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SALT LAKE CITY -- 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.

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Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 04-25-2004, 12:32 PM:
 
Well, if they never claimed it was an all-you-can-eat restaurant, maybe they should have posted discreet "one trip only, please" signs at the head of the buffet line to prevent such misunderstandings. Without a posted reminder, it's natural that customers will assume it's an all-you-can-eat place.

You know what happens when you assume...
 

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Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 04-25-2004, 12:42 PM:
 
You would expect with a name like "Chuck-a-rama" which has a meaty sound to their name or possibly a division of kiddy pizza place...no wonder we have a friend call us once a week to complain about living in SLC
We have a buffet down the street from our office with unlimited roast beef, salmon, chicken, pork, sushi + your normal carbs for $8.95 lunch / 9.95 dinner
 

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 04-25-2004, 12:53 PM:
 
There was a Chinese buffet in Chicago where we lived, and my brother took tae-kwon-do with the owner's son. We ate there quite a bit, but they had a rule: All you can eat, but you're limited to two eggrolls. For the same reason, really. They made everything fresh, and making more eggrolls takes too much time.

They had a sign, too. Something to the effect of there being enough for everyone, etc. Nonetheless, the owner told us stories that almost EVERY DAY someone would come up and ask, "How come only 2 eggrolls? This is all you can eat! Blah Blah Blah!" and start an argument. Damn gluttons.

=TMP=
 

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Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 04-25-2004, 01:10 PM:
 
I don't care what kind of diet they were on, 12-slices of roast beef is glutony.

A standard serving of meat is supposed to be about the size of the palm of your hand. Most restaraunts serve about a double portion. I can eat about four standard servings before feeling I am about to explode.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-25-2004, 03:41 PM:
 
I am surprised that these two didn't sue chuck o rama for making them NEED the atkins diet in the first place! It's a feeding frenzy there, it has the feeling like bieng in the middle of a hork of pigs lining up at the feeding trough. People will knock you over and down to get another shot at fried chicken.

And these are mormons!

My girl and I go so we can see the worst in human behavior, that and we like getting 12 slices of roast beef.

Ciao

Dave
 

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Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 04-25-2004, 06:25 PM:
 
Whether it's an A.Y.C.E. restaurant or not, I say the manager has the right to POLITELY ask a customer to lay off at any time.

Situations change, minute by minute, in the restaurant business. There could be enough food for an average night's business but a sudden rush might run you out of one or more items. There's no reason why the manager shouldn't be allowed to say, "One per customer.", any time he thinks it's necessary.

How many times have you been in a theater on, say, a slow Tuesday evening only to be slammed by a sudden rush? Even if Tuesday is usually your slowest night of the week (just supposing) and you normally work with a "skeleton crew" there's still that chance you could get caught off guard. Who knows? A bus load of tourists might pull up to your door! In a situation like that, a reasonable person would understand when a manager makes an "executive decision". It's the same thing with a restaurant. The manager has the right to make decisions for the better of all patrons even if a few have to be inconvenienced.

How many times have you had to enact a "Two tickets per customer" rule or set up an "Exact change only" line to speed customers through? It may not happen often but it's the manager's right (and duty) to do things if it will help more customers get what they want.

Those fat-asses who whined just because the manager cut them off at the buffet deserve what they get! RIDDICULE! :evilL
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-25-2004, 06:44 PM:
 
Well, I've eaten at these places twice in the 7 years I've been in SLC. I must bring to your attention to the fact that in SLC they are known, not affectionately either, as Up-Chuck-A-Rama . Both times I ate there I got sick from it and now I stay away from them and most other buffets. Actually the manager there may have saved their lives or at least from them contracting a bad case of diahreea. The Atkins diet also does not specify that you need to eat a large quantity of Beef.... So as far as I'm concerned this couple shouldn't have been there in the first place if they were really trying to diet.

Sorry Dave but KFC(known affectionately in SLC as "The Rat" because of some unsuspecting things in a persons chicken once has far better quality chicken then Up-Chuck-A-Rama does.

Richard said:"no wonder we have a friend call us once a week to complain about living in SLC"

If your friend doesn't like living in a safe, beautiful city perhaps he should join you in the higher crime rate area of Southern Flordia. Having spent alot of time in both places I can definately vouch that SLC is a much nicer, safer, and far more beautiful place to live, and I think Dave would agree. I myself have yet to find a better place to live but I'm sure it exists.

Mark
 

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Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 04-25-2004, 07:52 PM:
 
Mark....I think he likes Miami due to our stressful lifestyle (#3 in stress according to Fortune Magazine ) He is just one ( Mormon ) in a sea of Mormons vs South Beach where no one cares. At least our choice of restaurants ( 15+ within a mile from our office ) give you a choice of free food
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 04-25-2004, 08:16 PM:
 
It's kind of funny, though. The Atkins way really screws up the whole design philosophy of the buffet line.

You note that the expensive stuff... the beef & turkey/ham/spam station is NOT at the beginning of the line!. Potatoes are at about the middle, after a LONG section of greens & associated fixings.

Passing all that up, just to get to the "Atkins-friendly end" has got to shake up any decent buffet operator, "all-you-can-eat" or not!
 

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Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 04-25-2004, 08:54 PM:
 
Many years ago, there was a chain called Beefsteak Charlie's. That seem to have all gone now, at least in this area. They advertised 'all you can eat shrimp' which was unpeeled. I was dating some gal at the time, and we arrived at about 7:00pm on a weekend. When we got there, there were 4 bikers, who had just finished a regular meal (required to get the shrimp) and started to ask for the free shrimp. When we left at about 9:30pm, those bikers were still chowing down. There with a huge pile of shrimp peelings in the middle of the table.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-25-2004, 08:57 PM:
 
Actually I've concluded that all buffet style places and fast food joints are generally pretty horrible. The exception would be some of the buffets in Vegas. As for free food, it may be free for a very good reason......
The stressful part of living where Richard is mainly comes from wondering who next will come up behind you with a 3 foot machete and demand your money or your life! Back in the early to mid 70's when I spent quite a bit of time in southern Florida and the Keys it used to be a really great place but its now part of that downward spiraling thing thats got it going downhill.

This week I've been in Billings, MT and even the Cracker Barrel place here can't deliver a good meal any longer, used to be very good. The food in Red Lodge was great though. The local cafes seem to still do the best when you're on a road trip.

Mark
 

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Posted by Patrick J. McCart (Member # 1043) on 04-25-2004, 09:08 PM:
 
Mr. and Mrs. Creosote?
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 04-25-2004, 09:47 PM:
 
Ah yes. Come on down here and sample the epicurian extravaganza that is the Circus Circus or Excalibur Buffets. All you can hold down for $5.99!

None of the casinos post anything about limiting the number of times one can go through the line (that I know of--never have seen any such signs). But I've seen people get tossed out of the the old Harrah's Buffet for pigging out too much. I'm sure that still occasionally happens around town.

"It's just one thin wafer..."
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 04-25-2004, 10:23 PM:
 
I enjoyed the Meals I had at Ogden UT Chuck-a-Rama ,though did not hav too much room for desert
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-27-2004, 10:14 PM:
 
Paul......
Ohhhhhhhhh nooooooooooo... you didn't really eat there did you???? How much beef were you allowed?

Mark
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 04-28-2004, 05:08 AM:
 
We went there quite often during our stay there and Yes I did get close to having the whole Beast
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 04-28-2004, 11:48 AM:
 
I do agree this is a very beautiful and safe place to live. I also agree that KFC is much better chicken. My sister works there so I get a lot of free food, which probably accounts for my extra baggage.

I occasionally eat at the up chuck o rama, but it is rare, and only when I have a death wish.

Ciao

Dave
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-29-2004, 11:25 PM:
 
Today Up-Chuck-A-Rama issued a formal apology to the couple they thought ate too much beef. Not only did they get free Up-Chuck-A-Rama coupons but the CEO of Up-Chuck-A-Rama stated that they would make their eating policies much more clear to all patrons so that no one would get to eat all the beef. That way no patron will have to say "Wheres The Beef?" BTW... You shoulda seen how big these two were!!! Even much larger than Ian is !

Here is the official AP article.....

Salt Lake City-AP -- A Utah restaurant no longer has a beef with a couple who'd been prevented from making any more return trips to the buffet, because they'd eaten so much roast beef.

The C-E-O of Chuck-A-Rama says the chain has invited the couple back to the restaurant. And he's apologizing for what happened on their last trip.

They were told by the manager of the restaurant near Salt Lake City last week that they couldn't have any more beef.

They're on a low-carb diet -- and the man had gone back for his 12th slice of roast beef before being told to leave.

They asked for their money back -- and instead, the police were called and escorted them out of the restaurant.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For passing some time you can enjoy this other interesting AP article on Up-Chuck-A-Rama

"SALT LAKE CITY--More than 150 people have reported getting sick after eating at a Salt Lake City restaurant that was closed because of an apparent food-borne illness.
The Salt Lake Valley Health Department on Saturday said it had gotten reports from 157 people sickened by the mysterious virus after eating at the Chuck-A-Rama restaurant in south Salt Lake City. Two of those affected were elderly diners who were hospitalized for dehydration and released hours later. Several people called the health department on or before Nov. 15 to complain of diarrhea, vomiting and nausea after eating at the restaurant during the same two- to three-day period."

In the end(pun intended) this Up-Chuck-A-rama was closed and torn down. Really makes you wonder what serious problem existed at this site to have to tear down the whole place....

I wonder if Paul will be eating there on his next trip here??

Mark
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 05-01-2004, 03:47 PM:
 
Come to think about ....I was felling a little weak after my visit
 

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