Chinese hotels turn to street food sales as guests cut back on spending

Facing falling revenue from travel, conferences, and banquets, several high-end hotels in China are selling food outside their premises to attract customers, signaling rising economic pressures. At Beijing’s Beiyuan Grand Hotel, staff set up evening street stalls offering gourmet dishes such as crispy roast pigeon at discounted prices, with sales exceeding 130 birds per day—up from 80 indoors.

The trend is spreading to at least 15 luxury hotels nationwide, including JW Marriott in Chongqing and Hilton Wuhan Riverside, as hotels struggle with reduced corporate travel, austerity measures on public sector spending, and declining banquet bookings. Analysts warn this reflects broader deflationary pressures in China, where consumer prices were flat year-on-year in July and hotel profits in Beijing fell nearly 93% in the first half of 2025, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Hotel staff say outdoor food sales provide some additional revenue, though margins remain modest, highlighting the challenges faced by the accommodation and catering sectors amid weak consumer demand.

News.Az