All-you-can-eat restaurants and Islamic teaching

• Main Author: Mirghani, Mohamed Elwathig Saeed
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) 2021
• Subjects: BP1 Islam
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/92113/2/92113%20All-you-can-eat%20restaurants%20and%20Islamic%20teaching.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/92113/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

All-you-can-eat restaurants are considered as a successful business model as it offers variety of foods at a preset price and a limited time frame for the customers while also profiting the owners effectively. It results with large revenues, these buffet-style restaurants are becoming more prevalent in many countries throughout the world. In order to improve the market size of these buffet-style restaurants, business owners would conduct surveys and employ marketing organisation to manage and advertise their business. Even though, majority of these buffets have been certified Halal and bear the Halal mark in many countries, this industry is unfortunately advocating wastage behavior among customers whom may want to have their money worth instead. Since the customer paid a sum of money to have the unlimited access to the buffets for a limited time (~ 2 hours); they would be encouraged to eat in excess to feel satisfied. Hence, this industry can be considered as contradicting with the Islamic teachings that encourage good moral behaviors and prohibited overconsumption and wastage.