Chinese Diner Compelled to Pay USD 6,500 for Overeating, Stashing Leftovers in Handbag

In an incident that left Chinese netizens fuming, a “greedy” diner at a buffet restaurant in the country’s Guizhou province has been compelled to pay a hefty sum of nearly 45,000 yuan (USD 6,500) as compensation.

The diner’s gluttonous behavior came to light through surveillance footage, which revealed her frequent visits to a restaurant in the southwest province over a span of two weeks in August 2022, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The restaurant’s manager, surnamed Wu, disclosed that on each occasion, the diner not only ordered beyond her capacity but also surreptitiously stashed leftovers in pre-prepared plastic bags concealed in her handbag, according to the SCMP report.

Further revelations by Wu to Hongxing News disclosed that this was not an isolated incident, as the woman had made more than a dozen visits to the restaurant since March the previous year.

According to Wu, during each visit, the diner ordered an exorbitant amount of food worth approximately 10,000 yuan (USD 1,500) – a staggering ten times more than the average customer. The buffet charged 218 yuan per person.

Restaurant owner Chen added that the woman exclusively opted for expensive items such as sweet shrimp, salmon, and goose liver.

In one bill, the diner, surnamed Wen, had ordered 45 servings of sweet shrimp priced at 48 yuan each, 20 servings of salmon sashimi priced at 38 yuan each, and an additional 140 servings of meat and dessert.

Chen, under the impression that Wen was a “competitive eater” akin to those featured in online influencer videos, was shocked to discover that she was taking the majority of the food away.

Wen defended her actions, claiming she carelessly ordered more than she could consume and took the leftovers to avoid wastage.

Subsequently, the restaurant filed a lawsuit against Wen, seeking compensation amounting to nearly 45,000 yuan for the five recorded incidents.

Chen maintained that the restaurant was justified in demanding such payment, citing visible signs displayed on the cashier’s desk and at every table that explicitly stated, “waste over 100g or takeaway needs to be paid according to the menu pricing.”

Initially reluctant to comply, Wen ultimately succumbed to legal threats and an additional 8,000 yuan in legal costs, as confirmed by Chen.

The case has sparked widespread outrage on Chinese social media platforms, with many condemning Wen’s “greedy” behavior while applauding the resolution as a triumph.