Pub owner’s rules after ‘cheap Charlie’ took ‘all-you-can-eat buffet' too far

Sundays are usually filled with dreading work on Monday, hangovers and pigging out on a fat roast dinner – especially now we’re supposed to be having colder weather.

And a great way to have that holy trough of food is at a carvery.

Going up to those shining counters with spotlights on glistening hunks of meat, colourful veg and vats of gorgeous gravy is our own pilgrimage.

There’s such a joy in piling a plate high with slices of meats and vegetables and obviously, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puds and then flooding the whole thing with thick, dark gravy.

But sometimes, things can go too far.

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And a Welsh pub recently hit out at a ‘Cheap Charlie’ who wanted to take their food home.

A diner at The George IV Inn in Powys left a two-star review after the meal as they complained: “I booked a Sunday lunch, if I had known when I booked a table I wouldn't have booked as I don't always eat my meal and I like to take it home. They said on the menu they don't do take away boxes which is fine but I had a plate which I brought with me and it was still a no.

"Good food but this is a let-down and I won't be going back, just a heads up to anyone if they do like to take food home with them."

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But it’s all made quite clear on the pub and restaurant’s site, where the company states: “We do not provide or allow takeaway boxes as our price for carvery is for dine in only", as well as clarifying only 'one visit to the carvery' is allowed.

So these rules do clear up that even if you bring your own ‘plate’ rather than a box, you still can’t be taking away your roast to tuck into on the sofa at home.

The pub landlord hit out at the diner for their review and even provided five steps to explain ‘how an all you can eat carvery buffet works’.

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Simple to follow (and mouth-watering to read), Shaun Griffiths explained: “1) Go to the buffet and ask the carvery chef to carve you up to 3 different meats.

“2) Fill your plate with our huge selection of fresh vegetables, roasted potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, homemade stuffing and even cauliflower cheese if you wish.

"3) Add as much rich delicious homemade gravy as you wish.

“4) Add your sauces such as horseradish, cranberry or apple.

"5) Take your plate with as much food as you can eat at the table, to your table and enjoy.

“Please note there is NO point 6 which states you take much more than you can eat at the table and have a free meal at home later with a plate you have smuggled into our restaurant under your coat or elsewhere that I dare not think of.”

Seems easy enough.