Should The Buffet Be Serve Yourself???

[Calicruiser101]

We just got off the Pride last Sunday and on the last sea day passengers could no longer help themselves to food you had to be served. Even the boxes of cereal were handed to you as well as the salad bar. You pointed to what you wanted and they gave it to you. There was a sign posted that due to the increase of GI problems seen in the ship's infirmary you could no longer serve yourself. My brother in law started getting sick w/ this on Friday and is still feeling the effects of it. My DD saw a young child wipe their nose, reach into muffin basket touch a muffin, not using the tongs, and then not take the muffin. That is nasty. So I have two questions:

 

Should the buffet always be served to you instead of a help yourself?

 

Should parent's not let young children serve themselves and instead assist them?

 

My answer is yes the buffet should always serve the food, this would cut down on a lot of germs being spread.

 

Second, if it is not then parents should watch what their chidren are doing or put someone at each station who watches to make sure this does not happen. Sort of a food/sanitary monitor.

 

What are your thoughts???

[GoinCruisin]

Oh the things I have seen kids do at the buffet ... yuk. It's one of the reasons I stay away!! LOL!!!

 

Should the buffet always be served to you instead of a help yourself?

Yes.

Should parent's not let young children serve themselves and instead assist them?

Children should NEVER be allowed to serve themselves (sorry, many times they just don't understand... and see nothing wrong with putting something back, or tasting something and putting it back.. yes, I've seen this, several times :( ugh)

 

This would be solved if the buffet wasn't self serve. I would pay extra in tips to make this so.. I'm sure most would (well, except the people that whine about it already :p)

[Sandi149]

We just got off the Pride last Sunday and on the last sea day passengers could no longer help themselves to food you had to be served. Even the boxes of cereal were handed to you as well as the salad bar. You pointed to what you wanted and they gave it to you. There was a sign posted that due to the increase of GI problems seen in the ship's infirmary you could no longer serve yourself. My brother in law started getting sick w/ this on Friday and is still feeling the effects of it. My DD saw a young child wipe their nose, reach into muffin basket touch a muffin, not using the tongs, and then not take the muffin. That is nasty. So I have two questions:

 

Should the buffet always be served to you instead of a help yourself?

 

Should parent's not let young children serve themselves and instead assist them?

 

My answer is yes the buffet should always serve the food, this would cut down on a lot of germs being spread.

 

Second, if it is not then parents should watch what their chidren are doing or put someone at each station who watches to make sure this does not happen. Sort of a food/sanitary monitor.

 

What are your thoughts???

 

I agree with you also. There would be less spreading of germs if it wasn't self serve. Parents should definitely serve their children. I also think there are some gross adults too at buffets. I was at a Bar Mitzvah last year and during the cocktail party I saw an older man double dip his carrot stick or whatever veggie it was into the dip. :eek: :rolleyes: I was totally grossed out. After I saw him do that, I didn't touch another thing.

[Chan_T]

Oh the things I have seen kids do at the buffet ... yuk. It's one of the reasons I stay away!! LOL!!!

 

Should the buffet always be served to you instead of a help yourself?

Yes.

Should parent's not let young children serve themselves and instead assist them?

Children should NEVER be allowed to serve themselves (sorry, many times they just don't understand... and see nothing wrong with putting something back, or tasting something and putting it back.. yes, I've seen this, several times :( ugh)

 

This would be solved if the buffet wasn't self serve. I would pay extra in tips to make this so.. I'm sure most would (well, except the people that whine about it already :p)

 

I agree. I am not a fan of buffets at all. I would much rather deal with the germs of 1 or 2 (the person(s) serving the food) than those of hundreds (or thousands) as they serve themselves. :( :eek:

[Leo Jay]

Works for me. More civilised. Far better than allowing the odd passenger with questionable hygenic habits to handle the utensils which then inevitably fall into and contaminate the food.

 

Also thwarts those who'd otherwise pile obscene quantities of a particular dish onto their plates at a given time. You know who you are.

 

:)

[RatherBFishin]

See... I told you they should start using the antibacterial condiments!

[GoinCruisin]

I agree with you also. There would be less spreading of germs if it wasn't self serve. Parents should definitely serve their children. I also think there are some gross adults too at buffets. I was at a Bar Mitzvah last year and during the cocktail party I saw an older man double dip his carrot stick or whatever veggie it was into the dip. :eek: :rolleyes: I was totally grossed out. After I saw him do that, I didn't touch another thing.

 

Ugh... I don't doubt it that there are some adults too... at least kids have someone to monitor them (they shouldn't be in a buffet line by themselves anyway) So yes, a monitor would probably be wise, it woudl save a lot of belly aches (literally!)

[Leo Jay]

I agree with you also. There would be less spreading of germs if it wasn't self serve. Parents should definitely serve their children. I also think there are some gross adults too at buffets. I was at a Bar Mitzvah last year and during the cocktail party I saw an older man double dip his carrot stick or whatever veggie it was into the dip. :eek: :rolleyes: I was totally grossed out. After I saw him do that, I didn't touch another thing.

 

That's just like the Seinfeld episode! The double-dipper!

[SheriNtexas]

What are your thoughts???

 

 

I guess having the food served TO us would not be that bad, it's what they do at Furr's Cafeteria's, etc. I think it would require more employees to do that, plus with so many people it could get really backed up at peak eating times. Now, having said that, I think that parents should not let kids get their own food! Maybe under age 10 should have their parents do it, or at the very least, have the parents be there to supervise. Something like that would be hard to enforce, I guess. Some younger kids might have better manners than teens! Depends on the kids, I guess. Good question, OP!!:)

[Sandi149]

Ugh... I don't doubt it that there are some adults too... at least kids have someone to monitor them (they shouldn't be in a buffet line by themselves anyway) So yes, a monitor would probably be wise, it woudl save a lot of belly aches (literally!)

 

Sometimes the adults can be worse than the kids. Kids will be kids and they don't always know any better, especially if their parents don't teach them any manners.

[Sandi149]

That's just like the Seinfeld episode! The double-dipper!

 

I haven't watched Seinfeld in ages....so who was the double dipper? Was it Kramer? LOL!!!!!:D

[Knights on the Beach]

Unfortunately, I've seen too many adults who shouldn't be allowed to serve themselves. ;) On the Triumph last month the chocolate buffet was really disappointing. It was set up in the middle of the buffet area, with full sun shining through the glass above. The cakes looked like they were half melted and they weren't even cut! People were digging into them like they were at home in their own kitchen. Come to think of it, I wish I'd taken pictures to send Carnival. I'm not even sure if they were using serving utensils or their own silverware to scoop out the portions. It was nasty -- I lost my appetite right then and there. :eek:

[goldenwheels]

I am all for being served. It would cut way down on germs and the spread of illness. When you think about how many germy hands and other things have touched the utensils I just cringe. I, for one, will have plenty of sanitizer on hand with us!!

[Sandi149]

Carnival could make the buffet into a cafeteria type place.....much better than self serve buffets. I don't like buffets very much and rarely eat at them.

[KC_fn]

It would make the buffet line (even) longer. It would be worth it, but I'm just sayin.

[Sandi149]

It would make the buffet line (even) longer. It would be worth it, but I'm just sayin.

 

Yeah it would but it would also eliminate a lot of the problems with the germs and things.

[Ephraim]

Leo Jay... cruise ships aren't subject to the US constitution... they aren't American entities, they don't fly American flags (except NCL America) and they aren't run by American corporations.

 

That being said...

 

Cruise lines need to change. They need to install SINKS at the front of the buffet and ask people to wash their hands. This shouldn't be a suggestion, it should be a regular requirement.

 

People think that the antibacterial liquid (ie alcohol) cleans their hands... it doesn't, it removed bacterial (both good and bad) but it doesn't nothing for viruses (ie Norovirus isn't affected at all!)

 

But to be honest, there are some really GROSS people out there. The next time I see someone put their hand into the buffet to take something, I'm going to walk up to their plate and put my hand on their food. And when they look at me I'm going to say "Well, you put your hand into everyone else's food, why shouldn't I put my hand in yours." UGH!

[Leo Jay]

I haven't watched Seinfeld in ages....so who was the double dipper? Was it Kramer? LOL!!!!!:D

 

It was some stranger at... a wedding I think (great, now you'll have me googling for seinfeld episode recaps). I think I recall George being outraged at the offender and challenging him. The guy denied it, and George was hopping mad: "I saw you: you dipped, you bit your chip and then you dipped again!" or something like that.

 

:D

[Kacruiser]

Buffets are pretty gross, especially when people are coughing or sneezing, which is why I'm not a big fan of the buffet. So if you really want to be grossed out - start paying attention to the number of women that do not wash their hands after using the rest room. I'm not a germaphob but in public bathrooms, I use a paper towel to open the door after I was my hands. (I'm still itching from the bed bug blog, now I've have the mental picture of the little kid with the runny nose at the muffin basket - Great!) Unfortunately, it is not just the kids, some adults would need the Buffet and Hygiene Police as well.

[Sandi149]

It was some stranger at... a wedding I think (great, now you'll have me googling for seinfeld episode recaps). I think I recall George being outraged at the offender and challenging him. The guy denied it, and George was hopping mad: "I saw you: you dipped, you bit your chip and then you dipped again!" or something like that.

 

:D

 

Too funny.:D I could picture George saying that. LOL!!!!!:D

[Sandi149]

Leo Jay... cruise ships aren't subject to the US constitution... they aren't American entities, they don't fly American flags (except NCL America) and they aren't run by American corporations.

 

That being said...

 

Cruise lines need to change. They need to install SINKS at the front of the buffet and ask people to wash their hands. This shouldn't be a suggestion, it should be a regular requirement.

 

People think that the antibacterial liquid (ie alcohol) cleans their hands... it doesn't, it removed bacterial (both good and bad) but it doesn't nothing for viruses (ie Norovirus isn't affected at all!)

 

But to be honest, there are some really GROSS people out there. The next time I see someone put their hand into the buffet to take something, I'm going to walk up to their plate and put my hand on their food. And when they look at me I'm going to say "Well, you put your hand into everyone else's food, why shouldn't I put my hand in yours." UGH!

 

Isn't Carnival an American corporation?

[st3]

People think that the antibacterial liquid (ie alcohol) cleans their hands... it doesn't, it removed bacterial (both good and bad) but it doesn't nothing for viruses (ie Norovirus isn't affected at all!)

!

 

I'm not a microbiologist, but I am pretty sure that is a false statement. While maybe not as effective as an antimicrobal soap, these cleansers do work quite well.

 

When I was on RCCL in the spring they made sure everyone (they were a little bossy about it, but I guess with good reason) santizied their hands on the way into the buffet or dining room.

[Leo Jay]

Too funny.:D I could picture George saying that. LOL!!!!!:D

 

Oh, quick googling shows my memory was playing tricks. GEORGE was the offender -- his girlfriend's brother caught HIM double-dipping!

 

 

Didn't George also get caught retrieving an eclair from the garbage on another episode?

[Sandi149]

Oh, quick googling shows my memory was playing tricks. GEORGE was the offender -- his girlfriend's brother caught HIM double-dipping!

 

Didn't George also get caught retrieving an eclair from the garbage on another episode?

 

LOL!!!!! that show is so funny. I should start watching it again. I have to see when it's on in the reruns.

[bluejaygirl]

I'm not a microbiologist, but I am pretty sure that is a false statement. While maybe not as effective as an antimicrobal soap, these cleansers do work quite well.

 

When I was on RCCL in the spring they made sure everyone (they were a little bossy about it, but I guess with good reason) santizied their hands on the way into the buffet or dining room.

 

I thought that was typical .. is that not standard? I sailed Mariner in Dec 07 and they were enforcing that.

 

Maybe i will bring my own sanitizer and spray people in front of me down before they take food.