MK Buffet Review: Better Quality, but Can It Keep Up with Teenoi?
After our last suki marathon at Suki Teenoi, we finally decided to give the MK Buffet a go. At 299 THB net for a 90-minute dining limit, it seemed like a solid deal for better-quality ingredients.
We opted for the Salmon upgrade (+99 THB), bringing our total to 796 THB for two, including refillable tea. It was an unplanned visit; our original restaurant choice had a massive queue, and MK had seats available immediately.
However, we quickly realized why.
The Service Struggle
While we were seated instantly, the service was so slow we might as well have waited at the other restaurant. We weren’t alone—neighboring buffet tables were in the same predicament, with staff apologizing profusely as orders were constantly chased.
The friction started right at the beginning: we had to scan a QR code to order, and the interface was incredibly sluggish. When your dining time is capped at 90 minutes, every second spent fighting with a slow app feels like lost value.
Even the automation didn’t help; the delivery robot still required manual intervention from the overwhelmed staff to offload plates, defeating the purpose of the tech. As someone whose career has often involved managing understaffed teams, I empathized with them. It felt like a systemic issue—there simply weren’t enough floor or kitchen staff to juggle both the buffet and the standard a la carte menu.
The Food Verdict
Taste-wise, it’s the classic MK experience we all know.
- The Soup: We stuck with the standard MK suki soup (you can upgrade for +50 THB).
- The Highlights: The beef brisket and salmon were the stars of the day. The vegetables were fresh, and the quality was noticeably higher than Teenoi.
- The Sauce: MK’s signature suki sauce remains a gold standard—especially when you load it up with extra chili, garlic, and lime juice.
MK vs. Teenoi: The Verdict
Will we be back? Not anytime soon. While the quality is superior, a buffet experience relies on speed. If there’s a significant gap between the first and second rounds of ordering, the momentum is lost.
It’s a pity, because while MK struggles with its buffet turnaround, Suki Teenoi has grown leaps and bounds with their new concepts like Teenoi Gold, Teenoi BBQ, and Teenoi+. In the battle for suki supremacy, MK has the quality, but Teenoi currently has the strategy.
Best Dishes: Beef Brisket & Salmon. Tip: If you’re in a rush, check the staffing levels before committing to the buffet!
