How To Tackle A Buffet....Some Dining Etiquettes

Buffets can be real etiquette challenges with a long queue of people often tackling a limited supply of food. Keep these tips in mind the next time you’re at a buffet to eat your fill but with politeness.

When in the queue: When taking your place in the queue, make sure you don’t stand between a group or couple. Gauge the crowd before taking your position. Also, await your turn and never push people or start serving yourself from the middle of the line. If the person in front of you is slow, go slow! Don’t cut the line – this isn’t a street with traffic, it’s a polite social occasion.

Serving yourself: When serving yourself, never heap food on your plate. Returning for seconds is perfectly acceptable. Also, do not take food back “for the table” – unless the event is very casual and you are good friends with everyone present, this would be frowned upon. After serving yourself, leave the spoon next to the platter or in the dish provided for the purpose. If an item appears to be in short supply, it would be very rude to serve yourself a large portion.