Family Kicked Out of Buffet Restaurant

DES MOINES, Iowa - Wendy Dershem may think twice before leaving that egg roll on her plate at her next Chinese buffet. The Des Moines woman, her boyfriend and her two children were kicked out of a restaurant last week after management accused her of leaving too much food on her plate.
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"They told us we are not welcome there anymore," said Dershem, a repeat customer at the Dragon House buffet. "We waste too much food. But the buffet is all you can eat. And you know kids. They won't always eat everything and they want something else."

Dershem said she paid her $5.95 fee on Saturday but was abruptly told to leave after eating one plate of food.

Employees said they had been watching her family on previous trips to the restaurant and were fed up with her habits.

"They just take one bite and throw it away," said cashier Lin Huyen. "They take four egg rolls and crab ragoon, take one bite of egg roll and throw the whole plate. That is wasting food."

Dershem said she was shocked by the scolding and complained to management when she paid her check. "It was embarrassing. ... If it's a one-stop buffet, post it," she said.

Dragon House manager Kent Cao said his restaurant offers all you can eat buffet, not all you can waste. Dershem's family took food, didn't finish it and then piled on the same food again, he said.

"Shes done that too many times," Cao said. "We would welcome her back if she has respect and knows what she wants."

Bob Oberbillig, an adjunct professor at the Drake Legal Clinic, says the patron would have no legal case against exclusion from a business unless there are other factors such as racial discrimination or mental health issues.

"An establishment can exclude people if they smoke or waste food," he said. "It's still a private business."


all i have to say is... that parent is stupid! you know chinese people don't like to waste food, why the hell do they get so much food just to throw it away? the owners probably exagerated a little but still if your children doesn't finish their plate then don't give them so much. i mean common sense, and seriously she should even be greatful that it's only 6 bucks a person, every other buffet in my area is expensive. watch when her kids grow up and druing thanksgiving dinner, after the mom "spent" hours cooking it and suddenly her children takes 1 bite and leaves it on their plate. then she will know how the managment feels

i take both sides

well that's stupid.

the family has paid for food, why wouldn't they left food on plates?

That's nothing compared to another short story. There was a woman (pretty rich too) that was taking chicken from an all-you-can-eat buffet and putting it in her purse. She was caught, and kicked out and told not to come back

Can't blame them. Idiots LETS EAT FOOD THEN THROW IT AND EAT MORE.

Thats kinda funny lol.

It kind of sucks that they got kicked out, but the reason seems just to me. If they come every time and waste food then they deserve to be kicked out. The thing that should of been done was to warn them about what they are doing. Tell them they they are wasting too much food and they need to start being more effiecent or else they will be kicked out. Not just come up and tell them you need to leave.

it should be common sense, if after the first trip or 2 and you know you'll just end up throwing food away then don't get so much... duh

They payed for that food.