The only two types of buffets I've been to lately are lunch buffets at Indian restaurants, and a Sunday brunch buffet at a nice local restaurant. I need to find a good Indian restaurant with a lunch buffet within walking distance of my office; there are a couple of places within taxi distance, but by the time you cab it out there, eat, and cab it back, a couple of hours have gone by, and I don't have that kind of time. (And just try to hail a taxi in NYC when it's raining!)
@ the kid sticking his hands repeatedly into the mashed potatoes and the adults eating directly from the buffet. At the Sunday brunch place I go to, there are usually lots of kids of various ages, from babies on up, but their parents generally take them by the hand to the buffet and make them use the provided utensils to take food and put it on their plates.