The Marmar Restaurant in Saudi Arabia charges you for leftovers
Fahad Al Anezi, the owner of the Marmar Restaurant in the city of Dammam in the Eastern Province launched a campaign against food waste made by people that order too much – much more that they can actually eat.
According to gulfnews.com, “”There are many clients who make large orders in order to impress the people around them and boost their social prestige,” he said, as quoted by Saudi media.
The fine is symbolic for diners whose eyes or egos are bigger than their stomachs and is decided according to the quantity of the leftovers.”
Fahad Al Anezi says that this innovative idea has been largesly endorsed by Saudis.
What do you think about the idea?
There are many people ordering and leaving a great amount of leftovers. Of course, sometimes the food isn’t great – thus the amount not eaten – but often indeed people order too much, not out of the desire to try something local, but because they seem not to know themselves and how much they can really eat and also because they don’t really care that there is so much food thrown away.
So, is charging people for the leftovers a solution?
ABSOLUTELY! And the charges should be… consistent. But I would also require the restaurant to pay the customer if the food is not good.
There’s so much food thrown away every day that it makes me sick when I see people leaving leftovers – sometimes as much as an almost full plate. Looks like those individuals never felt hungry and don’t understand the concept of “absence of food”. Maybe a charge for the leftovers is a good start.