Free noodles warm hearts in cold winter

An eatery in Beijing has recently warmed people's hearts for a special set meal offered for free to those in need.

The "Set Meal A" offered by the food shop contains a bowl of beef noodles, which is worth 22 yuan ($3.36), according to a report of China Central Television.

The meal is offered for free to people in need, like fresh graduates with little income, tramps or sanitation workers. Yu Chenghao, owner of the restaurant, said he came up with the idea of offering free food because he himself was once on the receiving end of kindness.

After Yu was admitted to a university in Kunming, Yunnan province, in 2012, one day he lost his wallet on a street, and without a penny, he felt helpless.

It was then that the owner of a nearby rice noodle shop saw Yu and offered him a bowl of rice noodles for free. After the meal, the owner gave Yu five yuan to help him go back to school.

Yu said he was moved by the shop owner's generosity. Yu started running the restaurant two months ago, and he decided to help people in trouble by offering them free meals in the same way.

He said Set Meal A is a like secret signal, which is designed to help the needy without harming their dignity.

Yang, a worker in the restaurant, said Yu asks the employees to treat those ordering Set Meal A without prejudice, and serve them in an amicable manner.

After the free set meal was rolled out, many people went to the eatery to order a Set Meal A, and still paid for the food to show their support for the shop.