"Really Crossed the Line"... Leftover Food Piled Up After Taking a Bite at the '9900 Won Bread Buffet'

There is controversy over the excessive amount of bread being wasted at a popular bread buffet that is so popular people have to line up from dawn to get in. Critics point out that because there are no regulations on leftover food, customers often grab bread indiscriminately, taste it, and then throw it away.

At the TLJ bread buffet exit, leftover bread from customers is piled up. Photo by YouTube channel 'Dokgeo Ttoraengi' capture.

Recently, reviews of the unlimited bread buffet "Green Plate" operated at Tous Les Jours' new premium stores TLJ Gangnam and Apgujeong directly managed branches have been posted one after another on YouTube and social networking services (SNS). At these stores, customers can eat unlimited bread?dozens of varieties?and one drink for 9,900 KRW for one hour. The Gangnam branch limits customers to the first 90 people from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekends, while the Apgujeong branch limits to the first 50 people daily from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The TLJ bread buffet has attracted attention for its "cost-effectiveness" image, leading to many people lining up early, fueling its popularity. On SNS, there are many reviews saying they succeeded in entering by lining up from 6:30 a.m., or that the Gangnam branch was already fully booked by 7 a.m. after people started lining up from 4 a.m. Users expressed satisfaction enjoying various breads but also lamented the operational method that generates excessive food waste.

Bread specialist YouTuber "BbangTube Pponi," who has about 140,000 subscribers, posted a video on the 30th of last month showing successful entry to the TLJ Gangnam directly managed store, saying, "It opens at 8 a.m., but the line gets incredibly long from 7 a.m., so if you come at that time, it will be too late." In the video, Pponi and companions pointed out, "There is an enormous amount of bread that people just take a bite of and throw away," adding, "Even though this is an event, there should be some regulations."

YouTuber "Dokgeo Ttoraengi" also posted a video visiting the TLJ Apgujeong directly managed store, criticizing the bread left behind by users. Showing the return area, he said, "There are many pieces that people picked and messed with but didn’t even touch," and criticized, "This buffet started with good intentions, but the hardworking staff are shedding tears of blood." In the video, the return area contained several plates with bread that appeared to be partially eaten or barely touched.

In response, netizens criticized users with comments such as "Taking one bite and throwing it away really crosses the line," "The wasted bread is such a shame," and "Don’t play with food." Some also criticized Tous Les Jours’ event planning. They commented, "At first, I thought the person who left the bread was at fault, but the bread size is really big. If it doesn’t suit your taste, you might leave it all," and "It would be good if leftover bread could be taken home." Others mentioned the need for an environmental fee, saying, "People who take one bite and throw it away should pay an additional charge."