Family Kicked Out of Buffet Restaurant

[Roses]

Fri May 5, 5:36 PM ET


Wendy Dershem may think twice before leaving that egg roll on her plate at her next Chinese buffet. The Des Moines woman, her boyfriend and her two children were kicked out of a restaurant last week after management accused her of leaving too much food on her plate.

"They told us we are not welcome there anymore," said Dershem, a repeat customer at the Dragon House buffet. "We waste too much food. But the buffet is all you can eat. And you know kids. They won't always eat everything and they want something else."

Dershem said she paid her $5.95 fee on Saturday but was abruptly told to leave after eating one plate of food.

Employees said they had been watching her family on previous trips to the restaurant and were fed up with her habits.

"They just take one bite and throw it away," said cashier Lin Huyen. "They take four egg rolls and crab ragoon, take one bite of egg roll and throw the whole plate. That is wasting food."

Dershem said she was shocked by the scolding and complained to management when she paid her check. "It was embarrassing. ... If it's a one-stop buffet, post it," she said.

Dragon House manager Kent Cao said his restaurant offers all you can eat buffet, not all you can waste. Dershem's family took food, didn't finish it and then piled on the same food again, he said.

"Shes done that too many times," Cao said. "We would welcome her back if she has respect and knows what she wants."

Bob Oberbillig, an adjunct professor at the Drake Legal Clinic, says the patron would have no legal case against exclusion from a business unless there are other factors such as racial discrimination or mental health issues.

"An establishment can exclude people if they smoke or waste food," he said. "It's still a private business."

___

Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com


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[slamdunc]

Most of the buffets that I go to have signs something to the tune: This is an all you can eat, take all you can eat but eat all that you take. If this lady habitually does this, she needs to find somewhere else to eat.

[121Traffic]

I agree with the above statement in reference to the woman's manners. On a seperate, but related note, I have another complaint about some people at a nearby Mongolian BBQ place (you get the raw food from the buffet, they stir fry it for you right there). This one I like, I've seen this same guy and his family time and time again eating there. They apppear well off, he's usually in a suit, seemingly winding down after a day at the office. His daughters are immaculate, and his wife's a MILF. He rolls in a Lexus sedan, she drives a Lexus pseudo-SUV.

There's a sign on the buffet ...4.95 for one plate, 6.50 for all you can eat. Pretty decent, as it includes a drink and desserts. Well, this guy will start off at the raw meat, shovel it into his bowl, and PRESS it down with his bare hand, in order to fit more. Then adds some broccoli, etc. Again, fat fingers it down into his bow. He inserts baby pea shoots around the edges, as they fall off the huge heap if he puts them on top. More than once I have seen the guy completely clear out the chicken, beef, pork or shrimp, when a line is waiting behind him, all because he's trying to take the place for all he can with their one'price for a bowl offer. By the time he gets to the guys at the grills, he has to hold his food in the bowl with a free hand, lest it fall out.

This guy's well off, and paying the extra $1.55 wouldn't phase him a bit. This is a family owned restaurant, obviously giving people the benefit of the doubt, and he exploits it because he's cheap. He's taking as much food as his daughters do combined, but refuses to pay the extra money. It really chaps my ass. Fucking people.

[Daynathepayna]

We frequent a Chinese "all you can eat" buffet style restaurant. It is disgusting to see all the morbidly obese customers load there plates with obcene amounts of food and then go back for seconds and thirds.

During one of our visits to this restaurant a very slim young woman was dining alone. I watched her load her plate three times and practically inhale the food. My guess was that she was bulimic. Sure enough, I headed to the washroom after her and there she was fingers shoved down her throat barfing chunks into the toilet. She didn't even bother to close the cubicle door. Gross! Then she went back for another huge helping.

[Norm357]

We frequent a Chinese "all you can eat" buffet style restaurant. It is disgusting to see all the morbidly obese customers load there plates with obcene amounts of food and then go back for seconds and thirds.

During one of our visits to this restaurant a very slim young woman was dining alone. I watched her load her plate three times and practically inhale the food. My guess was that she was bulimic. Sure enough, I headed to the washroom after her and there she was fingers shoved down her throat barfing chunks into the toilet. She didn't even bother to close the cubicle door. Gross! Then she went back for another huge helping.

Ummmm ew.

[tx-leo]

Kick them out I say! Thou shal not waste food!