When you dine out, how do you deal with your unfinished food - take it home or just waste it? Many Beijingers choose to waste it so as to not appear needy or greedy, an attitude which creates a huge amount of leftover food waste -- about 1050 tons per day. As the country is building a "frugal society," it's time people start changing their bad habits. China Drive reporter Zhou Jing has the story.

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At one restaurant in Beijing's Shijingshan District, four diners have just finished their dinner. But none of the six dishes they ordered has been finished. Waitresses there seem like they're used to people's habit of wasting food. "This group of people are not wasting much. There are many who leave twice as much."

Generally, 2 people will order 3 to 4 dishes and 4 people will have 5 to 6. If it's a family dinner, many have formed the habit of packing up unfinished food to take home. But when it comes to treating guests and friends, people tend to act over-generous, as Chinese think their saving face or prestige depends upon how much money they spend on dishes. And packing up leftovers is also considered greedy.

"To show your hospitality is the basic rule of treating guests."
 
"If I invite my guests and friends to a meal in a restaurant, of course I have to order more than enough food. It's an accepted rule."

According to a recent survey, over 80 percent of diners in Beijing have wasted food at restaurants, and less than 20 percent exercise restraint when deciding how much to order. 28 percent of those interviewed, and mostly males, say they don't take the unfinished food home. But unfortunately, Beijingers' show-off manners at the table generate 1050 tons of leftover food each day.

If they are to help create a "frugal society," people should do something to change their current bad habit of showing status and wealth by overloading the dinner table. Many restaurants in the city have already taken action. Waiters and waitresses there are reminding customers not to order too much. And in some cafeterias, those who waste food have to pay extra.

But the key point is to gradually change the Chinese tradition of being "over-generous" with food.

China Drive is one of CRI's radio programs aired from Monday to Friday. We pick the most interesting life reports from China Drive. Stay tuned.