Chinese Fast Foods and Street Foods

Abstract

Fast food and street food in contemporary mainland China reflect dynamic changes indicative of a modernity defined by urbanization and globalization. From the Opening and Reform era with the arrival of Western outlets to the “go global” movement of Chinese fast-food brands, the fast-food industry has been aided by national, provincial, and municipal efforts to industrialize China’s catering sector through developing supply chains, adopting industrial management practices, and establishing corporate franchises. The rise in the popularity of fast food not only brought changes to the catering industry as a whole but also created consequences for personal health and has been part of food safety concerns and worries over cultural identity. By the 2020s, Chinese fast-food franchises had become among the largest and most successful in the world. While fast food has been a driver of China’s food modernization, street food has been seen as a source of pollution, congestion, and foodborne illness. Street food gained and lost favor among municipal governing bodies and the public, and yet it has been reincorporated into modern Chinese urban identity. Through social media, microfinancing, and government support of the informal economy during the early 2020s post-pandemic economic downturn, Chinese street food became the face of city branding projects and tourism fads. This branding belies how fast food and street food have been visible parts of China’s urban spectacle. In the post-pandemic world, they represent a Chinese-style globalization through technological innovation, social media presence, and Chinese brands going global.