Those Meat Slicers Just Slow You Down

Many buffets staff a professionally dressed meat cutter or two to dish out slices of meat with a personal touch.

Could the buffet save money by instead cutting the meat ahead of time and firing the meat slicer? Probably not, as the meat slicers play an important role: slowing down customers' consumption of the buffet's most expensive item. Although everything in the buffet is technically all-you-can-eat and technically diners can request as much meat as they'd like, many people will accept the meat cutter's (meager) slice and then fill the rest of their plate with less expensive food. And when a long line forms around the meat, even better from the buffet's perspective.