All-you-can-eat is both a treat and a challenge if you’re bold enough to accept it. Most of us are satisfied knowing we can eat until we’re full, while some will see it as an opportunity to make a local publican rue the day.
Back in 2023, a man came out of the mists to descend upon The George IV Inn in Powys, Wales and its own ill-advised all-you-can-eat offer.
Pub owner Shaun Griffiths said at the time that the pub shifts 800 carveries a week to its many dozens of happy customers, but he had a run-in with one who sought to make the most of the all-you-can-eat offer.
The customer in question left a two-star review which said that the food and service were excellent, but they were unhappy that they couldn’t box up a load of food to take home with them.
"I booked a Sunday lunch, if I had known when I booked a table I wouldn't have booked as I don't always eat my meal and I like to take it home,” the customer said. “They said on the menu they don't do takeaway boxes, which is fine, but I had a plate which I brought with me and it was still a no.
"Good food but this is a let down and I won't be going back, just a heads up to anyone if they do like to take food home with them."
This is common to places that offer all-you-can-eat menu items, as there’s an obvious loophole to exploit where people could box up a load of food and take it home on the cheap.
It seems this customer didn’t take kindly to having that little loophole stopped in its tracks.
Pub-owner Shaun was having none of it, and quickly launched a riposte.
"Thank you so much for your review warning other Cheap Charlies that they cannot come to our All You Can Eat buffet and bring their own plates to overfill ours and then take the rest home,” he said.
“That is not the type of customer we want, nor one that will enable us to stay in business and thrive. If just one or two of your type heed your advice then you will have made our lives so much easier!
"Your comments about our food and service being very good is much appreciated though, and they will help attract the type of customer we want!
"I'm saddened you could only score us 2 stars out of 5 when all our other reviews are 5 star because we try extremely hard to offer high-quality food at a reasonable price and openly print on our menu that our price is for eat in only.”
To ensure that this particular ‘Cheap Charlie’ and any others of similar stripes were fully aware of the rules, Shaun continued:
“Let me explain how an all you can eat carvery buffet works.
"1) Go to the buffet and ask the carvery chef to carve you up to 3 different meats.
"2) Fill your plate with our huge selection of fresh vegetables, roasted potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, homemade stuffing and even cauliflower cheese if you wish.
"3) Add as much rich delicious homemade gravy as you wish. 4) Add your sauces such as horseradish, cranberry or apple.
"5) Take your plate with as much food as you can eat at the table, to your table and enjoy.
"Please note there is NO point 6 which states you take much more than you can eat at the table and have a free meal at home later with a plate you have smuggled into our restaurant under your coat or elsewhere that I dare not think of.
"If, as you state, you don't eat much then go to one of our neighbouring restaurants that serve plated Sunday dinners and you will be much happier as their portions are more akin to your small appetite and then you will not have the dilemma of what to do with your leftovers as there won't be any!
“On a side note we do provide foil for those customers that maybe want to take some scraps home for their dog. We hate waste here at the George IV Cwmtwrch."
Let’s hope that particular customer’s appetite for getting absolutely bodied in an online review was as big as their appetite for carveries.
Featured Image Credit: ALLEKO/Getty ImagesTopics: UK Food
Rachael Davis