Shanghai restaurant fined for advertising big eating challenge

A restaurant was fined 30,000 yuan for advertising a pancake eating challenge to boost sales.

Al's Diner on Xinle Road posted an English advertisement poster for the "Super Pancake Challenge" in-store.

The challenge is to eat five pancakes (170 grams per piece) and one large cup of milkshake (350 ml) along with a dish of cream and a dish of caramel in 10 minutes.

The ad promised a free meal to the challenger who completed the task.

From January 1, 2021, a total of 130 customers participated in the challenge, but only 29 were successful.

The Xuhui Market Supervision Bureau said the advertising was against moral standards and regulations under the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China.

The activity was also against the country's advocacy of opposing food waste and ensuring national food security, according to officials.

The bureau ordered the restaurant to stop publishing illegal ads. The restaurant has since removed the advertising posters from the store.

Market regulators have warned restaurants against encouraging customers to eat large amounts of food to promote consumption. China has been promoting healthy eating habits and the prevention of food waste in recent years.