Restaurants dish out new recipes to attract customers
Amid booming business sparked by discount coupons, restaurants in the city have been launching new recipes and activities to tempt diners and attract customers, eying the golden autumn consumption season.
Xinghualou Group operates 25 restaurants, including Shanghai's oldest Cantonese-style eatery Xing Hua Lou, which dates back to 1851, and 98-year-old Sunya Cantonese Restaurant. It's delivering 200,000 dining coupons worth a total of 20 million yuan (US$2.8 million) in discounts.
Through the end of November 30, diners will receive a coupon for a 100-yuan discount for every 300 yuan they spend. It can be redeemed through the end of this year at all 25 restaurants.
Customers dine at The People's Square outlet of Haidilao.
Dexing Restaurant on Guangdong Road in Huangpu District was busy with diners recently, with queues formed.
A diner surnamed Li said it was a good deal, noting he ordered an extra dish to hit 300 yuan and qualify for the discount.
"The prices are quite reasonable, and the taste is also good. They rarely have promotions. With this discount, I definitely want to seize the opportunity."
The outlet of Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Maoming Rd N. in Jing'an District had many diners by 11am on Tuesday.
"There are many diners asking us how to use the coupons and business is booming," one of its employees said.
Most tables are taken at Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Maoming Rd N. in Jing'an District at 11am on Tuesday.
The People's Square outlet of hotpot chain Haidilao said its average daily customer flow exceeded 1,600 in the first six days of October, which doubled the usual number.
"Shanghai consumption coupons have a very obvious effect on stimulating spending with about 10 percent of our guests showing and using the coupons," said Hu Xiaozheng, manager of the restaurant.
Fried pork chop with rice cake, a typical Shanghai dish popularized by TV series "Blossoms Shanghai," hit the tables of Haidilao.
The deep-fried pork ribs and rice cake strips have a crispy exterior and a soft interior, dipped in Shanghai-style spicy soy sauce, replicating the authentic taste of the local flavor of a generation.
Fried pork chop with rice cake is served at a Haidilao outlet in Shanghai.
Haidilao has also introduced a series of fresh sliced beef and a beef bone hotpot soup in over 60 stores in Shanghai in a bid to attract more customers.
The fresh sliced beef series emphasizes freshness with same-day delivery to ensure a tender and chewy texture.
Shanghai-limited dishes such as beancurd rolls with minced pork and trotter pot are also on the new menu, evoking childhood memories of grandma's kitchen.
