Restaurants, diners welcome portion control

Diners and restaurateurs have welcomed a campaign to reduce food waste by providing smaller or half-portions.

The campaign was jointly launched by three food industry associations and 10 franchise restaurants in Beijing Thursday, according to the Beijing Daily.

It follows a government plan to start charging large restaurants and canteens for food waste, which makes up 60 percent of Beijing's total waste. Previously, waste was taken away for free.

Some restaurants have printed new menus.

"We'll put a special menu on the table tomorrow. Altogether 10 small dishes and their prices will be listed on it," said an operator at the Yutingqiao branch of Beijing Bianyifang Roast Duck Group.

Other restaurants said they have extended the range of smaller portions to their existing menu.

"We had 20 small-portion dishes before. Now, in order to answer the call to save food, we added another 10 half-portion dishes," said Tao Dan, from the marketing office of Meizhou Dongpo Sichuan restaurant.

"We can avoid wasting food on the one hand, and on the other hand, customers can order a more diverse variety of dishes," she added.

Customers have also welcomed the campaign.

"It will reduce the cost and we can order more dishes. Although it might be a little troublesome for the restaurants, it will improve their reputation among diners in the long-run," said Beijinger Shang Chenwen, 20.

Tang Qingshun, chairman of the Beijing food industry, said that a pilot program for this campaign showed that the choice of small and half-portion dishes can reduce around 50 percent of the wasted food for family dinners, the Beijing Daily reported.

The 10 restaurant chains involved will also encourage diners to take home any leftovers in doggy bags.