It sounded like a wonderfully optimistic idea: encourage restaurant patrons to pay what they feel is appropriate for their meals. 
In reality… it was a concept doomed to failure 
~ Pay-What-You-Like Restaurant in China Loses Thousands.
There’s just no ignoring our fallen human nature.
The owners, Christians, were hoping for the best ~
The “Five Loaves and Two Fish” restaurant, named for the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, has been serving up hot meals and coffee daily to a packed house in Fuzhou since it opened its doors in August […]
Diners are expected to wash their own dishes after eating and then put whatever money they want to pay into a box.
But according to its investors, as many as one fifth of patrons opt to pay nothing, and the restaurant has lost 250,000 yuan ($41,000) since it opened.
Appealing to man’s better nature is laudable. But we can’t forget about man’s worse nature. Without rules, laws – and firm prices – in place, humans have, well… let’s just say an unfortunate tendency to be self-serving at best (and evil tyrants at worst).
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“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls
on government would be necessary.” ~ James Madison
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Further, while the owners’ efforts were obviously well-intentioned, I’m pretty sure Christians are not called on to be doormats. Charitable, certainly. But how can you share the fruits of your labor if you haven’t produced any fruit?
