China: Influencer banned for eating too much of food in Changsha restaurant

A Chinese influencer was banned from a grill buffet restaurant due to his excessive consumption of food. As per a reports by Hunan TV, the man identified as Mr Kang was barred from the Handadi Seafood BBQ Buffet in Changsha for eating 1.5 kilogrammes of pig trotters and 3.5 kilogrammes to 4 kilogrammes of shrimp. Mr Kang claims that the restaurant is discriminating toward customers who can consume a large amount of food. He also claims that he didn't waste any of the food.

However, the restaurant owner stated that Mr Kang was causing him financial hardship. He said that he loses a few hundred yuan every time Mr Kang comes into the restaurant. According to BBC, the owner further said that Mr Kang can consume 20 or 30 bottles of soy milk and that he finishes the entire tray of pork trotters. He also stated that live-streamers will not be allowed in the eatery.

The story gaining attention on Chinese social media

This story is getting a lot of attention on Chinese social media, with over 250 million views on Weibo and a spectrum of responses. Some have criticised the restaurant owner, while others have expressed sympathy for the eatery's proprietor. The Chinese government chastised food vloggers last year, and such videos may soon be outlawed entirely in the country. It occurred after President Xi Jinping urged citizens to fight against food waste in the face of mounting concerns over food scarcity. China's catering business wastes over 18 billion kg of food each year, according to the Global Times.

President Xi declared in an August speech that waste is disgusting, and thriftiness is honourable. Local governments implemented waste-reduction measures last year under the "Operation Empty Plate" campaign, which, according to the Guardian, included urging restaurants to provide one dish fewer than the number of diners in the group.

Vloggers who post binge-eating videos might face fines of up to 100,000 yuan

Vloggers who post binge-eating videos might face fines of up to 100,000 yuan under the new legislation, and eateries can also charge diners extra if they leave an excessive amount of food unattended, according to the Cairns Post. Customers who are induced into ordering excessive amounts of food can be fined up to 10,000 yuan, while businesses that waste huge amounts of food can be fined up to 50,000 yuan.

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