Catering sector business bounces back

Travel trends

According to Chinese on-demand service platform Meituan, from Jan 21-26, average daily consumption rose by 66 percent compared with the same number of days during Spring Festival in 2019.

According to the 2023 Spring Festival Travel Report issued by online platform Ctrip on Jan 27, travel reservations to Changsha rose by 197 percent year-on-year.

Data from Alipay show that three of the nation's 10 most popular business areas are in Changsha.

The city's Wenheyou food court was in high demand on Jan 26, with one netizen posting on Sina Weibo that more than 4,500 groups of people were waiting for tables.

Haidilao's business boomed in cities as migrant workers traveled home to celebrate Spring Festival with their families. Its branches in cities such as Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and Xingtai, Hebei province, saw their table turnover rate rise eightfold to meet demand.

At eateries near scenic spots in popular tourist cities such as Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, Luoyang, Henan province, and Changsha, table turnover was also relatively high.

Not all restaurants remained open during the holiday week. Gong Xin, general manager of the one-Michelin-starred Ling Long in Beijing, said it closed, as most of its regular customers left the capital for family reunions.

"Beijing residents prefer Chinese cuisine restaurants for family gatherings during the holiday week, while at our restaurant, customers usually come in twos, or at most fours, to dine with friends, or for a business dinner," Gong said.

The additional payment for staff members during Spring Festival was another reason the business did not open, and its employees were happy to travel home for the holiday, Gong added.

A new menu featuring ox tongue and yellow croaker was launched on Jan 27, when the restaurant reopened. The menu was due to have been introduced in November, but the date was delayed due to the pandemic.

Gong said about half the restaurant's clientele return to the eatery whenever there is a new menu.

Jason Liu, chef at Ling Long, prepared special menus for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The restaurant was fully booked for both occasions.

Gong said that during the past three years, customers have been more cautious about spending, especially on wine and other drinks. However, the situation has gradually improved since the start of last month due to the eased COVID-19 restrictions.

Consumption will improve as the influence of the pandemic fades, he said.

"Customers need a little time to feel that everything in life is getting back to normal, and I think that in the latter part of this year business will return to the pre-pandemic level."

As more customers return, Ling Long plans to open a branch next month in the Bund area of Shanghai.