This might be a simple explanation to the buffet problem. After you've taken your random walk to see what's on offer you now decide that one of the first three

This might be a simple explanation to the buffet problem. After you've taken your random walk to see what's on offer you now decide that one of the first three items was what you wanted after all. Now you have the difficult social problem (and logistical too if there are plates with food) of navigating against the tide of people who arrived after you. UPDATE: I see this explanation is covered more thoroughly in other comments.