Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
Print Edition
This week a friend invited me to lunch at a noodle restaurant on Beijing Road W.
Called the Huxi Laonongtang Mianguan, literally “west Shanghai old lane noodle shop,” this joint is just a short distance from Jing’an Temple.
I was stunned by the crowds, many of whom, like me, were milling about angling for a seat. With the help of a middle-aged waitress, I succeeded in securing two seats.
When the meal was served, I have to say the portion was decent, and, given the long wait and the sizzling heat outside, we began to attack with great relish the fare we agreed to be “above average, slightly.”
When I remarked that this phenomenal clientele could be more justly and comfortably shared with 10 eateries, my friend mentioned the new-style buzz marketing through social platforms such as Xiaohongshu (Red), which would be instrumental in creating a cult following among trendy consumers. I have no doubt many diners would have a more nuanced assessment of the noodles, compared to ours, in crafting their social media posts.
Although I had no inkling of how this restaurateur, with a deliberately old decor, managed to cultivate this mass following, a noodle shop is just about noodles, and I definitely would go to another eatery just to avoid the hustle and bustle.
When we got out of the shop, it was past normal lunch hours, but the queue at the door remained formidable.
Given my puzzlement, it was hugely gratifying to learn that it is now easier for catering aspirants to enter the sector, by securing a license, thanks to greater administrative efficiency.
At the Changning District administrative service center, according to a recent report by The Paper, a Shanghai-based news platform, it took one food operator less than 10 minutes to go through a unified, streamlined procedure, whereby the would-be operator reported the kind of food he would be engaged in, and was informed of the particulars regarding the installation of the signboard.
Prior to this, applying for a license would have involved submission of a thick pile of printed materials, and about a dozen trips to three or four different government departments, with the whole process costing at least a month.
The game-changing efficiency is part of the result of reform initiatives aimed at optimizing the paperwork needed for starting a food business. With the needs of business operators firmly in view, and the automatic generation of a checklist, the streamlined procedure raises efficiency whereby multiple business-related affairs can be tackled in a one-stop endeavor.
Specifically, some formerly esoteric legalese terms are now couched in more accessible, plain words, and the number of documents needed to be submitted are reduced from 17 to two, all veritable benefits for business operators, by enabling them to start and operate the business sooner.
A vibrant scene of small businesses, restaurants, vendors and all, is a mark testifying to the vibes and verve of a liveable city, and serves as a strong catalyst for social consumption, playing a major role in sustaining economic growth and in boosting employment.
Take the above-mentioned noodle shop. Our cursory tally showed the small shop had hired nearly a dozen waiters and waitresses who were busy threading their way among the crowd with trays of meals, repeatedly shouting the number of the dish. Given their age, most of them probably felt lucky to be in harness, particularly in a joint lucky enough to evolve into an Internet sensation.
Easing market entry is probably one good way to retain the scene of “smoke and fire,” or the vibes and verve of the city as best hinted by the presence of so many modest food vendors and stalls.
Given the current situation, with the market entry hurdles cleared, an even more daunting task is how to keep the businesses going. Some of the initiatives in this aspect include the recently promulgated set of measures, 10 in all, aimed at providing high-quality development for the city’s F&B entities.
They include reduction of operating costs, creating foot traffic, one-off subsidies for green and digitized remodeling of the shop, and building stylized streets with a concentration of similar businesses.
Shanghai is a good place to get this started. With about 13,000 outlets, the city boasts the highest number of restaurants in China, with 50 of them Michelin-starred, another national record.
I hope next time I happen to be near Jing’an Temple, I can have more options for a simple lunch.
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