Question
What is the ruling on eating food from an open buffet for a certain amount paid to the restaurant?
Answer
I say, and with God's success: The buffet meal has become popular in our time in restaurants and hotels. The restaurant owner places various types of food in large dishes and allows the buyer to eat as much as they want for a known price. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the quantity of the sale, which is the amount of food the buyer will eat. If this uncertainty does not lead to disputes and people are familiar with it and accept it, then it is permissible. This is similar to what is discussed in the jurisprudence of sales (1: 375), and God knows best.