East China’s Jiangsu province has launched a province-wide campaign against food waste in response to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on resolutely putting an end to wasting food and promoting thrift.
A buffet restaurant in downtown Xuzhou is offering small dishes to avoid food waste.
The restaurant posted a "civilized dining table" sign in a prominent position such as Take as much as you can eat and avoid waste and you will be charged 20 yuan for any additional food and beverages that exceed 150 grams.
A diner said: "Usually I take as much as I can eat so as to avoid wasting food."
Restaurants offer discounts, gift coupons, and optimize ordering in a bid to encourage more diners clean up their places. While retaining diners, the move also reduces food waste.
"The waiters and waitresses would suggest that the diners order what they can consume,for example, nine dishes for ten people,"said Zhang Wenshu, Manager of a restaurant outlet in Yancheng.
Kitchen wastes have been reduced substantially as fewer tables were stacked with leftovers when the diners left, a striking contrast against the scenarios in the past.
"We now have a lot less leftovers than before,I have collected so little from two and a half tables as almost every plate is empty,"said Wang Zhen, a waitress in Suqian.
Authorities in Yangzhou city have strengthened inspection on the campaign against food waste, demanding that any restaurant that fail to meet the requirements will be disqualified for the annual evaluation by the catering industry association.
