The Chinese catering industry (餐饮产业cān yǐn chǎn yè) has seen rapid growth over the past decade. In 2018, it exceeded 4 trillion RMB (more than 600 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue. A major part of it is the fast food industry (快餐产业kuài cān chǎn yè).

中国餐饮业实现销售额不断增长。

Zhōng guó cān yǐn yè shí xiàn xiāo shòu é bù duàn zēng zhǎng.

Chinese catering industry sales continue to grow.

Last October, the China Cuisine Association issued the “2018 Top 70 Fast Food Companies in China” (中国快餐企业70强名单). The top three places in the list are dominated by foreign companies: Kentucky Fried Chicken (肯德基kěn dé jī) in first place, followed by McDonald’s (麦当劳 mài dāng láo), and Burger King (汉堡王hàn bǎo wáng). Numbers eight and ten on the list are also occupied by foreign chains, both Japanese: Ajisen ramen (味干拉面Wèi gàn lāmiàn) and Yoshinoya (吉野家jí yě jiā) respectively. The other five fast food restaurants in the top ten are China’s own homegrown brands.

现在世界各地到处都有快餐店。

Xiàn zài shì jiè gè dì dào chù dōu yǒu kuài cān diàn.

Today there are fast food restaurants everywhere.

The strongest Chinese fast food brand (品牌pǐn pái), placed fourth on the list, is 老乡鸡 (lǎo xiāng jī, Home Original Chicken). Originally from Anhui province, Lao Xiang Ji restaurants are now spread across the country (全国各地到处quán guó gè dì dào chŭ). Established only in 2003, Lao Xiang Ji has now more than 800 stores.

老乡鸡是中式连锁快餐。

Lǎo xiāng jī shì zhōng shì lián suǒ kuài cān.

Lao Xiang Ji is a Chinese fast food restaurant chain.

Lao Xiang Ji serves all the daily dining (用餐yòng cān) needs of a Chinese family. In the following commercial, for example, Lao Xiang Ji is advertised as a place to grab a tasty Chinese breakfast with a variety of options: porridge (粥zhōu), steamed stuffed bun (包子 bāo zi), dumplings (馄饨 hún tún), meat pie (馅饼xiàn bǐng), and soybean milk (豆浆 dòu jiāng). If you are too busy to sit and enjoy your breakfast, you can always ask for a take-away (带走 dài zǒu).

老乡鸡的菜单适合大多数人的口味。

Lǎo xiāng jī de cài dān shì hé dà duō shù rén de kǒu wèi.

Lao Xiang Ji’s menu fits the taste of most people.

Although Lao Xiang Ji serves fast food, they promote their food as home-cooked food (家常菜jiā cháng cài). In the next commercial a new tofu dish on the menu (菜单cài dān), is portrayed as home-cooked (家常做法 jiā cháng zuò fǎ), delicious (好吃 hào chī) and goes well with rice (下饭 xià fàn).

厨师开发了一道新菜。

Chú shī kāi fā le yī dào xīn cài.

The chef developed a new dish.

 

Text vocabulary

Catering = 餐饮 cān yǐn

Fast food = 快餐 kuài cān

Industry = 产业 chǎn yè

Company = 企业 qǐ yè

Brand = 品牌 pǐn pái

All over the country =全国各地到处 quán guó gè dì dào chŭ

Chain = 连锁 lián suǒ

Dining, have meals = 用餐 yòng cān

Porridge = 粥 zhōu

Steamed stuffed bun = 包子 bāo zi

Wonton (a type of Chinese dumplings) = 馄饨 hún tún

Meat pie = 馅饼 xiàn bǐng

Soybean milk = 豆浆 dòu jiāng

To take-away = 带走 dài zǒu

Menu = 菜单 cài dān

Most people = 大多数人 dà duō shù rén

Home-cooked dish = 家常菜 jiā cháng cài

Delicious = 好吃 hào chī

Eaten with rice =下饭 xià fàn

Chef = 厨师 chú shī

 

好好学习，天天向上！

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