12 rules for the hotel breakfast buffet

Brian Warrener has seen a lot at the buffet table.

He’s an associate professor at Johnson & Wales University who specializes in food and beverage management; he worked in dining outlets for years and he’s frequented breakfast buffets with his three kids, the youngest of whom is 10.

“I love buffets and I love breakfast,” he said. But he doesn’t love the “appalling” behavior he’s witnessed on occasion.

“The bottom line is you just have to be courteous,” Warrener said. “You have to employ appropriate etiquette.”

We spoke to hospitality experts for their takes on bad buffet behavior and the tips everyone should keep in mind when they head down to the make-your-own waffle station.

Wash your hands

The first rule should be followed before you even leave your room: wash your hands. Pray that everyone else is doing the same before grabbing communal serving utensils and pressing juice buttons.

There may be hand sanitizer near the food, but start with the cleanest slate possible.

“There’s really no substitute for a little hot water and soap,” said Nathan Dodge, an associate teaching professor at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

Make it a no-PJ zone

Some people sleep in loungewear that could double as daytime clothes or sweatpants and a T-shirt. Those get a pass at breakfast. This is not about those fashion choices.

“Your flannel pajamas from Christmas, your hotel bathrobe that you got out of the closet, no,” said Susan Barry, a hotel veteran and host of the podcast “Top Floor.” She called it “such a faux pas and so weird” when people wear obvious pajamas out of their guest room.

Watch the kids

Go through the buffet with your kids, making choices together about what to put on their plates.

“I’m not going to send my little kid up to scoop eggs out of the chafing dish she can’t even see inside of and expect that it’s going to be okay,” said Warrener. “Part of being a parent is to teach your kids how to act.”

If they’re old enough and responsible enough to do the scooping or waffle-making themselves, they should still do it under supervision.

“Children generally should be accompanied by adults at any type of buffet,” said Dodge. “Kids don’t realize that you should use the tongs instead of your fingers.”

Don’t touch the food

Unfortunately, some adults also don’t realize you shouldn’t use your fingers to grab food.

“I would imagine that some people would be like, ‘I don’t think anyone would be using their hands at a buffet,’” said Warrener. “But people do use their hands at a buffet.”

Timothy Meachum, general manager of the Hampton Inn near the White House in Washington, D.C., said he sees people reaching for food most often in the pastry section. Staffers always remind guests to use the appropriate tongs.

DIY with care

If you’re making your own anything at the buffet, follow the instructions and keep safety in mind.

Meachum said the famous Hampton Inn make-your-own waffle station includes warnings about not touching the hot griddle area. The machines are pushed back from the edge of the counter so kids don’t accidentally reach up and touch the surface.

Hampton Inn parent company Hilton said in a statement that there are no official limits to how many waffles someone can make in one trip, but suggested that making one at the time “is probably the friendliest approach” if there’s a line.

Don’t cross-contaminate

The eggs have their own serving tools. So do the potatoes. Same goes for the sausage. Don’t mix them up.

“That’s the main thing that we try to avoid here, the cross-contamination,” said Meachum. He said the hotel uses color-coded labeling and each dish has multiple utensils so people don’t get confused about what goes where.

Returning to the buffet with a dirty plate can also contaminate serving utensils and food dishes.

“You’re always supposed to get a new plate,” said Warrener, who has taught classes on food safety.

Don’t overdo it

Avoid overloading your plate so you don’t dish out more than you can consume.

“There’s so much food waste,” Dodge said. “Maybe that 30th slice of bacon isn’t really necessary, especially if you’re going to throw it away.”

David Kasprzyk, general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton near the convention center in downtown D.C., said in an email that he recommends taking a quick walk through the breakfast area before piling up the food.

“Many guests grab the first thing they see, only to discover there are other options farther along the buffet that they would have preferred,” he said.

Another solution is to limit portions on the first round, knowing that you can always go back.

Mehmet Erdem, a professor at the Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said there may be signs or employees encouraging multiple trips.

“I have seen buffet-style restaurants where they say, ‘Please don’t fill up your dish too much; come back again,’” he said.

No eating in line

That bran muffin may look amazing. But rein in the excitement; don’t take a bite until you’re back at the table. Warrener calls eating while buffet-browsing “gross.”

“It’s just not something that you should be doing,” he said. “You should be able to wait a couple minutes and take the food back to your table.”

Don’t try to clean the buffet

If you’ve spilled your oatmeal over by the eggs or drizzled waffle batter around the griddle, find an employee to alert as soon as you can.

“It’s best to let the employees in charge of it do that,” said Erdem. He noted that staffers can properly look out for potential contamination, temperature issues and cleanliness.

Meachum said workers have sterile water, rags and everything they need to clean at the ready.

“There’s no need to feel embarrassed,” the Hilton statement said. “We’d much rather know about a spill right away than have guests worry about cleaning it themselves.”

Do tidy up your table

Many hotels with breakfast included in the rate expect guests to toss their own trash after eating at the buffet. If that’s the case, clear the table. And if you’ve made a big mess, do your best to clean up.

No matter how much mopping up you do, the hotel staffers will take the job to the finish line.

“It just makes it easier for them to keep things clean and sanitized,” Barry said.

Doggie bags are okay

If you’re at a fancy all-you-can-eat establishment with strict rules about to-go bags, don’t try to sneak a croissant out in your purse. But most buffet-included hotels are fine with guests bringing the meal back to eat in the room or grabbing a bagel (with tongs) on the way out.

Barry said there is a limit, however.

“If you’re filling up a cooler bag or an Amazon box or something like that, that’s a problem,” she said. “A yogurt or an apple, no problem.”

Tips are appreciated, not expected

If you’re at an upscale buffet where servers bring drinks and clear plates, that’s an occasion to tip, Erdem said.

But at hotels where breakfast is part of the deal, tipping is generally not expected, experts said. Still, if you get great service, employees won’t turn down a token of appreciation.

Warrener, who has studied tipping, said he left a $5 bill on his table at a Hampton Inn with “excellent” breakfast service. He said sometimes there will be a tip jar somewhere near the buffet.

At the D.C. Hampton Inn where he is general manager, Meachum said breakfast staffers have cards with their names and a QR code for digital tips if guests desire.

“They’re wiping tables, talking, they’re always getting questions,” he said. “They’re always getting tips.”

By Hannah Sampson