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Buffet
A buffet is a meal-serving system where patrons serve themselves. It is
a popular method of feeding large numbers of people with minimal staff.
The term is also used to describe a sideboard, an antique form of
furniture which was sometimes used to offer the dishes of a buffet meal
to guests, in private homes.
One form of buffet is to have a line of food serving stalls and foods
and customers take food they require as they walk along and pay at the
end. This form is most commonly seen in cafeterias. Another form known
as the "all you can eat" buffet has a set fee and customers can help
themselves to as much food as they wish to eat. This form is found
often in restaurants, especially in hotels; virtually every casino in
North America includes one, with some being very elaborate. Another
form is the Swedish Smorgasbord. In North America, buffets specializing
in Chinese cuisine are common, as are ones for other ethnic foods.
Buffets are effective for serving large numbers of people. They are
also popular in that they give customers a great deal of choice and the
ability to closely inspect food before selecting it. Since a buffet
involves people serving themselves, it is generally viewed as a less
elegant form of dining.
A buffet car is a passenger car of a train, where snacks and drinks can
be bought at a counter and consumed. Typically passengers are not
allowed to consume brought-along food and drinks in this car. Compare
dining car.
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