Biryani Or Dessert First? This Bengaluru Engineer Has Built An AI Agent For Wedding Buffets

In Bengaluru, where engineers are known for applying data-driven logic to everyday problems, even wedding buffets are now getting an AI-inspired upgrade. An AI engineer named Pankaj has gone viral after creating “BuffetGPT”, a playful yet surprisingly methodical system designed to help guests decide what to eat and what to skip at large Indian weddings.

Pankaj said the idea was born from a common wedding dilemma: too many dishes, limited stomach space, and the regret that sets in halfway through the meal. BuffetGPT, he explained, treats a wedding buffet the way an AI would approach a business or data problem—by analysing inputs, setting priorities and optimising outcomes.

How BuffetGPT works

The first step, according to Pankaj, is visual scanning. The system looks

at the buffet layout and identifies individual items such as biryani, kadhi, rotis, rice, desserts and more. Instead of viewing everything simply as “food,” it categorises dishes into two groups: high-value items (special, rare or wedding-exclusive dishes) and filler foods (items commonly eaten at home or designed to make guests feel full quickly).

Next comes strategic allocation. In one example shared online from a wedding in Ahmedabad, BuffetGPT analysed 13 dishes and treated the stomach like a limited budget. About 50% of capacity was reserved for main dishes and curries, just 15% for breads and sides, and a generous 35% for desserts—based on the logic that wedding sweets are usually unique and worth prioritising.

The system then moves to an execution strategy, offering a step-by-step eating plan. Hyderabadi biryani, for instance, is marked as a “first target” because meat-heavy dishes tend to run out quickly and take time to be replenished. At the same time, BuffetGPT advises skipping items like dal makhani and mixed vegetables, reasoning that they are easily available elsewhere and are often placed early in the buffet line to fill guests up faster.

BuffetGPT even factors in the science of fullness. Kadhi pakoda, it notes, expands in the stomach, while raita can create a false sense of fullness due to its water content. Interestingly, the system recommends drinking buttermilk before dessert, claiming it can help create extra stomach space for sweets.

When it comes to desserts, BuffetGPT evaluates opportunity cost. It suggests choosing rasmalai over kheer because it is richer and denser, while kheer is something many people can make at home. Ghewar also gets special preference, with the AI pointing out that dessert counters placed farther away usually have shorter queues and that the short walk aids digestion.

In the final step, BuffetGPT sorts dishes into clear categories: “must try,” “small portions,” and “skip.” Biryani, ghewar and rasmalai make the must-try list, while steamed rice and dal makhani land firmly in the avoid category.

Internet reacts

Unsurprisingly, the idea struck a chord online, drawing both admiration and sarcasm. One user joked that Pankaj had built exactly what they never knew they needed, while another wondered if drones might someday scan buffet counters automatically. Not everyone was impressed, however, one commenter dryly thanked him for “solving a problem no one had.”

Whether genius or gimmick, BuffetGPT has certainly proven that in Bengaluru, even wedding plates can be optimised like algorithms.