In 2017, the revenue of restaurants and catering businesses in Beijing surpassed 100 billion yuan for the first time, totaling 102.88 billion yuan (US$16.33 billion), a 7.7 percent increase year-on-year, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce. The growth rate was 2.5 percentage points higher than that of retail sales in the city and was the highest in the past five years.
Last year, the municipal authorities of commerce endeavored to make the restaurant industry in Beijing more standardized, convenient and specialized to meet people's diversified demands for food. The city held a culinary competition between nearly 2,000 employees from more than 260 brands of restaurants in order to promote cooking skills and services. It also selected outstanding restaurants to receive privileged support in developing their businesses.
The authorities also promulgated provisional operating standards of restaurants and catering businesses, elaborating on the regulations and requirements on opening, running, and managing dining businesses. Using residential buildings, unsanctioned open areas, or properties that are not equipped with appropriate ventilation system to serve food were strictly prohibited. It also encouraged restaurants to make kitchens visible to customers, which would help to guarantee a safer dining experience.
Beijing has been promoting chain restaurants and diners with specialty foods. Last year, the city successfully attracted entrepreneurs from all over China as well as many foreign countries to open various restaurants there, according to the city's authorities. In addition, Beijing supports an integrated development of online and offline dining, as sales via online ordering and delivery in Beijing's designated restaurants (those with over 2 million yuan of annual sales and more than 40 employees) increased by 41.5 percent last year.