all-you-can-eat

Meaning

This phrase describes a meal or restaurant where customers pay a fixed price and can eat as much food as they want. It is commonly used as an adjective before a noun, like 'buffet' or 'sushi.' The tone is casual and neutral.

Examples

• We went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place for lunch yesterday.

  We went to an all-you-can-eat sushi place for lunch yesterday.

• For twenty dollars, you get an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.

  For twenty dollars, you get an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.

• I always eat too much when I go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant.

  I always eat too much when I go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant.

• Is the dessert included in the all-you-can-eat deal?

  Is the dessert included in the all-you-can-eat deal?

• They offer an all-you-can-eat salad bar with every main course.

  They offer an all-you-can-eat salad bar with every main course.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We went to an eat all you can buffet.

  ✓ We went to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  The correct word order is 'all-you-can-eat,' functioning as a single compound adjective.

• ✗ The restaurant is all you can eat.

  ✓ The restaurant has an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  While you can say 'it is all-you-can-eat,' it is much more natural to use it as an adjective before a noun like 'buffet' or 'deal.'

Related Expressions

Practice

• The hotel offers an ___ breakfast for fifteen dollars.

  💡 Unlimited food for a fixed price.

  Show answer

  all-you-can-eat

• I shouldn't have gone to the ___ buffet while on a diet.

  💡 A place where you can eat as much as you want.

  Show answer

  all-you-can-eat