"All You Can Eat" is a buffet package which you can unlimited refill your dishes and dessert with a fixed amount, either in hotel and restaurant. On the other hand, “All you can drink” is the buffet package for you to enjoy unlimited refill of alcohol, soft drink, etc. Usually there is a time restriction. There are few types of “All you can eat” buffet package, such as ala-carte buffet style, self-service buffet style, etc. Today, we are going to introduce you the series of the “All You Can Eat” buffet package, where can you find the restaurant, estimated cost and manners when dining.

Where can we find the restaurant who serve “All You Can Eat” buffet package?

For the “All You Can Eat” buffet package, you can find it, either at the hotel restaurant or café, during lunch and dinner time. However, for “All You Can Drink” buffet package, usually you can only have it during nighttime provided by Izakaya(居酒屋), some hotel restaurant, Karaoke and internet Café. During the high tea time, some of the hotels do provide “All You Can Eat - Dessert”. Besides, some of the farm also provides “All You Can Eat” buffet package for the seasonal fruits such as strawberry, grapes, blueberry, etc. You can pluck the fruits yourself and eat unlimitedly within the time restriction.

What kind food are available in the buffet?

For “All You Can Eat” buffet package in hotel, usually the food provided are varies including Sushi, Tempura and other Japanese dishes, Chinese Cuisine, Italian Cuisine, and others for a good balance of meals. Some of the hotels also has the live kitchen which customer can eat while enjoy seeing the cooking process by the restaurant chef. In restaurant, most of the restaurant only provide “All You Can Eat” buffet package for their specialty dishes, such as Yakiniku, Shabu Shabu, etc. Some of them only provide the buffet package during lunch time. For “All You Can Drink” buffet package, the usual menu are beer, wine, Japanese sake, and soft drinks. Some of the restaurant provide the combination package of “All You Can Eat” and “All You Can Drink” but for some restaurants might require you to pay additional fee for the “All You Can Drink” buffet package.

What is the average fee and time restriction?

For hotels, the cost for “All You Can Eat” buffet package will be approximately 3,000 to 5,000 yen during lunch session, and approximately 6,000 to 8,000 yen for dinner session. For restaurants, the cost will be approximately 1,000 to 2,000 yen during lunch session and approximately 3,000 to 4,000 yen during dinner session. Prices are different depending on the diner is an adults or children and the day that you dine in is on a weekdays or weekends or public holidays. Normally the time restriction is between 60 minutes to 120 minutes. Time restriction for “All You Can Drink” buffet package is always fixed at around 2,000yen for 120 minutes.

Order style and buffet style

For “All You Can Eat” buffet package, there is an ala carte order style which you can order food from the menu and buffet style which you need to self-service yourself to get the food from the buffet food counters. For the ala carte order style, it is recommended to finish your food first before making your next orders because there might be an extra charge for leftover food. “All You Can Eat” buffet package always provided by the restaurant such as Sushi, Chinese Cuisine, Yakiniku, Shabu-shabu because the cooking time required is short.

For “All You Can Drink” buffet package, most of the restaurant provide ala carte order style. In the family restaurant, there is a “Drink Bar”, a soft drinks counters. The customers are expected to bring their own cups and refill drinks at the “Drink Bar”.

Manners which you need to know

For the buffet style, when taking food from the food corner we should walk in clockwise direction. It is a bad manner to take too much food in your plate. So, let's just take 3 to 4 dishes in a round. It is also a bad manner if you leave too much unfinished food. For “All You Can Drink” buffet package normally the last order will be 10-15minutes before the restriction time finish.