The concept of eating a buffet arose in 17th century France, when gentlemen callers would show up at the homes they were wooing unexpectedly. Their surprise arrival threw kitchen staff into panic mode and there was only one thing for it- food from cold storage! The Swedish popularized this style of eating in the 20th century with the 'smorgasbord' concept. The ‘all-you-can-eat’ tagline, however, has been credited to Las Vegas entertainment manager Herbert Cobb McDonald, who introduced the idea in 1956.

National Buffet Day is observed annually on January 2!

We have been unable thus far to find the creator of this national day, but we will be sure to keep you posted.