Was that some shoe leather in my garlic?

I really have a thing against buffets. The main one is that for most of them the taste of the food is on par with school cafeterias - which at least from my memories was pretty bad. I think some of that is because the food is made in such huge quantities and then could sit out under the hot lights forever until some unsuspecting person says... just what is this sticky substance that might actually be eatable?

This just puts another nail in the coffin as far as me eating at another buffet..... now I am not silly enough to think that strange things don't happen at regular sit-down restaurants too. I did read Kitchen confidential. But it does seem 'safer' in some regard then buffets.

Just me.