posted on May 6, 2006 06:48:30 PM
Family Banned From Buffet for Wasting Food
AP
DES MOINES, Iowa (May 4) - 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
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
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posted on May 6, 2006 09:52:43 PM
Start noticing the size of the patrons in all-you-can-eat places. Like a convention of whales. I know I'm sounding unkind, but those people are killing themselves slowly (suicide by eating) every bit as fast as chain smokers, heavy drinkers, and drug users. And taxpayers have to foot the bill for their health care. It's really disgraceful.
I've been watching the cable show, "Honey, We're Killing the Kids." Very revealing about the way America eats these days. One family had NEVER had a home-cooked meal; take-out every single night of the week. The kids were little blimps already.
posted on May 6, 2006 10:02:51 PM
So what now??? The ultra-liberal food police want the U.S. to start legislating what American's eat now???
That's all we need...more government intrusion in our lives.
I'm trying to remember which country is already doing just that....but they were discussing how much less fat they have in the fast foods than we do here....because they LEGISLATED it.
posted on May 6, 2006 10:43:27 PM
Did I miss something? Where is the talk of legislation?
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
People put their hand on the bible, and swear to uphold the constitution. They do not put their hand on the constitution, and swear to uphold the bible.
posted on May 7, 2006 06:06:00 AM
'Start noticing the size of the patrons in all-you-can-eat places. Like a convention of whales'-
CONVENTION OF WHALES!!!!!!!!!!!
I go to the local supermarkets and I just see people who have small bones are getting heavier at places which should be slim.
Women used to wear girdles to hide thier tummy,now they dont care.The other day on some online dating ads,one guy said he is looking for a woman with a flat belly!!
Blame it on the Chinese,they make all our clothes and they just make them bigger and looser ,what's another 10 inches of fabric(spandex and cotton)!Labor is cheap and so is cotton.
SO is food in this country-chicken is cheap,so is cooking oil for frying crab ragoon and eggroll!
What is expensive in the store is green pepper and they use a lot of green pepper.
How do these buffet places make money?on volume?on iced tea??or cheat on sales tax!
/ lets all stop whining !! /
posted on May 7, 2006 09:27:18 AM
Hwahwa: My brother-in-law had his own food company until he retired a few years ago. He had restaurants, college food service contracts, nursing-home food contracts, etc. He and his wife will not ever eat in an all you can eat buffet-style restaurant. He says he KNOWS how they keep costs down and can feed quantity eaters--and how old some of the food really is. He won't tell me, though, how it's done, but I can guess. (Think recycle?)
[ edited by roadsmith on May 7, 2006 09:33 AM ]
posted on May 7, 2006 09:48:53 AM
yes,several of my friends get sick eating in those places.
Do you know fried rice is made from left over rice as it is dry?
But these restaurants use the rice left over from the customer's plates!!
/ lets all stop whining !! /
posted on May 7, 2006 10:56:36 AM
Some folks point out rich people can go sking in Colorado,and summmer in the French Riviera,but average folks get their entertainment in all you can eat places!
But one must not always blame it on food,anti depressant is known to interfere with how our body metabolise sugar.
/ lets all stop whining !! /
