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Bill Wisth stands 6 feet 6 inches tall, weighs in at 350 pounds, and darn it, he'd like some more fried fish. WTMJ reports that his usual supply line was recently cut off when the managers of Chuck's Place restaurant in Thiensville, Wisconsin felt he'd enjoyed enough of their advertised all-you-can-eat Friday night fish fry after he availed himself of twelve pieces. Staffers, who had issues with Wisth throughout the years, informed their still-hungry customer that they were running short on the special and sent him on his way. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it's because The Simpsons already did it. In the show's 1992 episode "New Kid on the Block," Homer Simpson sued fictional seafood restaurant The Frying Dutchman after being ejected from the all-you-can-eat restaurant for consuming "All our shrimp! And two plastic lobsters!" The restaurant eventually offered a settlement to which Homer agreed - eating at a window table while the restaurant owner barks to lookers-on, "Come for the freak; stay for the food." But is it actually freakish to expect a restaurant to make good on their claim? Hungry diners descend upon no-limit establishments devoid of sticker-shock anticipation and ready to fill their bellies. While strategies vary wildly - some skip the lower-margin starches like bread and potatoes and stick solely to the pricier (for the restaurant) proteins, others enjoy the opportunity to pick at this and that and still others take "all-you-can-eat" as a personal challenge - the end goal is the same: satisfaction for their hard-earned cash. So we're asking for your take. In the comments below, weigh in on the topics: are "all-you-can-eat" specials and buffets a smart, wallet-sensible choice or just an excuse for gluttony, and what's your strategy for dealing with the endless stream of food? Stop when you're full or just one more little mint? It's wafer thin... |
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Lawyer: "Mrs. Simpson, what did you do after you got thrown out of the all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant?"
Marge: "We drove around looking for another all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant."
Lawyer: "And when you couldn't find one?"
Marge (sobbing): "We went fishing."
Lawyer: "Do these sound like the actions of a man who's had ALL he can eat?"
haha classic
Regarding the specific incident, the restaurant should suck it up-they aren't advertising 'all the average person eats' so they knew when they advertised that somebody would take advantage of it. Generally I prefer restaurants that have menus. I do check them out first though to be as certain as I can that they aren't ripping people off, charging high prices for small amounts of food.
There's kind of a big difference in All you can eat versus eating EVERYTHING the restaurant has to offer. They don't set it to the average eater. This man has a running tab from several years. He gorged on a lot of fish AND they gave him 8 more on top of it. He's a problem customer and they had a right to stop serving him (just like any business does). It's not about "false advertisement". People see the supposed "loop hole" there and believe they have a case. I'd like to see this man try to take it up in court just to see everyone point and laugh at his absurd "case".
I figure most buffetts cost around the same as most mid-range restaurants but they give the customer a little more say in how the meal is put together. So long as one doesn't get carried away I see it as no different than going to any other place.
That,and the one time I went to a buffet,it was an Indian one a friend took me to. I had never had Indian food before,so I tried a little bit of various foods. I settled on a few that I enjoyed,and the second time I went up,made a plate that consisted of those foods. But that was it. Having been heavy before,I have no desire to go back to that.
I've seen people stuffing some slices of that "all-you-can-eat" pizza in their purses and backpacks. In some places, if it doesn't get eaten, it gets thrown away, so that's perhaps a good thing.
It's interesting to note that "second helpings" were a standard offer in restaurants up to 100 or 150 years ago. The all-you-can-eat concept only arose after restaurants started to limit diners to one plate.
As for Bill Wisth, he's simply a victim of the (not-so) old joke: A man goes in to an all-you-can-eat place and starts wolfing down the food. After a while, the manager comes out and tells him to leave. The diner protests, "But your sign says, 'All you can eat." The manager replies, "Right, and I'm telling you, that's all you can eat."
I usually eat until I'm full. The strategy I developed for myself is to get very small plates, and go up to the buffet multiple times. I find that my plates get smaller and smaller the more times I return. When I'm full, I quit.
Although, I have to admit that if they have a good dessert offering, I'll eat some even if I am full.
I try to avoid very high-priced buffets for this reason. I don't want to feel the need to eat three times my body weight to get the most out of what I'm spending. If I can stick to buffets that are $10 – $15, then it's not going to take a lot to make me feel like I got my money's worth.
Those all you can eat places are pretty gross and the majority of the people that go are slobs...
It depends on how you look at food. Some people have an unhealthy addiction of overeating, especially high fat, high calorie food. Some people keep themselves in control. Do you have the power over the food or does the food have the power over you?
Good point. I go to all-you-can-eat buffets generally on Saturday nights when I had an early breakfast and skipped lunch, and I only go there once every couple of months. Some people go there every weekend, and there's no hope for them.
Wrong, try high carbs, fat doesn't make you fat.
I wonder if he has seen his weenie lately? probably not since 1976
I bet you've seen his weenie more recent than that.
clearly this fat pig has a problem but its not just his weight its his whole attitude. He thinks its his right to take advantage of this restaurant. He also has an outstanding bill. and the restaurant owner is an idiot for allowing him to run a tab. all you can eat places are for fat poor ignorant slobs who woudnt know a good balanced moderate meal if it bit them in the a..
One thing that was mentioned in other news stories about this is that this guy wasn't just eating it all himself; he was sharing his meal with someone else (who had not paid for a meal), which is not allowed. That being said, I can see points on both sides. Yes, it does say "all you can eat", but courtesy to both the restaurant and fellow patrons should apply. If you're eating so much that others can't get served, you're probably eating too much and should stop (or at least take a short break while the restaurant can cook more). And I agree that the restaurant wasn't very business-smart in allowing this guy to run up a large tab yet still come in and eat. Was he adding to the tab each time? Or did he actually pay on this occasion? Overall, though, I'd have to side with the restaurant on this one, although to prevent future instances they should clarify their policy.
I've never seen any buffet that allowed people to share a meal, except with maybe extremely small children. It's a wonder they didn't kick him out sooner.
yes if he was shareing with another person that has not paid. then they are within their rights to refuse him
"Gluttony, I would like to introduce to your long lost cousin Greed."
Sounds like the manager is much more stupid than this fatty.
I love buffets, though even if we had a good one in town I probably would only go a few times a year. I don't know if I get my money's worth per say...but I like the variety and I like being able to get a little dinner and a little dessert because in a normal restaurant I'd have to pay a lot for an entree that I'd eat half of and then also pay a lot for a dessert.
"Oink" said the Poland China.
For the mindless, all-you-can eat can be a golden opportunity to make yourself sick. From our primeval heritage, our bodies are built to feast infrequently and enjoy it, but the all-you-can-eat buffet can be a trap for willpower-lacking indulgers who crave comfort food and go often, digestive problems and metabolic diseases can and will arise from pigging out so often, your body cannot use so much food at one time and has to overwork itself to process the surplus into fat. Too much too often will shorten your life, just like cigarettes.
I voted "Ugh? Are you kidding me?" Not so much "gross" as I can't eat my money's worth at AYCE places. I'm better off paying a lower price for what I will eat, than wasting my money on a variety of items I won't.
For years I tried I had the mentality of "getting my moneys worth" when I ate at an AYCE establishment. The irony is, I'm paying much, much more in the terms of trying to undo the damage done to my health by entertaining that mentality. If you think it's expensive to stay healthy, you should see the price of getting yourself sick. Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure – the obesity trifecta. Now I am working at losing the weight and moving my body in an attempt to undo that damage. Not only do I not want to die young (fifty-ish) but I would like to keep my limbs and be able to breathe, walk, and take care of myself in the years I have left. I wish I'd faced the truth sooner, but better now than never.
I miss the Foody Goody chinese place in Vancouver that used to have all you can eat. Great stuff.
I just love Sizzlers all-you-can-eat salad bar! I just load up on salad veggies and fruit to my heart's content without guilt. Skip the dessert and go for a second helping of fruit instead. For about $10, it's a great deal.
Most Oversea's places that I have been to put a 90 minute time limit on all you can eat. Maybe resturants should start imposing that.
The problem with most buffet's is that they are usually quantity vs. quality of food. A truly good buffet worth eating yourself to a heart attack is a hard to find treat indeed!
As someone who likes buffets and can eat a fair amount, I do love to see some of the regular characters we have had at our local Chinese buffet like one guy who literally takes every single crab leg (we're talking a dozen easily) then adds 10-15 clams on top of it. As a result its a half a foot pile on a plate and very slowly eats it as he very suspiciously looks at everyone like a dog coveting a bone and he pays in quarters sometimes so I'm pretty sure they aren't getting tipped by him.
This "all you can eat" should be out of style by now. The slogan is not just making people fat, but bringing restaurants in to bankruptcy. I can't forget one occasion where I brought my daughter to a Chinese buffet for her birthday. They offered snowcrab as one of their options. This tiny and skinny Chinese guy comes in with his family, grabs a plate, and he managed to help himself to the entire offering of legs available. He needed both hands to make it to his assigned table. Now....this was not an overweight or obese guy, but someone who likely "ate" this restaurant out of business. Obese people is one thing, but they are no different than those who are skinny, but just as greedy.
More than likely the resturant was just slow to refill the crab plate, so the only one he was hurting was the other diners. The key to not losing money with all you can eat is pacing. you set a budget of food you are going to prepare based on the number of people in the resturaunt and just deal with the complaints from customers about how slow the trays are being refilled.
I used to go to a buffet thinking I had to get my money's worth...but don't ask me how much that is as I never really knew. I had been known to eat so much I once went outside and threw up in a bush. Ugh. Now, I approach an all-you-can-eat buffet very differently. I take one plate and get a little of this an a little of that. Just a modest plate full..... not 3 feet high. I sit and eat the food on my plate. If I'm still hungry I'll just get a dab or two of something more. If I still got room I'll have a little dessert. If I am full before dessert I let it go. I leave feeling good, not hungry, and am not so stuffed I couldn't take a walk. It was not being able to take a walk after I stuffed myself that made me make the change. If I feel a buffet is too expensive I simply don't go to that one rather than go an eat until you have to take me out in a wheel chair. :o} I guess what might make people overeat when they go to the buffet is that they can't take leftovers home like they do at a regular restaurant when there is more food than one can eat at the moment.
I don't care how much the guy wanted. If they're advertising "all you can eat," they better give up the food!
Natalie, I'm guessing you're American. And therefore, about two or three hundred pounds overweight.
Naturally, I'm guessing you're a troll, therefore plying your trade on a CNN message board.
Not a troll at all. Just responding to Natalie's "they better give up their food" rant. Sounds similar to "Iraq better give up their oil." Couple that together with this topic of being 350 pounds and still feeling you're entitled to gorge at someone else's expense. And voila - she must be American. It's really pretty logical when you think about it.
Where you from?
Try 430 lbs overweight... Fatalie needs to put the fork down.
When I was younger I used to enjoy all-you-can-eat meals, and I went for the challenge... but as I got older I had to work really hard to lose all the weight I put on. Nowadays I'm not likely to get my money's worth out of such a feed, though, unless it's the fire department's BBQ chicken... and that's because I consider the value of their services as part of what I'm paying for, not just the food. Some folks with high metabolism (not me) can really pack it in without gaining an ounce; I have a friend from Texas who has, twice, taken up a local steakhouse on their "64-ounce ribeye, eat it all and it's free" challenge and, after finishing the first one, said "double or nothing?" and finished a second one too.
Not trying to be mean or anything but just looking at all of the fat people lined up at these troughs makes me loose my appetite. Personally, I would rather have a couple bites of filet migon cooked at home than all of the crap food at a buffet line.
Someone 6'6" is
Expected to eat
More than a person of average or small
Stature. That doesnt make him a glutton!! If they advertise an all u can eat buffet for a certain price honor it– but dont expect a
Midget to eat
What a 6'6" man eats because we
Wont.
Absolutely. I am 6'3", 290 and not fat. I can eat like this guy as well but you can cross the line and be greedy.
The restaurant simply needs a more clear cut policy.
you're 6'3" and 290 and you don't think you're fat? Are you on drugs?!?!
News flash: you are the fattest fat-ass in the history of fatness. If I cut your leg off, gravy would come out, you fat nasty bastard!
Get diabetes and die already, you portly fat f***!!!
Yeah, you're not fat. You're morbidly obese.
Terry says he's 6'3, 290 lbs then boasts that he's not fat. LOL. He's obviously got one of those "objects may look smaller than they appear" mirrors.
Brenda, are you saying you're a midget? And if not, how would you know how much those little guys can eat? I've seen plenty of obese midgets in my day. Don't hate.
*** Chomp ... smack lips, spray as I speak...***
Who's for a fifth serving?
*** BURP, pass gas, scratch stomach, adjust belt, go back for more ... ***
Man dies during apoplectic fit at Golden Sty. Pictures ay eleven. T-t-t-t-hat's all folks.
First: I avoid all you can eat buffets – they just arent my thing.
Second: If someone advertises "All you can eat" means all you can eat. I think they should either give all someone can eat or not advertise that they will. If someone advertises an oil change for 19.99 for all cars, then they better be ready to change the oil in my Corvette Z06 that takes 8qts (not that I would let them)
That's why all "$19.99 oil change" offers I've seen have an asterisk. (Most have the note that some cars are excluded but I've seen a few where the asterisk refers to a note that isn't printed on the ad-not sure why but I assume it's a copysetter's error.) Maybe 'all-you-can-eat' restaurants should include an asterisk with a note about either a limit or about the management reserving the right to limit you.
This reminds me of the Simpsons episode where they go out to eat at a seafood buffet and Homer eats so much he gets cut off so he sues for false advertising and they come to an agreement where he is the sideshow of the man with the bottomless stomach.
and that was mentioned in this story and i didnt notice
I don't know why I laughed so hard at your 2nd comment.
Come see Bottomless Pete, nature's cruelest mistake!
Golden Corral the only one that I will eat at anymore.
I used to love them then I had gastric bypass surgery. Now they cause me fear and anxiety and I can't believe I used to eat like that. I definitely understand their appeal but it feeds a mindset that is not good for certain people, myself obviously inculded.
I hear you. I didn't want to go the surgery route, so I am choosing to change my mindset instead. Thirty pounds gone, about 70 more to go, and it's not easy but not as difficult as I thought it would be. Something about the thought of having limbs removed due to diabetes that makes it easier to say no to fried food, junk food, and sweets. I just say "Whats worth more, the momentary pleasure of tasting this junk food, or keeping my feet to be able to walk for the rest of my life?" Not surprisingly, keeping my feet always wins.
We will be paying this guys medical bills in the future. 350lbs should be eating less, not more.
More slop in the trough please.
"All you can eat"...you gluttonous Americans are so lacking in both dignity and taste.
That's completely unnecessary, there's plenty of things i could say about where you may or may not come from. I hate people like you on the internet, coming to news stories in America then blasting us for being who we are. I'm willing to bet almost every country on earth has shit like this in it's own news, but i don't see many people going on them and saying "X country is so ". Just another person trying to be cool on the internet because it's a fad to hate America now.
Jeann, You noticed that? I agree, I live here, and just the thought of being such a disgusting pig, makes me sick too. Just go to any restaurant and look around, they serve low quality food high in sodium, with serving sizes that are enough for three people.
Seconds Please!!
I've eaten in a few 'high quality' restaurants. After paying $100 for a meal (for myself) I expect to be satisfied-but never have been. Sometimes I've even gone from the 'high-quality' restaurant directly to a cheaper one that serves more than a bit or two of food. I won't say all high-quality restaurants are ripoffs, but all those I've eaten at are.
I don't like buffets. Even though they are often lower quality food, I usually eat too much even when I try to use some restraint. I prefer to avoid them and patronize a restaurant that serves fixed portions.
I usually go for the good stuff, but even the good stuff is not so good because these places serve low quality food. It is nice though if your food ends up being crummy you can easily go get something else without having to complain and get the eyerolls from barely highschool educated staff members. As for this guy if he hadn't paid his tab why did they even let him in the door?
I can't even imagine eating 12 servings of fish, maybe 3 or 4 if its absolutely scrumptious, and even then I wouldn't have room for sides... Wow dude... eat some fiber LOL
i have been there 12 pieces is more like 4 good sized
the tab is from him drinking booze not about fish
Dawn, are you American? What exactly is a "good sized" piece of fish to you? Do we need to kill a whale and carry it to your table with a forklift?
Yes, I'm aware whales are not fish. I couldn't think of a large enough animal to satisfy your gluttony.
Swordfish.
Bahahaha, that was good. She uses the forklift to leave the restaurant after she is done with her all-nighter.
There is an easy way to get around the all you can eat/take home dilemma! Don't allow take out! But if the guy wants to sit there until he is sick, that's what was advertised. I have seen a Chinese place with a sign that says " take all that you want, but eat all that you take!". Easy enough situation.
There's a great Chinese all you can gorge buffet in the town where I work that I go to about 2x/mn. EVERY time I'm there for lunch I never cease to be dumbfounded by the number of almost morbidly obese diners (lard butts!) that are there. So much for being fit in Missouri!
So I would suggest that you eat at home, all by your lonesome, and mind your own business.
I think we just located one of the morbidly obese buffet hogs right here! Whaddya say Patti? Are you the type who just pulls your chair up to the buffet table?
true but at the chinese place i go to if you waste a plate of food they charge you and additional 6 $
Bill, I've seen those signs in Asian Restaurants too. It does make sense except if I leave a few morsels or don't like something I feel guilty and nearly slink out of the place.
I have been to a BD's Mongolian restaurant once in life,and you can either get one bowl of food for $10 or all you can eat for $15. If you get the all you can eat,then want to take your leftovers home,it is an additional $2. So I guess some places do have that sort of pricing structure in place.
Looks like lard butt is about to explode. Someone always has to take advantage of a well intended promotion. Nobody can make money when you have a pig lining up at the trough eating 20-30 pieces of fish. I would be surprised if he was eating it all himself or taking it home with him.
Homer vrs the frying dutchman... now the question to determine if he had all he could eat, did he drive around till 3am looking for another all you can eat place with fish, and then when he couldn't find it did he go fishing...if so it does not sound like a man who had all he could eat.
He sounds like a pig! Most probably looks like one to lol
I have googled a pic of Bill...he looks like he might explode.
As long as he really is eating it all at the restaurant, I think they're obligated to continue serving him. Let's face it, for every greedy hog like him, they're going to have 10-12 little old ladies who barely nibble a bite. It evens out.
I can't understand why they would give him 8 pieces to take home – they just fed his whole family. Would he really have eaten more than 20 pieces if they'd just let him stay?
Did you see that man! Fed his family doubtful. i would be willing to bet he snatched the food from their hands.
they gave his the eight to get him out of the resturant he was causing a seane at the time
They deserved the scene. All you can eat is just that, just because he eats way to much, as long as he is eating it while at the restaurant they advertised it so they should be obligated to continue service. My husband had the same thing happen at Po Boys years ago on an all you can eat chicken fried steak night, he took several (6 total) friends out, they got the first serving, when they asked for more they were brought two steaks (not each, two total) and told that was all they could have. Don't advertise it if you aren't willing to provide the service. Now if he was taking it home or picking at it and leaving most of each piece, that's different. His gluttony IS NOT the issue, their FALSE ADVERTISING is.
I agree. If he is eating it in house (I'm not aware of any buffet/all-you-can-eat that supports take out), and not sharing with anyone, then he should be served. The only caveat being parking himself there for mucho hours on end (lunch going into dinner). If the business finds they cannot support this service they should rethink their strategy. My business would even things out as I cannot eat enough of an all-you-can-eat to get my monies worth.
He was allowing another customer to eat with him – that's two people eating their food for the price of one. That is against the rules. Not to mention the guy owes the restaurant money. Yet they still sent him away with 8 more pieces of fish. That's a lot nicer than I would be.
I think these all-you-can-eat places are gross. I call them the Halls of Gluttony. They generally have unhealthy food. My hubby loves them, but my son and i refuse to eat in these places.
In general, you're right - but if you're ever in NYC and have the urge to splurge, go for the brunch at the Waldorf. Now THAT'S food that's worth stuffing yourself with!
Seems like a huge opportunity to eat to excess. In my few times of visiting them, it did seem like there were plenty of plus sized people there. But, then I am in Michigan, where there are plenty of plus sized people
I have seen people use trays instead of plates at all you can eat buffets. Need two charis to sit down. That can't be good for business.
I think people are missing an important point, this guy didn't PAY for the all you can eat, he had a large tab with the restaurant that he had been amassing for several years. Maybe they were just tired of him being a free loader.
In that case, they should just have turned him away at the door, and told him he was welcome to come back once he'd paid his prior tab. Once you seat him and start serving him, at an "all you can eat" special, you're stuck with him.
Agree. The customer sounded like a jerk, but the restaurant was enabling him by allowing him to have large unpaid tab. Strange to be mad at being cut off at an "all-you-can-eat" restaurant when you haven't even paid for the meal.
I'm pretty sure you're not stuck with him, as this article proved when the restaurant asked him to leave.
Didn't see that in the article, but if true, they should have refused service. Haven't seen any restaurant that didn't have a we reserve the right to refuse service sign. What restaurant runs a tab anymore anyway? Must be a very small town.
Well, they really glossed over that one, now didn't they? A quick blurb, and poof, no more. If he had not paid his tab in years, why on this green earth were they still allowing him to feast? Good customer? or Bad business? You might get one pass from me, but to go on for years? Not going to happen.
This morning, Jonathon Brandmeier interviewed this guy on WGN radio in Chicago while his waitress was also on the line. It was so funny. They had more details about the whole incident. BrandmeierShow has it posted online.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdwuiyO7hOU
I like all you can eat buffets for the variety. I don't have to commit to a certain dish if I don't like it. However, Golden Corral was a target for my buddies and I after we would praise Allah with the all mighty Hookah Session a few years ago. We knew we were going to get our $10 worth and then some.
their food is great
I say let him have at it. It is what they advertised after all.
My only gripe with this concept is people who abuse it, such as by taking food home, or wasting it.