Chinese restaurant sues woman, seeks $6,500 damages for taking home leftover food

A Chinese woman has been sued by a restaurant for $6,500 (Rs 5.3 lakh) as compensation for stashing her leftover food in her handbag and for wasting food by overordering, as per a report by the South China Morning Post.The woman visited the restaurant five times over the course of two weeks in August 2022 in the Guizhou region of southwest China, according to the restaurant manager who reviewed CCTV footage.

She covertly put leftovers into plastic bags, which she cunningly stashed in her handbag, after ordering more food than she could reasonably consume. The management asserts that this was not an isolated incidence because the woman had been frequenting the eatery regularly since March 2021.

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Even though the cost per person was 218 yuan (about Rs 2,500), SCMP claims that Wen often bought more than 10,000 yuan (roughly Rs 1.1 lakh) worth of food, which was 10 times more than what most customers would typically consume at the buffet.As per reports, the restaurant has a policy in place that prohibits customers cannot take leftover food outside the premises.

Chen, the restaurant owner, claims that the woman also exclusively ordered pricey meals including salmon, goose liver, and sweet prawns.

Onone bill, the woman paid for 140 servings of meat and dessert, as well as 45 servings of three sweet shrimps for 48 yuan (about Rs. 567) apiece and 20 servings of three salmon sashimi for 38 yuan (roughly Rs. 449 each).

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The owner added that she had imagined herself to be a "competitive eater" like others she had seen on influencer videos and was startled to see her carrying most of the food away. The woman said that she placed an order for more food than she could eat and took the extra food home since "it would be a waste otherwise."

However, the restaurant owner sued her and demanded compensation of about 45,000 yuan (Rs 5.31 lakh) for the five instances in which she overindulged.

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Chen claimed that the restaurant had every right to demand such payment and that there were several signs stating that any leftovers or takeout will result in extra fees based on the menu pricing. Along with being posted at each table, the notice that said, "Waste over 100g or takeaway needs to be paid according to the menu pricing" was also posted on the cashier's desk.

According to SCMP, Wen paid the agreed-upon sum as well as an extra 8,000 yuan (about Rs. 94,000) to pay legal costs in light of the looming legal threat. Many people have criticised the woman's behaviour and referred to her as "greedy" and "shameless" for it. However, it's worth noting that different restaurants may have different policies regarding leftover food. Some establishments may have restrictions or guidelines on taking away leftover food for various reasons.

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