We’ve all seen it before—people piling their plates sky-high at buffets as if the food might disappear in the next five minutes.
In some places, a buffet can feel more like a battlefield, where the fastest (or the pushiest) get the best picks.
But for one Indonesian woman, stepping into a Malaysian buffet was a completely different experience—one that left her surprised and, eventually, changed her own habits.
“No one’s fighting for food?”
Sharing her experience online, she posted a video of a buffet spread, likely at a hotel.
The dishes were neatly arranged, the desserts were in perfect order, and the most shocking part? People were calmly picking their food, waiting their turn, and not scrambling to fill their plates.
For her, this was unheard of. She captioned the video, writing: “If you don’t live in Malaysia, you wouldn’t know that people here don’t fight for food at buffets.”
That’s when it hit her—Malaysians had a completely different approach to buffets than what she was used to back home.
A wildly different buffet culture
She then reflected on how things were in Indonesia, where buffets can feel like a race against time.
She recalled how, at a JW Marriott hotel buffet, people weren’t just rushing to get their food; they were cutting lines, grabbing whatever they could, and making sure they got their share before anyone else.
When her video started gaining attention, Indonesian netizens flooded the comments, many admitting that this kind of behaviour is still the norm in their country.
Some even confessed that people hoard food at buffets—sometimes even packing extra to take home—despite hotel rules against it.
Feeling a bit guilty if she put too much on her plate.
What struck her the most wasn’t just the chaos, but the mentality behind it.
She had seen people take more than they could eat, letting food go to waste just so others wouldn’t get it.
But the biggest surprise? Another Indonesian woman commented that after moving to Malaysia, she naturally picked up the local dining etiquette.
She found herself waiting in line, being mindful of how much she took, and even feeling a bit guilty if she put too much on her plate.
Why Malaysians are different
Curious why Malaysians behave so differently at buffets? Local netizens explained that their culture places a strong emphasis on budi bahasa (good manners) and rezeki (the belief that everyone gets their share of blessings).
Many shared that rushing for food is not only frowned upon but can even be embarrassing—some Malaysians hesitate to pile their plates too high, worried about how it might look.
Watch the clip here:
