Plateau inflation from random non-minimal coupling

A generic non-minimal coupling can push any higher-order terms of the scalar potential sufficiently far out in field space to yield observationally viable plateau inflation. We provide analytic and numerical evidence that this generically happens for a non-minimal coupling strength xi of the order N-e(2). In this regime, the non-minimally coupled field is sub-Planckian during inflation and is thus protected from most higher-order terms. For larger values of the inflationary predictions converge towards the sweet spot of PLANCK. The latter includes xi similar or equal to 10(4) obtained from CMB normalization arguments, thus providing a natural explanation for the inflationary observables measured.