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“Indian wedding buffet is a scam. I always leave regretting something.” This candid admission from Pankaj Tanwar, a Bengaluru based software professional and former AI engineer, resonates with countless wedding guests who have navigated overwhelming buffet spreads. Rather than accepting this frustration as inevitable, Tanwar channeled his technical expertise into creating BuffetGPT, an artificial intelligence tool designed to optimize buffet decision making.
Addressing a Universal Problem
Indian weddings feature extraordinarily diverse buffet arrangements, showcasing regional specialties including biryani varieties, raita, dal, curries, chaat stations, and elaborate dessert selections. This abundance, while celebratory, creates genuine decision making challenges. Guests must evaluate dozens of unfamiliar dishes simultaneously, often filling their plates with items that prove disappointing while missing superior alternatives discovered too late.
Tanwar’s frustration with this recurring pattern prompted him to apply his computer science background to the problem. “Honestly, this is what my computer science degree was for,” he remarked when sharing his innovation on social media platform X.
How BuffetGPT Functions
The application employs computer vision technology to systematically scan entire buffet arrangements, identifying each available dish through image recognition algorithms. Following this comprehensive analysis, BuffetGPT generates what Tanwar describes as a personalized eating “game plan.”
The system’s recommendations extend beyond simple dish identification. It provides strategic guidance on what to eat, what to skip entirely, and precise portion recommendations. Critically, these suggestions incorporate physiological constraints – what Tanwar refers to as “actual stomach volume physics.” This optimization approach treats buffet navigation as a constrained resource allocation problem, maximizing culinary satisfaction within the finite capacity of human digestive systems.
Real World Testing and Reception
Tanwar conducted alpha testing at a friend’s wedding, where the application delivered “decent results” according to his assessment. He shared the project on X, where it generated substantial engagement from both technology enthusiasts and wedding attendees familiar with the buffet selection dilemma.
Social media responses ranged from enthusiastic endorsement to playful skepticism. One user commented, “This is insane. How did you even think of this? This is what AI should be used for,” while another humorously noted, “By the time you get the game plan, my cousins would have ensured you regret it even more,” highlighting practical challenges including crowd dynamics and buffet depletion.
Innovation Meets Tradition
BuffetGPT represents more than technical novelty – it exemplifies how accessible AI tools have become for addressing highly specific, personally meaningful problems. While some observers questioned whether the application solves a genuine need, Tanwar’s project demonstrates creative problem solving and the democratization of advanced technology, transforming a common cultural frustration into an innovative computational challenge.
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