Remember when you were a kid and your Mom would serve you dinner? Dad would always say that “you better clean your plate!” Mom would chime in, “there are poor kids in China who are starving!” There were probably a few starving kids in the Philippines too, don’t you think?
Back in 2001, Feyma and I owned a small restaurant in General Santos. Yeah, this was before the days when I earned my living on the Internet. The place that we owned was called “Kano Q” and it was an American style BBQ restaurant. We had things like BBQ Ribs, Chicken and such. We introduced a number of styles of food that were somewhat unknown here too. For example, we had onion rings, which is something a lot of people had never even heard of before. Some people, when they saw the onion rings thought that it was calamari, but of course they were wrong.
Kano Q was part of a “food court” style establishment. It was not in a mall or anything, but rather a stand alone restaurant that had like a dozen or so small restaurants all in the one building, with a common seating area for all of the customers. Each small restaurant specialized in a different style of food. There was an Italian food place, Filipino food, our BBQ place and a number of others. There was even a place that specialized in only drinks.
We got in at the very beginning of the establishment. Before the food court business opened up, all of the individual restaurant operators had a big meeting. We decided that as a Grand Opening promotion, we would have a big “All you can eat” buffet. Our agreement was that each restaurant would prepare enough food for a certain number of customers. The customers would pay a single fee to the establishement, and then each restaurant would take an equal cut from the total. We were going to offer the buffet very cheap, at a loss, to get people in the door and introducte them to the foods that would be available.
During our meeting, we were trying to determine how much the cost of the buffet would be. We all settled on a price, P200, for the customer to pay for admission, and they could eat all the food, from as many restaurants they wanted. Yes, we would lose money on it, but it was a matter of introducing the customer to our offering, the losses would be written off to advertising.
After we all settled on a price of P200 per customer, somebody mentioned that “if anybody doesn’t eat all the food on their plate, they pay double, P400.” Everybody agreed. Except Feyma and I. “What?” I said. “Why would they pay double?” Well, so they don’t waste food, was the response. I asked what would happen if they didn’t like one of the dishes? The response was, too bad, they pay double! Now, this was totally outside my experience in the States. Feyma and I were still relatively new here at that time and had never heard of this practice before. Everybody insisted, though, and since Feyma and I were the minority, we went along with it. Funny thing was that none of the customers complained. This was just the normal practice here, I found out.
Here in Davao, a much bigger city, there are lots of Buffet Restaurants, and none of them follow this “pay double” practice for leaving food on your plate, but I have learned that this is a fairly common practice in smaller towns. I think that the practice is fading these days a bit, though.
What would you think if you went to a buffet and you didn’t like one of the foods being served, and were made to pay double because of it?
I can understand avoiding the waste of food but to pay double… no thank you.
The way it seems to work here(Uk) is that they give you small plates… so any waste is very small. Of course you can go back as many times as you like for a refill, I strangely don't go back as often as I think I will at the outset.
I think their strategy is that with drinks beforehand and the small plates, after 2 platefuls you will feel full…. and they are right in my case…. really weird…cos I do like my food 🙂
I had a buffet meal last night, cost me £16 ($23) still only ate 2 small plates… didn't even have one of the lovely desserts 🙁
I must learn to do better !!
To our American sensibilities, it does sound strange. Apparently not to others, though.
How long was your restaurant open?
Hi Bob – Being cheap, I'd eat whatever I took. (Actually not being cheap, but living what was I taught in the Navy: Take all you want, eat all you take!) 😉
Wow Bob now that is a good one hee hee …So how did your business turn out ?? .. Phil n Jess
being a westerner I would have laughed.. shook my head and muttered to myself "welcome to asia" and ate everything on my plate.
Sometimes the experince is worth more than the price you pay for it!!!!
Hi Bob- Your story reminded me of when our kids were little I would say to them, eat up as you could feed the whole of Talakag with whats on the table.
I think when some people fill their plates at buffet style restuarants their eys are greedier than their bellies and the resultant waste is huge.
Regards.
Jim.
If I were made to pay double for something I didn't like, I would probably ask to see the manager and complain. Near my parents' place in California, there's this Korean BBQ buffet that makes you pay additional (essentially you're paying double) if you don't finish what you took. It's a cook-your-own-food buffet where your table has a grill. I guess some customers were piling their plate with too much food that ends up not being cooked and going to waste. I understand being charged for that, but to pay double for something I didn't like?! Has that ever happened though? Has anyone ever been charged double and complained?
in digos city –this practice was pretty common–when i was first told i had to eat all or pay double i thought it was a joke –turns out the joke was on me
paying double for food you don't like from a buffet no way in hell they shoud have a sign outside saying that.and maybe we should put a little on the plate and try it out first then we will find out what we like are they should give you some to taste first. ask you to try some first free. if we did this in america there would be no business here people work hard for their money if people like the food they will spend the money and you will make money and they will clean the plates you treat people right they will come back
Hello Bob
I was also told that in China they also had dessert first. I was maybe 10 before I found out the meal of rice was both. I would be a loser at that pay double kind of deal. Heck that is why I go to regular restaurants so I can get doggy bag. hehe I don't think Josey and I went to a restaurant that we did not bring some home. Sometimes I would say why take home but Josey is from there and there is no waste.
Bob,
I am not sure but we have eaten in a few of the Buffet restaurants here in Davao. I think there is some fee if you take food and do not eat.
Kamusta ka Bob,
Well living here in the USA, I would look at that person as if they were crazy, but being a nice person…would only tell them to go to "he- double hockey sticks" if they persisted in this non-sense.
But if I were living there in the Philippines, I guess I would pay it, and maybe think not much of it, instead of making a big scene.
Yes, of course, my parents would always say the same thing growing up to us too, you better clean your plates, because of all the starving children in Europe and Asia.
Salamat kaayo,
Danny
PS..my 16 year old niece just got back from a school trip to New York City, her and her friends went to ChinaTown while there, and in the shops..the Chinese vendors kept saying "no touch, only buy", while picking out of some souvenir tshirts to bring home. Of course the ones that they picked out were damaged..of course they didn't find this out until they got home.
Paying double for unfinished food sounds like a good way to encourage people never to come back, but then again it is a different culture so of course differences can occour. At least I will keep this in mind if I ever go to an all you can eat buffet in The Philippines LOL.
I wonder if patrons in a situation like this would be allowed to take the unfinished portions home with them for consumption later. That sounds like a better way " To Go " !
Hiya Bob I know of alot of establishments here that donate the leftover foods to the homeless shelters etc. But yea i kinda agree with the tax … waste not want not !
we always used to tell mom to send it to em ! 😆
Hi again, Bob – Reading all the comments brought a funny anecdote to mind. For the most part, a buffet (especially an "All You Can Eat" buffet) is rather a new concept to the Filipino Culture.
In Honolulu, there used to be a famous "All You Can Eat" Buffet that specialized in seafood ("Kango's" which had to close due to the owner's tax problems). At the exit door, they had a "checker" who asked departing female patrons if they'd volunteer to open their purses and show the contents. The restruant had a policy of "No Take Aways."
Of course, you'd find groups of Filipinas at the buffet, especially on nights when the bamboo grapevine spread the word that Alaskan Crab Legs were on the menu. And, of course, you'd discover that many of these gals had HUGE purses/bags – most often lined in plastic wrap or full of plastic bags.
While most patrons would decline the offer to open their purse to the checker, there would be an occassional "new-comer" who would open up and display enough food (especially those crab legs) to feed a family for three days. Too, the excuse was the same – "This IS all I can eat, this for tomorrow, this for the next day! 😆
Well Bob , greatings to you ,
here in the netherlands you have many buffet-style.
But the most ofit is the Chinese WOK .
It means all thethings are raw , you pick your things
and the cookprepare it for you in the wok [ round pan ]
or on the tekeyakki hot plate.
We go there always on somebody,s birthday ,cause the partypooper is free. the rest pay euro 17 [ $ 23 , peso 1000 ]
And then i fill my plate 6 or 7 times , but only small portions
and i eat all.
It,s a nice evening , for 2 – 3 hours.
Bon appetit !
Personally I like the idea… ALOT. All it takes is one trip to an Old Country Buffet or Golden Corral type of place to see how much food we waste as a country. There's nothing wrong with taking a small bit of something new and trying it first to see if you will like it, but greed often compels the patrons to pile it on like this is the last meal before being taken to Aushwitz.
I have experienced the same at the Grand Majestic in Cebu. You had to eat everything on your plate or pay double. More, you were not allowed to share your plate with other people at your table or pay double.
Hi Bob,
Yes, like you, I find the practice a bit alien, and I'd never heard of it before, but I can understand that it would certainly stop any waste dead! I am certainly someone who likes this kind of buffet, since I like to eat lots and then some. But I am careful with food, if it's something I think I might not like, I would try only a little bit first, then go back for more if I did like it. But, frankly, we're not all as well behaved as I am, and many people wouldn't feel the embarassment I would if I left a load of food uneaten on a plate.
It reminds me of a time I took three Filipino employees to a hotel in Saudi Arabia, shortly after I arrived there; their job was to to build a display for a large conference, and I went along just to make sure it was done as I wanted. Once the work was done, I was invited to enjoy the buffet, and of course I took the guys through to the dining room with me. Now, at the time I knew little about Filipino culture or the kind of basic life that these guys lived. I went first, and was absolutely astounded when these three guys arrived at the table shortly after me bearing plates which, I do not exagarate, must have weighed several pounds each. I have never seen so much food piled onto one three plates in my entire life. When I pointed out that it seemed a little rude, and that they could always have gone back for more, they seemed amazed and simply ploughed through it with speed, and set off again for similar platefuls, though this second time their eyes were larger than their stomachs and they all slowed about halfway through. A lesson learned all round, I think, since I suggested it was rude to leave food on a plate, and they somehow managed to finish it all. Needless to say, they were so full, that they could barely walk. In fact, I felt it safest to drive back to our base myself, lest the driver should collapse over the wheel. One of the guys patted me on the back later, called me Kuya, and announced that it had been the greatest day of his life. And so, my initiation into Filipino culture and lifestyle began.
What is that food in the picture with an egg on top?
I'll be there ! 🙂 !