What’s the real profit behind unlimited “all-you-can-eat”? A battle-hardened expert reveals three key reasons

It’s believed that “all-you-can-eat” is everyone’s top choice for a big meal — an endless array of delicious food, shrimp and crabs as much as you can eat, plus freshly sliced meats, premium desserts, and all kinds of dishes. But have you ever thought about it? Businesses don’t operate at a loss, so what are they really making money on? A sharp, well-spoken, and extremely insightful netizen, dubbed the “Battle God,” posted on PTT. Based on TV reports he’s seen, he analyzed the three main reasons why all-you-can-eat restaurants turn a profit.

1 Not everyone is a big eater

It’s normal for guys with big appetites to get their money’s worth, but for girls going to an all-you-can-eat buffet, unless you’re a Japanese eating champion like “Matsushita Yuka,” almost all of them come out ahead. “At most, it’s just three nigiri sushi, one hand roll, two fried shrimp, one steamed egg custard, and maybe a bit more dessert. To be honest, even if you bought these things outside, the retail price wouldn’t even be 500 NT dollars. Paying over 800 NT per person for all-you-can-eat is pure profit.”

2 The more items there are, the lower the cost price

The Battle God said he once helped small farmers sell vegetables — a bunch of nine stems of water spinach for 70 NT, yet in Taipei, one stem alone costs 50 NT. Add to that the huge markup in Taiwan’s fruit and vegetable wholesale market, and if you buy hundreds of boxes at a time, the price is definitely shockingly low.

3. Besides meat and seafood, there are other filling foods

Although meat and seafood are relatively expensive, restaurants aren’t afraid of being eaten out of business. There are also people who go for fried rice, Danzai noodles, shumai, buns, and other carb-heavy foods — cheap and filling, making the boss smile from ear to ear.

Additionally, the Battle God also shared some advanced tactics used by all-you-can-eat restaurants, such as setting up franchises to collect franchise fees, operating central kitchens, logistics, and sourcing ingredients directly — all of which can bring in even more profits. In response, netizens commented: “Every time I go to an all-you-can-eat, I avoid rice and noodles just to not get full too quickly,” “So that’s how it is? I never knew what these kinds of places actually make,” and “Of course it’s a loss if the whole family goes — it’s just for the variety and atmosphere.”