman accidentally dropping an entire tray of noodles all over the floor. She literally scooped it all up and put it back in the tray; then she placed the tray in the buffet, for everyone to enjoy. |
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Isn't it standard practice for Chinese Buffets to change over to their dinner menu at 4 PM to include more expensive dishes like crab legs, shrimp, oysters, clams, sushi and green mussels ?
Every one I've ever been to does that so they charge a few bucks more for the dinner menu; what's the problem other than a few chintzy bastards who want to be seated at the lunch menu price while they're changing over to dinner? 
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Those places sometimes put out different food for the dinner meal, and even if they don't, they aren't under any obligation to seat you. The local mongolian place is like this and they won't seat anyone in the 30 minutes prior so they can clear out the lunch buffet and set the dinner. They'd be perfectly within their rights to charge you based on what time you finished your meal as well if they choose.
Yeah, they're probably trying to hit you for the dinner rate and that probably plays into what's going on, but it's also likely that they're not all that interested in serving people from 3-4 or they're swamped with prep work for the dinner rush. The restaurant business isn't easy. |
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I say stop over-eating at those places or you're going to die. You guys did notice that it had been over 28 hours since the last time I ate anything, right? I only go here for the free wifi. BTW, yes, they do have a few changes to their offerings at 4pm. The broiled random whitefish becomes broiled salmon, and a couple of other things. I don't eat them anyway since the fish is pretty lousy here. I'm basically here for the dim sum stuff, which doesn't change. |
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Why did he glare at you ? Did you seat yourself ? The waitress gave me a seat, rather than the front-desk people. The front-desk people disappear at about 3:45 until after 4pm so that they can force anyone who comes in near the deadline to pay more. I don't mind following their payment-time rules, except that they deliberately play games about the time change. |
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Pay $8.00 in cash and walk out the door. Completely ignore them if they try to do anything. Do make sure and leave a tip for the waitress, she did seat you prior to 4pm and isn't the one trying to screw you over.
Edit: Actually, take whatever tip you would have normally given the waitress and add $3.00 to it. That way you reward the waitress for helping you circumvent the 'screw our customers' policy.
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Isn't it standard practice for Chinese Buffets to change over to their dinner menu at 4 PM to include more expensive dishes like crab legs, shrimp, oysters, clams, sushi and green mussels ? Every one I've ever been to does that so they charge a few bucks more for the dinner menu; what's the problem other than a few chintzy bastards who want to be seated at the lunch menu price while they're changing over to dinner? I think you hit the nail on the head. The one I go to does that. They change the menu for supper and put out more seafood items and raise the price a few dollars. Then there is the cheap bastards that show up minutes before the change and expect to be charged the lunch menu price. This also happens at Golden Corral. |