Buffet table

The buffet table is an object in The Sims: House Party, The Sims: Vacation, The Sims: Superstar, The Sims 2, The Sims 2: Celebration! Stuff, The Sims 3 base game, and The Sims 4: Luxury Party Stuff.

The Sims
Buffet tables were first introduced in The Sims: House Party, and were reintroduced in The Sims: Vacation and The Sims: Superstar. Buffet tables can be placed on both residential and community lots. On a residential lot, Sims can grab plates from the table for free, but the table must be stocked first; a §100 fee is charged when a Sim fills the table. Once filled, the table must be cleared before it can be restocked. Sims can also hire a caterer that costs more, but will restock the buffet tables for free, and will continually refill the table even when it is not empty. On community lots, buffet tables are always fully stocked, but Sims are charged §25 for any plate they grab from the table.

The buffet table provides five kinds of dishes — a salad, a quick meal, a regular meal of beans and steak, a turkey meal, and a cake. Players can control what meal Sims get from the table by clicking on different parts of the table: clicking on the left side of the table will provide a salad, the middle section a main course, and the right side a dessert. All dishes deplete the buffet table equally on a residential lot, and cost the same on a community lot, regardless of what was taken. Thus, a Sim who wishes to fully replenish their hunger bar should grab meals from the middle of the table for the best value, rather than from the sides.

Food on buffet tables will eventually spoil, unless a caterer is present. Food on the buffet table will never spoil on community lots, although plates removed from the table will still spoil separately.

All buffet tables have a hunger rating of 4.

The Sims 2
Buffet tables return in The Sims 2, and can be placed on both residential and community lots. Buffet tables contain three dishes — a turkey, a salad, and gelatin. The turkey costs §150 to stock, while the rest cost §75, meaning that an entire buffet table costs §300 to fill. Unlike The Sims, the player no longer has to click different parts of the buffet table to select a dish — clicking any part of the table will provide the option to take any one of the three dishes available. The three dishes also deplete separately, unlike The Sims. For example, if Sims take all the turkey from the table, it will not affect the supply of gelatin and salad.

Food placed on the buffet table will eventually spoil, except for the gelatin.

Unlike The Sims, buffet tables behave the same on community lots as they do on residential lots. Sims are charged for filling up the table, but other Sims can grab food from it for free. A mod is available that changes this behavior.

All buffet tables have a hunger rating of 8.

The Sims 3
Buffet tables can be found in the dining tables section just like any other dining table. They have Salad, Turkey, and Cookies. They will spoil over time.

The Sims 4
Buffet tables returned in The Sims 4: Luxury Party Stuff. They have six slots which can be stocked with five new types of food, as well as food prepared by Sims in advance and the new Fountain of Mirth. Food from the buffet table is always 'good' quality, however if a Sim has level 10 Gourmet cooking skill they may garnish the food to increase its quality.

The new foods introduced for the buffet table are as follows: