No more Beef for you!

[chadtm80]

No-Carb Eating Couple Booted From Buffet

By CHRISTIE L. HILL


Associated Press Writer

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A couple on the Atkins Diet have a beef with a local restaurant after being booted from the buffet for eating too much meat.

Isabelle Leota, 29, and her husband Sui Amaama, 26, both on the no-carb diet, were dining Tuesday at a Chuck-A-Rama in the Salt Lake City suburb of Taylorsville when the manager cut them off because they'd eaten too much roast beef.

"It's so embarrassing actually," said Leota. "We went in to have dinner, we were under the impression Chuck-A-Rama was an all you can eat establishment."

Not so, said Jack Johanson, the restaurant chain's district manager.

"We've never claimed to be an all-you-can-eat establishment," said Johanson. "Our understanding is a buffet is just a style of eating."

The general manager was carving the meat, and became concerned about having enough for other patrons, Johanson said. So when Amaama went up for his 12th slice, the manager asked Amaama to stop.

Offended by the request, the couple argued with the manager, then asked for a refund. The manager refused, and when the couple refused to leave, he called police.

"I really feel like we were discriminated against, I feel like we were treated unfairly," said Leota.

The restaurant's roast beef is cooked overnight and takes between 12 and 14 hours to cook, Johanson said. Depending on the location, a Chuck-A-Rama may have only between one and five roasts each day.

But Johanson said the manager offered plenty of other buffet items for the couple to choose from.

The couple are finishing their second week of the Atkins Diet, which requires taking in little to no carbohydrates, and they eat at Chuck-A-Rama's $8.99 buffet at least twice a week because of its convenience.

"You can just go there and just eat meat," said Leota, a mother of two.

Johanson said there's no written policy for what patrons can or can't eat, or for the size of their portions. But the restaurant reserves the right to talk to patrons if they abuse the buffet - a rare occurrence, he said.

The couple said they won't return to the restaurant.

"I don't have any desire to go there ever again," said Leota.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved

[Josephine96]

I saw that story yesterday.. I don't know what to think lol

[Aslkahuna]

what with the price of Beef nowadays, who can blame the manager for cutting off someone who wants to scarf down all of the roast. Besides, there's other foods they could have eaten as well besides meat that's relatively low carb.

Steve

[GalvestonDuck]

Just what IS "low-carb?" I mean, what amount of carb intake is considered low? Obviously, zero is the best you can do. But it seems like so many everyday, even low-fat things are loaded with carbs. So I'm wondering just what the ideal minimum is for those who are on a low-carb diet.

[coriolis]

I don'd see how 12 slices of RB are going to help anyone lose weight. How about some veggies, pigs?

[southerngale]

Chuck-A-Rama, what a name.

[breeze]

LOL, I remember an episode of "The Simpsons",
where Homer got pitched out of an all-you-can-eat
buffet for eating all of the buffet...

[Suzi Q]

Just what IS "low-carb?" I mean, what amount of carb intake is considered low? Obviously, zero is the best you can do. But it seems like so many everyday, even low-fat things are loaded with carbs. So I'm wondering just what the ideal minimum is for those who are on a low-carb diet.

Duckie dear:
After being on that hellacious diet for 3 weeks, I can tell you that low carb generally means no more than 20-30 grams total per day. Which is almost nuts since like you said even low fat is loaded. Although I lost weight, I developed some other ailments, which immediately disappeared after going back to a quasi-normal diet.

[JQ Public]

haahh! i'm sure there are other things to eat over there besides roast beef that is atkins friendly!

[Guest]

Like everyone else has already said, what about the veggies? Geesh, 12 servings!!! The manager certainly had a right.

Some people are successful with Atkins, but it can be quite dangerous if you eat strictly red meat and fat fat fat. People like this couple are just giving the old heart muscle one heck of an undesirable workout. Hopefully this fad diet goes away soon. I wish people would see that a diet isn't going to cut it, it's a lifestyle change that will make the difference.
...Jennifer...

[furluvcats]

I tend to disagree with most posts on this thread. My husband and I both have sucessfully lost weight while on the Adkins diet, and our daughter is presently on the diet. We supplement with proper vitamins and minerals that our bodies need. Our doctor has approved this form of dieting for the three of us. Frankly, it's the only diet that's ever been successful for me or my husband, combined with the dreaded exercise.

I understand how this couple feels they have been wronged. Though, in my opinion 12 servings of beef seems to be excessive, I know that we have gone to buffets with our daughter and she only eats the meats and salads and cheeses, and we let her have as much as she wants within reason. Thats the way the diet works. We still encourage "normal sized" portions though.

Seriously, can any one of you say that you've ever been to a buffet and been concerned that you had to limit your portions? NO. Buffets just don't work that way. If it was a portion limited meal, then you'd be ordering off of a menu and your dinner would be served to you.

[Suzi Q]

And in all fairness, Atkins diets has recently recommended more turkey and chicken, as opposed to chowing down on red meat. You DO get to eat veggies and such but in very limited quantities. And it's alot safer than the old phen-fen combo. It works great for some. Honestly, it worked great for me, I dropped like 20 pounds, but it was murder on my stomach.

Personally, I recommend the seefood diet. You see food, you eat it.

[Rainband]

It is not the practice of Buffets to limit portions. I should know I work for one http://www.goldencorral.net/PromoSpec.h ... r%20Buffet I feel like that establishment was wrong. The managers comment was hilarious IMHO. "Our understanding is a buffet is just a style of eating." We'd be out of business with that philosophy
Thats why people go to buffets, to eat all they can. They should have had more Beef on hand. It was their problem, not the couples.

[therock1811]

i tend to agree but disagree too...I mean yeah 12 servings is a little much but I do not agree with the reaction of that manager...

[Rainband]

i tend to agree but disagree too...I mean yeah 12 servings is a little much but I do not agree with the reaction of that manager...

We have served some people half a Roast. They are their for all you can eat. I don't agree with eating that much of anything either. But thats what buffets are for

[Miss Mary]

Low carb diets.....that's all we hear about these days. Prior to January 1, 2004 people were munching on xmas cookies, eating party food, enjoying all the many parties a busy holiday season can bring, etc. and not even focusing on diets. Or if they were they said, oh I'll start a new diet after New Year's is over. Some good has come out of it, fast food restaurants are not pushing customers to super size everything. But this case seems as if we've gone too far!

Mary

[Corona]

I don'd see how 12 slices of RB are going to help anyone lose weight...

It won't. Unless they are 'minislices', 12 is a little much for anyone and what - you get one slice at a time? Come on! If someone wants to protein load, they're going to get at least a couple slices especially if they're small. Twelve slices of anything won't help you loose weight (dah). A couple posters mentioned portions - well that's right, you don't go there to 'scarf-n-barf'. Veggies and cheese are ok too. Sounds like these people just wanted to start something. Conversely, if the restaurant would only dole out one slice at a time, then they have a problem too. The patrons should have just gone to something like a KFC for a bucket of chicken - all meat, no hassle.

[GalvestonDuck]

Duckie dear:
After being on that hellacious diet for 3 weeks, I can tell you that low carb generally means no more than 20-30 grams total per day. Which is almost nuts since like you said even low fat is loaded. Although I lost weight, I developed some other ailments, which immediately disappeared after going back to a quasi-normal diet.

Well, I don't think I'd enjoy eating low-carb then. One serving of my favorite maple and brown sugar oatmeal has 33 g of carbs and the regular unflavored has 19 g. Good ole Cheerios has 22 g. I gotta have my oats!

I know eggs, meats, and veggies are the main carb-free/low-carb dishes. But, it seems bizarre to not be able to enjoy fruits. And milk.

[streetsoldier]

I usually eat either chicken or fish, but...when I DO get beef, don't stand in my way!