Hahaha
#1 if you go to a chain buffet and expect anything different then you are a damn fool. Chain buffets are absolutely vile and I'd suspect that if you patronize them then you are low class, even if you were taught 'manners'.
#2 The manners you subscribe to are no longer applicable to the world. Its 2010, people can put their elbows on the table, or wear a baseball hat indoors. I suppose judging other people according to your standards isnt exhibiting poor manners?
I wasn't stating what I saw to say that I expected differently, but merely to state the very sad affair of the American way of life. We've slide into a a rut of grease, rudeness and self indulgence, that is liken to a pig in hot mud.
Nor did I say that make a habit of going to chian buffets, like Old Country Buffet, Golden Coral, Catus Willy's, or Sizzler for example, But I went. When I was a kid my parents taught us manners, and people were always complimenting my mom on how well behave we were. My parents were old skool, not the Baby Boomer be friends with your kids and bribe them.
The manners that I talked about are still applicable in this world, it can mean the difference between getting a job, a date, a car, etc. Or knowing how to dress for a occasion, knowing which fork to use. To assert that it is not applicable in this world, is to actually indicate that it is you who is low class.
Yes, people can put their elbows on the table, and wear their hats indoors, they always could. Wearing a hat in a restuarant is, well uncouth. Let me guess, you'd think it would be okay to wear a hat inside say, Ruth's Chris?
It is not my standards that i judge people by: it was the standards that were set by folks that at least HAD stardards...And why there has been a big boost in etiquette classes, mainly because the parents of kids today do not teach their children manners
but then I guess Jos A Bank waste their time having this book on sale

And BTW, in Shawn Ray's 1998 video "Shawn Ray: The Final Countdown", he was at The Sizzler, a well known chain buffet/steak place, so I guess by your definition, Shawn Ray is low class.