Buffets Charging Deposits to Prevent Food Waste Pissed off Food Hoarders

Beijing Buffets Impose Deposits to Prevent Food Waste, Pisses Off Beijing Food Hoarders

Tracy Wang, Senior Editor | Feb 9, 2017 2:30 pm | Add a comment | 2828 reads

Attention all buffet food hoarders (you know who you are), buffets across Beijing may soon add a RMB 100 deposit to your bill so as to prevent food waste, as reported by Netnews. If you are indeed able to finish the majority of the food on your plate(s), then the restaurant will return the deposit and you can leave both stuffed and satisfied that you haven't destroyed the environment any more than necessary.

In the same Netnews report, the writer visits a restaurant in Songjiazhaung, which had already imposed a warning saying: “If diners waste more than 200g of food, they will be charged 10 percent of the overall bill.” They also placed a RMB 100 deposit on groups of up to 10 people, and RMB 200 for groups of 11 to 20. Everyone who pays the deposit must sign an agreement. Other restaurants may opt to charge RMB 10 per person as the deposit.

Some of the diners approved of the restaurant's new policy, saying, “Whenever I see other people leave a mountain of food, I am also annoyed; it’s such a waste.” Other patrons are pissed off (of course), complaining that, “What is wasting food is unclear and it causes unnecessary conflicts.” In the report, they also consult the Consumer Protection Bureau and a number of lawyers, both stating that there’s no legal issues related to imposing a deposit system.

Talk of shameless hoarders reminds us of the halcyon days salad tower building, when online tips would guide the nation's hungry on how to get the most out of their RMB 32 Pizza Hut salad buffet, before it was eventually banned in 2010. On a palm-sized plate, some diners were able to pile on 12 layers of food, using a system of raisins, corn, and peas at the bottom; carrots, cucumber, peaches, and pineapple as bricks; then a healthy dose of sticky salad dressing or mayonnaise to “glue” it all together.

In the article, the writer demonstrates how seven people were able to share one mega-salad, as well as two pizzas, four lots of chicken wings and 11 cokes, which came to the grand total of RMB 26 per person. Others were able to “build” a half-meter-tall salad mountain – quite the amazing feat. That's if you like mayonnaise with your pineapple.

There is also an online “strategy” detailing how to eat like a buffet-killer by gobbling fruit first, then sashimi and seafood, then grilled meats, salad, noodles, and saving the ice cream for the end (you heathen!). If you can still eat more, just have another round in the same order. One last tip: “Remember not to drink carbonated beverages as they take up a lot of space in your stomach.”

In Beijing, there are several notorious buffets where you can go check out all of this madness first-hand: