When grocery prices are giving people sticker shock, it's hard to beat the allure of an all-you-can eat buffet. In the past, this type of restaurant usually aimed at providing quantity over quality, with an array of industrial-kitchen items straight out of a can or box. Food and Wine explains how today's chefs are breathing new life into the concept, using buffets to introduce people to new foods as well as draw in more customers.

Salisbury steak is an old-school buffet staple - this is Salisbury steak with herby mushroom sauce from Food52

Chef Meherwan Irani swore he would never do a buffet when he founded the Indian restaurant group Chai Pani in 2009, but he has since relented. In his suburban Decatur, Georgia location, dinners did well with commuters returning home from work in Atlanta, but the lunch crowd was thin. Irani decided to try a reasonably-priced (USD $16.99) buffet to draw in the locals with a quick and easy option. The result? Lunch covers rose by an astonishing 84%.

Other chefs, like Alon Shaya, are pushing the price point higher but offering high-end ingredients and dishes. His USD $50 buffet, located in his Denver restaurant Safta, boasts more than 100 items including shakshuka, lamb shoulder, smoked salmon, and babka - no canned pudding here. People enjoying being able to sample everything, says Shaya: “They like the idea of customizing their own experience through that style of service.” For the price of two dishes from the regular menu, diners can try many items.

Because I tend to graze instead of eating large meals, I have never been a fan of buffets because I feel like I don't always get my money's worth. However, if I had the option to sample dishes from an award-winning chef I could be convinced to give the buffet another chance. What do you think of the pivot to buffets?