During the October holiday travel and consumption peak, regional specialty foods across China recorded massive sales figures, driven by traditional culinary techniques and high-volume demand, according to regional reports.
Shanghai Nanxiang Steamed Buns Produce Over 70,000 Dumplings on Holiday Opening Day
On the first day of the National Day holiday, the Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop in Shanghai experienced heavy customer traffic, drawing both domestic and international visitors. A Korean tourist told reporters that the shrimp-filled xiaolongbao were a personal favorite due to their rich broth and pleasant texture. The restaurant relies on traditional hand-crafting methods, requiring cooks with at least 15 years of experience to pleat each dumpling with approximately 16 symmetrical folds. On that single day, the storefront consumed 2,000 jin of pork filling and 840 jin of flour, resulting in a production of more than 70,000 handmade xiaolongbao. If stacked vertically, the steamer trays used for that day’s output would reach a height of approximately 700 meters, roughly equivalent to a 230-story building.
Xi’an Mutton Paomo Restaurants See Ninety Percent of Diners Hand-Break Bread
In Xi’an, Shaanxi province, a long-established local restaurant sold approximately 1,500 bowls of beef and mutton paomo on October 1. Before the broth-soaked bread dish is served, customers engage in the traditional ritual of breaking the flatbread by hand. A local resident identified as Mr. Wang noted that taking 40 minutes to slowly break the bread is an enjoyable part of the dining experience. Restaurant management reported that roughly 90% of patrons choose to break their own bread, a process described by diners as both satisfying and stress-relieving.
Nanjing Roast Duck Outlets Double Wait Times as Daily Batch Output Reaches 1,600 Birds
In Nanjing, Jiangsu province, a 30-year-old specialty roast duck shop sold approximately 1,600 birds on the holiday’s opening day. While customers normally wait 20 minutes to receive an order of freshly chopped duck, the holiday surge doubled the wait time. The kitchen maintains a steady rhythm of 100 batches per day, using continuous charcoal fires to infuse the duck meat with smoky aromas. To accommodate orders from across the country, the shop keeps 12 online customer service channels active throughout the day, noting that over 70% of transactions come from returning buyers.
Huangshan Burned Cakes Production Reaches 40,000 Units Daily in Anhui Province
Along Tunxi Ancient Street in Huangshan, Anhui province, vendors baked more than 40,000 burned cakes in a single day. A visitor named Ou Qianqian described the snacks as exceptionally crispy with a strong preserved vegetable filling. Spanning a diameter of 5 to 6 centimeters, each cake requires at least an hour and a half from mixing dough to final baking. Shop staff begin production at 7:00 a.m. to meet demand. If laid out flat, the day’s output of 40,000 cakes would cover roughly 80 square meters, matching the surface area of a standard badminton doubles court.
Nanchang Rice Noodles Complete One-Minute Kitchen Turnaround Before Shipping North
At a rice noodle restaurant in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, the signature mixed noodles require precisely 10 seconds of boiling to maintain a firm yet smooth texture. Kitchen staff add more than 10 ingredients—including dried radishes, peanuts, and fresh chopped chili peppers—before rapidly tossing the mixture in a process lasting one minute total. In addition to in-store sales, the shop dispatches over 2,000 boxed noodle sets daily to destinations across the country, with a notable volume of orders shipped directly to northeastern provinces.
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