I went to one of those Chinese buffets today for lunch....

[gonzo914]

No, it's $12. That's what I was saying.

You need to shop around. There's not a Chinese buffet in the world worth 12 bucks. It's all vegetables and dubious parts of animals. Except in Texas, where they have traditional Chinese chicken fried steak, fried biscuits and jalapeno cornbread.

You forgot chili.

Nope, no chili. For gawd's sake, man, these are Chinese buffets.

[Wanderer]

For example, with a lunch menu, $6.95 may be the all-you-can-eat price. If you want just a bowl of noodles, you have to order from the ala carte menu. Sorry, but the bowl of noodles is also $6.95. Don't try to reason with them.

No, it's $12. That's what I was saying.

You need to shop around. There's not a Chinese buffet in the world worth 12 bucks. It's all vegetables and dubious parts of animals. Except in Texas, where they have traditional Chinese chicken fried steak, fried biscuits and jalapeno cornbread.

Years ago, I went to this place on Bellaire in Houston called Lai Lai dumpling house. The menu says at the bottom that there's a $2.50 per person minimum.

I thought this was weird, until I realized that soup and tea were free at the place...two people could get stuffed to the gills on like $5.00-$6.00

[Cynth]

I think they should have an "all you can eat" option for those who don't want to eat a lot. For example, even if I go in and eat lo mein noodles and vegetables and nothing else (which I do), I still have to pay $12.00 at one place, and I think that's obscene. Since it's a buffet restaurant, they won't let you get just one thing.

Say, you don't happen to have a chain restaurant in your area called Pizza Ranch, do you? We were forced by intense hunger to eat there on our way home from vacation today. It said on the outside "Pizza for pizza-lovers" or something like that. You can eat all you want for about $6.00. The place was hot and humid with no air movement whatsoever inside. Yes, let's save energy, I'm all for it, willing to try but then at least open a damn window. Everything was beige including the poor people working there. It was a PIZZA BUFFET!!! My god! There was no freshly cooked pizza you could order. The pizza looked like it had just come out of the refrigerator, and they had vegetarian types and other types. The cheese was solid and sort of grainy and oily-looking. One type didn't have a sign and I honestly could not even begin to guess what the heck was on it. It looked sort of like ground turkey with concentric circles of ranch dressing on top. My husband had some of the more normal-looking pizza and said it wasn't too bad. I just couldn't face it so I had the only other choice available-----broasted chicken!!! It was not as good as KFC. I thought maybe the tapioca pudding would be okay---wrong again. Although there were a few little clear round things in the pudding, I am quite certain that there were no other natural ingredients in it. I cannot even begin to describe the bizarre texture and flavor of this pudding. I am not a natural foods only person, but I'm not going to just stuff some pile of chemicals down my gullet when I don't even know what they are. But then it was only $6.00 a person---all you could eat!

Congratulations, Dale. I'm working very slowly on the same thing on my own so good luck to us both!

[Jack]

Let's open our own C&F Chinese Restaurant and go broke arguing over what we will put on the menu and how much it will cost.

[BillChin]

Buffets are not fair. A person that doesn't eat much might eat 25% of what someone that eats a lot eats and they pay the same price. One person might only eat sushi and seafood and other high cost items while another person might eat noodles or rice or other low cost items.

The reason all-you-can-eat works so well is that the average restaurant portion is so big that many folks can only eat about half of the food without gorging themselves. That means all-you-can-eat works out the same as people gorging themselves, or about half as much food if they only eat until they are full.

[Lambchop]

Say, you don't happen to have a chain restaurant in your area called Pizza Ranch, do you? We were forced by intense hunger to eat there on our way home from vacation today. It said on the outside "Pizza for pizza-lovers" or something like that. You can eat all you want for about $6.00. The place was hot and humid with no air movement whatsoever inside. Yes, let's save energy, I'm all for it, willing to try but then at least open a damn window. Everything was beige including the poor people working there. It was a PIZZA BUFFET!!! My god! There was no freshly cooked pizza you could order. The pizza looked like it had just come out of the refrigerator, and they had vegetarian types and other types. The cheese was solid and sort of grainy and oily-looking. One type didn't have a sign and I honestly could not even begin to guess what the heck was on it. It looked sort of like ground turkey with concentric circles of ranch dressing on top. My husband had some of the more normal-looking pizza and said it wasn't too bad. I just couldn't face it so I had the only other choice available-----broasted chicken!!! It was not as good as KFC. I thought maybe the tapioca pudding would be okay---wrong again. Although there were a few little clear round things in the pudding, I am quite certain that there were no other natural ingredients in it. I cannot even begin to describe the bizarre texture and flavor of this pudding. I am not a natural foods only person, but I'm not going to just stuff some pile of chemicals down my gullet when I don't even know what they are. But then it was only $6.00 a person---all you could eat!

My dear Cynth, I do not recall when I've seen you express yourself in such a charmingly emphatic fashion! Bravo!

Glad you're back! We missed you!

[gonzo914]

It's

At Pizza Ranch® we pride ourselves in being the best value on the plains. We strive to give you quality food and superb service at a fair price whether you're getting a pizza delivered to your home, or are stopping by our store to have our buffet your way.

Come for the chicken --

Stay for the smooches -- (That's Mr. and Mizzus Cynth overcome with the excitement of the moment.)

And don't forget the mile-long buffet, complete with something grayish brown with concentric circles of something white --

Yes, it's Pizza Ranch, bringing chicken and pizza to the heart of the upper midwest --

[chas]

And don't forget the mile-long buffet, complete with something grayish brown with concentric circles of something white

People don't like descriptive names for food. That's why it's "Twinkie" rather than "Cream-filled sponge rod."

[emmline]

And don't forget the mile-long buffet, complete with something grayish brown with concentric circles of something white

People don't like descriptive names for food. That's why it's "Twinkie" rather than "Cream-filled sponge rod."

I'm pretty sure that would be a Hostess trapezoidal spongy solid with mucilaginous core.

[djm]

Okay, I can see that he is kissing her. So what is she puckered up for?

djm

[Dale]

I'd like to take this opportunity to report that I started Weight Watchers 7 weeks ago and I have lost 14 lbs. 51 more to go!

Dale

Congratulations, Dale. By the way, are you counting points, or are you on the set menu? My wife and I often eat out at a Chinese buffets (there are so many near us), but trying to count WW points is difficult. "Now, Rita, do you think that the cream puff desert that I just ate was 3 or 4 points? What do you mean that I have already eaten 25 points, dear?"

Well, I'm doing the point-counting program, but I confess I'm not counting points. I have a rough idea of how many points I've done. Eventually, I'll have to count more carefully. But, since I started at 245, the lbs are coming off fairly easily. As I go further, it'll slow down and I'll stop benefiting because I'm consuming too many calories. Then Ill have to either count or go the Core program. Also, I'm convinced that it's important not to lose weight fast. I'm trying to titrate to lose between 1-3 lbs a week and not more.

In the meantime, I'm probably eating less than 25% of the fats I used to eat and I've cut carbs back probably by 30% or so.

We'll see how it goes.

[BillChin]

I went to yet another new Chinese Buffet. It was more than $12, but well worth it. Sushi, king crab legs, oysters and other seafood would all cost a LOT more than $12 at any local eateries. Many would charge $18 or more just for four king crab legs plus trimmings.

As usual I ate a lot. However, most times folks go to the old style restaurants they come home with copious leftovers if each person orders a full meal. Buffets are a terrible place cost-wise for light eaters or dieters. They'd be much better off getting enough food for the entire week in leftovers at another kind of restaurant for the same price.

[hathair_bláth]

I passed a Chinese restaurant in Brunswick, Georgia that had a large, hand-stenciled sign boasting "We Delivery!"

[Doug_Tipple]

We have an all-you-can-eat pizza place called Cici'sin my neighborhood. Our three grandkids like to go there, and we get out the door without having to spend a lot. I am not known to have gourmet tastes, but I would have to say that the pizza isn't bad at all. The salad bar is pretty good, as well. However, it is one of the restuarants where the workers tend to yell out orders so that everyone in the whole place can hear. OK, now I know that there is a hot barbeque pizza up on the buffet line. Of course, when you are walking out the door, the person up front yells out, "Ci Ci you later". I mumble to myself, "Yea, right".

[Charlene]

We have an Eatza Pizza right at the end of our block. We eat there occasionally, but not a whole lot. The pizza is ok, and it's an easy way to try some new flavors.