The simplest All You Can Eat Buffet strategy

The most effective strategy for all you can eat buffets revolves around four simple steps, with step three being the only one you should repeat as many times as you like to. 

Start your buffet with a reconnaissance plate. Your reconnaissance plate should contain small portions of whatever looks good to you. Choose tiny portions of as many different items as it is possible to fit on a plate. Remember this plate is primarily meant to satisfy your desire for variety. Avoid wasting anything on the reconnaissance plate. And yes it is okay to rush with this plate.

Once you're done with your reconnaissance plate, it is time for a people's choice plate. In a people's choice plate, you should have only the foods that other people present in the buffet recommend to you. This plate is meant to evaluate the foods that your fellow buffet eaters have particularly liked and enjoyed. One other advantage of this plate is that it will, most likely, give you a chance to try something that you might have missed in your reconnaissance plate.

As soon as you are done with the people's choice plate, it is time for the main event plate. After the first two plates, you now have a clear idea of what you like the most. It should be the time when you eat only the best items present in the buffet. Recall your favourite items from your first two plates and choose nothing else but them - over and over again till you fill yourself with them to your heart's content. You must not rush however. Main event is supposed to be enjoyed.

At last, after you are done with the main event stuff, it should be the time for the dessert plate. There's no real strategy for this plate except maybe to go for the most expensive items or for items you don't usually get to have.