Buffet Style Food

Approximately 9 hours ago, I again made the mistake of eating at a Chinese buffet, and I can still feel it turning over in my stomach, refusing to digest. Why won't it digest you ask? Probably because my body is trying to reject it like it would any other poison. I make this mistake about every 2 or 3 years. Why? I don't know. Right now I am not interested in talking about why I eat buffet food every 3 years. I am more interested in trying to understand people who eat it on a regular basis, willingly.

First, lets identify buffets for what they really are. Instead of a sign that says "Something Buffet". There might more accurately be a sign that says "This establishment features food that is both cheap enough and that lasts long enough, for us to sell it to you for the price of a regular food, that is safe to eat." Or something close to that.

I think the reason folks eat these human slop-troughs has to do with the presentation.
The marquee that says "All you can eat, $7.50". "Ohhh Maannn! All I can eat! How can I go wrong? Lets hit it and hit it hard!" Now what if I came up to you and said, "Hey man, give me $7.50 and you can go inside here and eat day old, greasy, room temperature food. All of which is indistinguishable from the other prison/military/Ernest Goes to Camp-type garbage in the next bin, and the next, and the next, (you get the idea). You would probably decline and might even begin to back up slowly and then gradually turn and run in the other direction. This is actually the safest most logical reaction you can have when you come face to face with the temptation to eat/feed at a buffet.

One final thought. Today, as I sat hunched over my plate, like a man being punished for and by the very act he was then committing, (What?, don't worry about it) I notice people loading up there plates as if it was one trip only. I wanted to ask, "You know its all you can eat right? So... are you loading up because you are afraid it will all be gone when you come back? (Its never gone) Or, are you afraid your heart (or entire body) might just give out from the horrendous abuse you are subjecting it to, before you can reload?" Neither answer is better than the other, but it is something to ponder.