Restaurant Tells Diners To Eat Everything On Their Plate

Chef Yukako Ichikawa will offer a 30% discount to patrons who eat all the food they have ordered, and will kindly ask those who don't clean their plates to not come back. "Finishing your meal requires that everything is eaten except lemon slices, gari (sushi ginger), and wasabi," says the menu. "Please also note that vegetables and salad on the side are NOT decorations; they are part of the meal too."

Comments

Re:I like the idea

[Animaether]

That assumes that the portions are reasonable for the person who ordered it.

Which, in the U.S., it rarely is.

I've always been taught to finish my plate, but some of the meal sizes in the U.S. are just ridiculous. I understand that I'm getting more value for money, but in the end it's likely to just go wasted.

What's his policy on taking it home for later?

I presume he wouldn't accept that. After all, everybody would simply claim take-it-home rights -and- the 30% discount.. then probably toss it in the nearest garbage can out of view.

I expect that the fact I paid for it gives me the right to do with it as I damn well please. I'm not paying him to be my mother. I'm paying him to prepare the damn food

So you should be fine at this establishment.

You're not being mothered, you're still more than free to not finish the plate and pay the monetary price.

On the other hand, if you -do- finish your plate, you only pay $7.. but you might pay the price in cramps later that evening :)

Re:I like the idea

[meta]

It being a sushi restaurant, it is probably reasonable to think that patrons can actually order only what they can eat.

In what appears to be the original story, it turns out that HER posted policy begins by requesting patrons "to share meals, to thank the earth while eating and to be mindful of the amount they order". And the article states that you can take food home, but bring your own container.

You are of course correct that you should have the right to order whatever you like, and do whatever you like with it. And, equally, she should have the right to refuse you service for wasting or for any other reason that she considers sufficient. Only time will tell whether hers is a viable business model.

Here is a link to the restaurant website. The full eat in and take out policies seem to be online there.

Re:Why would I WANT to

[AlgorithMan]

when you're really hungry, then you tend to overestimate how much you CAN eat... people just are like that.
I bet this policy (especially in this economic situation) will drive them out of business within 1 year...

Mottainai

[juancn]

It's a very Japanese thing. It's probably based on the concept of Mottainai, where wasting something (such as food) is seen as wrong/immoral.
The meaning is more nuanced than "wasting" but it is as close I can describe it without copying the entire Wikipedia page.

Re:I always thought...

[SleazyRidr]

I've heard both sides.

One friend told me that in Japan he left 3 pieces of rice on his plate and the chef came out and yelled at him. Of course he's very much the bullshitting type so I have no idea how true that is.

I've also heard that it's good manners to leave a little to show that you're full.

Also bear in mind that 'Asian Cultures' is a bit of an overly broad term. There are a lot of countries in Asia, with vastly different cultures.