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I organise some tech conferences. We tend to hold our speakers dinner at an upmarket all-you-can-eat buffet, mainly because we have a mix of adventurous and not

I organise some tech conferences. We tend to hold our speakers dinner at an upmarket all-you-can-eat buffet, mainly because we have a mix of adventurous and not-so-adventurous eaters. We try to let our speakers and guests have an opportunity to try our local cuisine, but I'm starting to think that buffets aren't that great for doing so. Travellers new to a country/region wouldn't know what to take, unless there's a local by their side explaining the dishes to them. As the person that foots the bill, I also usually observe how much everyone consumes — it's usually 2-3 small plates worth; probably valued at a quarter of what we're paying per head.

ckdarby 7y ago
Really? I figure most people just take a little bit of everything the first round to figure out what they liked and then come back for more.
- leetcrew 7y ago
  yeah, I find buffets are ideal for sampling lots of unfamiliar foods. I'm a lot more willing to try a small portion of something new than to actually order it as an entree. now as far as value for your money goes, you probably don't come out ahead at an all-you-can eat buffet unless you bring a solid appetite with you. it's possible in GP's case that the cuisine of the restaurant itself is just too unfamiliar. the pickier attendees might not find anything they like. it's also possible that they don't want to be seen gorging themselves at a professional event where they are meeting a lot of people for the first time.
  - war1025 7y ago
    > it's also possible that they don't want to be seen gorging themselves at a professional event where they are meeting a lot of people for the first time. Personally, I'd be less concerned about being seen as gorging myself in a such a situation, and more concerned with whether or not the unfamiliar food was going to leave me with unexpected digestive issues. People I don't know, in a place I'm unfamiliar with, eating food I'm not familiar with sounds like a great recipe for caution.
    - ValentineC 7y ago
      > I'd be less concerned about being seen as gorging myself in a such a situation, and more concerned with whether or not the unfamiliar food was going to leave me with unexpected digestive issues. I've heard something similar from other speakers, and it's likely we'll take steps to shift the food exploration to after the event is over.
- JacobAldridge 7y ago
  As a paid speaker who goes to a lot of conferences, I always eat way less than if I’m out at a social gathering. Partly it’s the professionalism - even in these mixer situations, I’m at work and with a client that’s paying a (comparatively) lot of money for me, and demonstrating my ability to down eight plates then back up for dessert isn’t great brand positioning. There’s also the volume of food at conferences. If I don’t skip a few meals and eat smaller portions at the others, I could end up having a days worth of calories for all 3 meals, plus snacks, for up to a full week including travel.
  - ghaff 7y ago
    One of the big changes I’ve made the past few years to my benefit is that, at conferences, I started making a point of not eating, especially mediocre food, at events just because it’s available for “free.” I basically never eat 3 meals a day and if I try to I start feeling really bloated.
    - JacobAldridge 7y ago
      I also avoid 3 meals a day - totally unnecessary in my case. Alas, whether it was my upbringing or boarding school, I’m also a turkey-cum-labrador when it comes to free food and booze: I really, really struggle to stop eating. I can resist everything except temptation and all that.

ckdarby 7y ago

Really? I figure most people just take a little bit of everything the first round to figure out what they liked and then come back for more.

leetcrew 7y ago
yeah, I find buffets are ideal for sampling lots of unfamiliar foods. I'm a lot more willing to try a small portion of something new than to actually order it as an entree. now as far as value for your money goes, you probably don't come out ahead at an all-you-can eat buffet unless you bring a solid appetite with you. it's possible in GP's case that the cuisine of the restaurant itself is just too unfamiliar. the pickier attendees might not find anything they like. it's also possible that they don't want to be seen gorging themselves at a professional event where they are meeting a lot of people for the first time.
- war1025 7y ago
  > it's also possible that they don't want to be seen gorging themselves at a professional event where they are meeting a lot of people for the first time. Personally, I'd be less concerned about being seen as gorging myself in a such a situation, and more concerned with whether or not the unfamiliar food was going to leave me with unexpected digestive issues. People I don't know, in a place I'm unfamiliar with, eating food I'm not familiar with sounds like a great recipe for caution.
  - ValentineC 7y ago
    > I'd be less concerned about being seen as gorging myself in a such a situation, and more concerned with whether or not the unfamiliar food was going to leave me with unexpected digestive issues. I've heard something similar from other speakers, and it's likely we'll take steps to shift the food exploration to after the event is over.
JacobAldridge 7y ago
As a paid speaker who goes to a lot of conferences, I always eat way less than if I’m out at a social gathering. Partly it’s the professionalism - even in these mixer situations, I’m at work and with a client that’s paying a (comparatively) lot of money for me, and demonstrating my ability to down eight plates then back up for dessert isn’t great brand positioning. There’s also the volume of food at conferences. If I don’t skip a few meals and eat smaller portions at the others, I could end up having a days worth of calories for all 3 meals, plus snacks, for up to a full week including travel.
- ghaff 7y ago
  One of the big changes I’ve made the past few years to my benefit is that, at conferences, I started making a point of not eating, especially mediocre food, at events just because it’s available for “free.” I basically never eat 3 meals a day and if I try to I start feeling really bloated.
  - JacobAldridge 7y ago
    I also avoid 3 meals a day - totally unnecessary in my case. Alas, whether it was my upbringing or boarding school, I’m also a turkey-cum-labrador when it comes to free food and booze: I really, really struggle to stop eating. I can resist everything except temptation and all that.