Youth take a shine to no-frills hotpot
China DailyBy LIU ZIZHENG | China Daily | Updated: 2024-08-30 09:39 People savor mushroom hotpot at a restaurant in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture, Yunnan province, in July. The large hotpot chain also created a variety of "worker's set menus" priced at about 50 yuan, which are only available on weekdays. Experts said the recent initiatives taken by hotpot brands could serve as the driving force for China's economic growth in the short run, even as further efforts are needed from all parties in the sector. Lin Shen, an associate research fellow at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said hotpot brands could stimulate the country's consumption if they reduce product prices. "Such moves can significantly reduce vicious competition among hotpot restaurants in first-tier cities, especially in their central business districts," he said.