Family Kicked Out of Buffet Restaurant!

[Dashken]

DES MOINES, Iowa - 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."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/buffet_debacle

[Falcone]

Dun waste food...

[s p r a n k i k o]

Originally Posted by Falcone

Dun waste food...

But isn't that the customer's prerogative since she paid for it?

[zy]

Originally Posted by s p r a n k i k o

But isn't that the customer's prerogative since she paid for it?

talk about ethics..

so you mean i just pay & i just take all the food on teh buffet table & place them on my table ..

make them into a "rojak" & dont eat & just leave .. is that fair ?

[Falcone]

I remember I went to this pizza buffet some years ago. There was this group of teens who were just having the toppings and left the rest. The manager walk over and gave them a warning (in a friendly sort of way). Personally I would've thrown they out.

[PsYkHoTiK]

Originally Posted by s p r a n k i k o

But isn't that the customer's prerogative since she paid for it?

It still doesn't justify food wasting...

[s p r a n k i k o]

Hehehehehe... Don't get me wrong, I do agree that it is a complete waste of food.

What I'm just trying to point out is that there was an exchange of currency and that should mean that there was transfer of ownership in the eyes of the law. That should technically give her the right to do whatever she wants. Though apparently, there's nothing in their law that says the restaurant owners are wrong so, so much for that idea.

I guess the owners should have refused her into the restaurant before she paid? I dunno. Just my two cents.

[Trinity]

What I don't like are the people that load up way more than they will ever be able to eat,,, I mean like everyone in the group, Just so they can take it home in a "doggie-bag".

[Chai]

Originally Posted by Trinity

What I don't like are the people that load up way more than they will ever be able to eat,,, I mean like everyone in the group, Just so they can take it home in a "doggie-bag".

Hehehe...many Malaysians are like this...especially Chinese...

[Papercut]

Originally Posted by s p r a n k i k o

Hehehehehe... Don't get me wrong, I do agree that it is a complete waste of food.

What I'm just trying to point out is that there was an exchange of currency and that should mean that there was transfer of ownership in the eyes of the law. That should technically give her the right to do whatever she wants. Though apparently, there's nothing in their law that says the restaurant owners are wrong so, so much for that idea.

I guess the owners should have refused her into the restaurant before she paid? I dunno. Just my two cents.

I think the onus is also on the customer to be "reasonable"
It's a term you sometimes hear in law...a reasonable person would do this, a reasonable person would assume that...etc etc. What this family is doing can easily be considered...well, not reasonable, especially if they have done it on multiple occassions.