Reasons

So, this post is meant to be kinda funny, so don't take offense or be too serious when you read it. There, you have been warned.

The other day we went out for lunch. We went to help welcome home our nephew who had been gone on a mission for two years, and afterward we all went to lunch "Dutch." Probably for ease of time, they had told us beforehand that we would be eating at a buffet.

Shane groaned about this for two days, and I couldn't blame him, because eating at buffets is about our least favorite thing to do.

Shane's family love buffets.

I can see the positives...it's easy to feed a lot of people in a short amount of time.

However, when people try to tell me it's "cheaper" I just laugh. Cheaper for who? To eat lunch at a buffet (unless you're going to a really cheap one, or maybe a Chinese buffet) where we live it costs about $9.50 per adult for lunch, and then for Hazel it was $7.50. We had saved for this adventure, and spent $40 to eat at a buffet. Since Hazel's food choices equaled about every flavor of jello they had at the salad bar, and a couple of rolls and some fruit... well, I think you can see the point.

Typically when we eat out, if we are going to a nicer restaurant and have all the kids with us, we have the kids share an adult meal. It's more than plenty for them, and we all leave plenty full and satisfied, and we spend less than $40!

I also hate the feeling that I have to eat enough food to justify the cost. At a regular restaurant, I can take the extra food home and eat it for another meal. At a buffet...you can't, for obvious reasons.

It doesn't help that we are always thinking in our mind that for the same amount of money we could have eaten at our new favorite Chinese restaurant down the street that has amazingly delicious food, or we could have eaten at MADDOX, which is always delicious, or basically any restaurant besides a buffet.

I enjoyed being there, but really, we ended up in our own corner away from everyone else, so it didn't feel like we were eating with anyone but our own family anyway. Still, at the end of it all, our nephew did come over and talk with us for a few minutes, so, that made it all worth it. :)