A restaurant chain in China weighed diners to determine how much food they should eat

Hong Kong (CNN) — A restaurant chain in southern China has issued a public apology for weighing diners earlier than they entered the premises as a part of a nationwide marketing campaign to cut back food waste.

Prospects going into the favored Hunan chain Chuiyan Fried Beef, in town of Changsha, have been requested to weigh themselves on a set of scales and supply private data. The restaurant would then counsel menu objects based mostly on their physique.

The information really useful prospects order totally different dishes based mostly on the particular person’s weight and the calorie content material of the food. For instance, girls weighing lower than 40 kilograms (88 kilos) have been really useful the chain’s signature beef dish and a fish head, whereas males weighing greater than 80 kilograms (175 kilos) have been really useful dishes together with braised pork stomach.

Indicators across the restaurant inspired diners to “clear your plate” and “be thrifty and diligent.”

Dealing with on-line accusations of fats shaming, Chuiyan Fried Beef stated in a press release Saturday that it was attempting to assist curb food wastage. The restaurant chain stated prospects hadn’t been compelled to step on the scales — and whereas it “deeply regretted” the controversy, it could nonetheless enable prospects to weigh themselves at its retailers.

“Netizens are welcome to come to the shop to expertise it and provides their feedback and ideas,” the assertion stated.

CNN’s Steven Jiang contributed to this text.