Diners Fined for Not Finishing Food at Swiss Restaurant

A restaurant in Switzerland is getting very literal with the concept of the all-you-can-eat buffet. According to 20 Minutes (translated), Patrizietta in Losone, Switzerland will now charge diners 5 Francs (USD $5.65) for not finishing their plates. The restaurant runs an unlimited lunch buffet for 12 Francs (USD $13.50) and many customers were taking more than they could finish, resulting in a heavy amount of food waste. Patrizietta's chef Giovanni Tafuro tells the Local, "I wanted to send a strong signal … It made me sick to see so much food being thrown out." It is legal in Switzerland to charge for leaving too many leftovers on a plate and the policy is written on the restaurant's menu so customers are forewarned. To Tafuro, the fine is more symbolic than anything, he just wants to "raise awareness of the problem." Patrizietta isn't the first restaurant to implement such fines: A British restaurant charges customers who do not finish their food a hefty £20 (USD $33.66).

· Finish Your Plate or Pay Extra! [20 Minutes]
· Restaurant Tells Diners: Eat Up or Pay Up [The Local]
· All All You Can Eat Coverage on Eater [-E-]