Buffet - Popular Buffets

Popular Buffets

In Australia, buffet chains such as Sizzler serve a large number of patrons with carvery, seafood, salads and desserts. Buffets are also common in Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL) clubs and some motel restaurants.

In Brazil, comida a quilo or comida por quilo - literally, "food by kilo" - restaurants are common. This is a cafeteria style buffet in which diners are billed by the weight of the food selected, excluding the weight of the plate. Brazilian cuisine's rodízio style is all-you-can-eat, having both non-self-service and self-service variations.

In Japan, a buffet or smorgasbord is known as a viking (バイキング - baikingu). It is said that this originated from the restaurant "Imperial Viking" in the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, which was the first restaurant in Japan to serve buffet-style meals. Dessert Vikings are very popular in Japan, where one can eat from a buffet full of desserts.

In Russia, the chain MooMoo (or МуМу in Russian) serves all its food buffet-style.

In the United States, Buffets, Inc. is a large buffet chain corporation which owns Old Country Buffet, Country Buffet, Fire Mountain, Ryan's Steakhouse, and HomeTown Buffet. HomeTown Buffet popularized the "scatter buffet", which refers to the layout of separate food pavilions. Other American restaurant chains well known for their buffets include America's Incredible Pizza Company, Chuck-A-Rama, Cici's Pizza, Fresh Choice (a West Coast competitor of Sweet Tomatoes), Western Sizzlin', Furr's Family Dining, Gatti's Pizza, Golden Corral (which features food products presented in pans), Pancho's Mexican Buffet, Ponderosa Steakhouse, Shakey's Pizza, Sizzler, and Sweet Tomatoes (known in particular for its soups and salads).

Las Vegas is famous for its all-you-can-eat buffet (which are common in casinos) as depicted in the 2007 documentary film BUFFET: All You Can Eat Las Vegas.