China’s reunion dinner: tradition thrives, innovation emerges (2)

Eating out for New Year

“Most customers reserved a table at least four months in advance, so our restaurant no longer has any spaces available for this year's reunion dinner,” explained a member of staff from Beijing-based restaurant Quanjude.

Featuring its trademark Peking Roast Duck, Quanjude is a favorite New Year option. According to the restaurant’s social media page, eight reunion dinner menus are available to choose from, with each containing at least 12 dishes, while the cheapest costs 1,888 RMB.

High-end options are also popular. For instance, the Beijing Hilton has launched a series of reunion dinner options, with prices ranging from 2,688 RMB to 7,888 RMB. At the time of press, many of these options were already sold out.

According to the Shanghai Cuisine Association, two months before the Spring Festival, over 90 percent of local restaurants had already been reserved for the reunion dinner, even though prices had risen 20 percent year on year.

“Just a few decades ago, eating out for the reunion dinner was uncommon. There were fewer restaurants back then, and most people considered eating out an unaffordable luxury,” said Wang.

According to statistics from the China Cuisine Association, the country was home to less than 120,000 restaurants in 1978 when China began its reform and opening up, compared with 8 million by the end of 2017. In 1978, Chinese people spent less than 6 RMB on catering annually, while that figure stood at 2,852 RMB in 2017.

With more restaurants offering their own spin on the reunion dinner, people now have more personalized options for the New Year feast. Though traditional Spring Festival dishes, including fish and dumplings, are still the most popular options, Western and fusion dishes have also gained a place in the hearts of Chinese people. Western-style restaurants, including Pizza Hut, have also launched reunion dinner menus, adding foreign elements to the traditional celebration.