"When we think of buffets and smörgåsbords, we think of food in plenty: Long tables groaning beneath a multifarious range of culinary options greater than any diner -- with the possible exception of Homer Simpson - could tackle single-handedly. Yet there are major cultural differences that make these two types of restaurant distinct. Confusing the two is easy - just last year, USA Today ranked Pennsylvania's Shady Maple Smorgasbord as the best all-you-can-eat"
"While elaborate spreads that married abundance with variety have been around since the social dining of ancient Rome and the banquets of the medieval age, the smörgåsbord -- roughly translated as "buttered table" -- has its origins in Sweden. Ahead of a Swedish feast, it was traditional for guests to be presented with a brännvinsbord, which was essentially a selection of hors d'oeuvres to accompany drinks. In the 18 th century, this pre-dinner ritual became the main event and the smörgåsbord was born."
Smörgåsbords arose in Sweden from a brännvinsbord, a pre-dinner selection of hors d'oeuvres served with drinks, which in the 18th century evolved into the smörgåsbord meal. Elaborate communal spreads have historical precedents in ancient Rome and medieval banquets. The smörgåsbord reached the United States at the 1939/40 World's Fair in New York via a Swedish-run restaurant. An Americanized evolution of that model emerged in Las Vegas in 1946 when the El Rancho Vegas hotel opened the Buckaroo Buffet for $1 per person. Casino owners adopted inexpensive, convenient buffets to keep gamblers close to the tables, and all-you-can-eat buffets then spread nationwide.
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