'America would never...': China mall hosts ‘secretly eat in class’ contest and 2,000 adults showed up

In a bizarre but hilarious event straight out of school memories, a shopping mall in China recently turned “secretly eating during class” into a full-blown public competition. The strange contest drew more than 2,000 participants, and they were all curious to test how quickly and cleverly they could finish a bowl of food without being caught by "teachers".

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It all happened inside a 'fake classroom' inside a shopping mall in Ningbo, China. The contestants were given only ten minutes to eat while pretending to behave like students trying to sneak snacks during lessons. Participants included elementary school children and retirees and they gathered to take part in the city’s first-ever ‘Steal A Bite of Paofan’ contest.


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Finish before the bell rings

The participants were served with a bowl of Ningbo-style Paofan – rice soaked in soup and were given one task: finish eating the allocated bowl before the class bell rang without getting caught by teachers conducting mock lessons.



What happens if you are caught stealing a bite? Contestants must stand for 30 seconds as punishment, during which they are not allowed to eat. Three strikes meant you are out of the competition.

The round lasted 10 minutes and ran from 12pm to 9pm. The fastest eater from every round advanced to the finals, where they compete again to determine the ultimate winner.

Who won the competition?

The championship was eventually won by a man in his 30s, according to Chinese media reports, though his identity was not revealed. His prize was a one-gram grain of golden rice valued at around 1,400 yuan (about S$263).

In a post shared on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the winner said he had not even planned to join the competition. He had reportedly gone to the mall only to buy diapers for his baby before unexpectedly taking part in the viral event.

According to Chinese outlet Jiupai News, organisers said the competition was inspired by the nostalgic experience many students share of secretly eating snacks during class while pretending to pay attention to teachers. The competition quickly went viral on social media platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu.

Social media erupts with reactions

While many eyewitnesses described scenes of both chaos and comedy, many netizens shared funny comments. "Not one was sneaky at all tho," said one user. "China really turned hiding snacks in class into the Olympics," said another. "Even China’s trends are different !! I’m obsessed with them," another comment read. "Americans would never do this. It's too fucking wholesome," said another.

Eyewitnesses revealed while some contestants hid bites behind textbooks, others ducked under desks to inhale soup. One child was seen positioning himself beside the teacher as a bodyguard, while shovelling food into his mouth at lightning speed.

What surprised people the most

Netizens were especially entertained by the presence of a Caucasian contestant, whom many jokingly called an “international student.” The moment sparked funny online debates about whether foreign students also secretly snack during class.

Several participants said they had finished school more than 10 years ago, but joined the competition to relive the excitement of secretly eating during lessons without getting caught.

Organisers revealed that elementary school students performed surprisingly well during the challenge and were “comparable to professional players.” In fact, they claimed not a single child was caught by the “teachers.”

The competition was free for everyone, with all costs covered by the shopping mall. After the event, many contestants said they wanted a second edition soon. Some social media users even joked about future school-themed competitions based on old classroom memories like passing notes secretly or avoiding morning exercise sessions.