Newfoundland and Labrador's chafing dishes have been underused in the past year, as buffets were banned under the public health restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Without their popular buffets, some Chinese restaurants in the province have shifted their businesses to accommodate what was allowed within health restrictions.
Rather than going under, restaurants have not only adapted but have seen their businesses saved by the changes in strategy. They are still, though, feeling the effects.
"There's obviously a lot of drop-off after no buffet services, even though we offer everything in menus," said Chris Dang of the Golden Phoenix in St. John's.
Dang estimated the restaurant's business has been sliced in half. The weekends, he said, are a bit busier with some more traffic but they're still not comparable to pre-pandemic levels.
The restaurant is still offering its signature "all you can eat" service, but patrons must order the dishes from the menu when a waiter comes to their table.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government's public health orders prohibited self-serve buffets in the early days of the pandemic.
Ye's Wok Restaurant owner, Michael Ye, said his Paradise restaurant is focusing full time on takeout orders — a decision made out out of necessity.
"We want to open the dining room, but we're trying to get some staff to hire, but we can't get any," said Ye.
Ye's Wok has survived the pandemic so far with just the skeleton crew of Michael, his wife and one waiter.
"Yeah, it's pretty busy," he says, "but we're working really hard — seven days a week."
Despite the lack of dine-in option, Ye's has been staying busy with its takeout service.
With no option for their buffets, local restaurants have suffered losses in their business.
So when might the buffet prohibition end?
The measure came in with public health orders issued March 18, 2020. Since then, significant changes have been made to loosen public health restrictions, including the recent removal of an indoor mask mandate.
Some other provinces allow buffets. Since July 16, Ontario diners have been able to take advantage of all-you-can-eat self-serve options.
The delay in N.L. may have to do with the province's vaccine rollout earlier in the summer. With delays in vaccine supply, the province opted for a mass first-dose rollout before tackling second doses in the latter half.
Restaurants can have employee serve food
This means that there's a small latency period in the percentage of our population that is fully vaccinated.
When Ontario moved to Step 3, that was the first time Ontarians had been allowed to dine in anywhere in months. They have also, thus far, continued their mask protocols in indoor spaces.
In an emailed statement, Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Health and Community Services said while buffets are prohibited, if restaurants were to have a server at the buffet stand to dole out the food, that would be acceptable. The department also advises a similar precaution at gatherings in private functions.
"At informal gatherings, it is still encouraged that someone serve the food and not have those attending serve themselves as this would lead to the sharing of utensils," they said.
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Buffet ban: Here's why we'll all have to wait for all we can eat - CBC.ca
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