Chongqing - On a recent afternoon outside the Chongqing Le Méridien Hotel, a chef in uniform carefully packs signature kiln-roasted chicken as a queue of eager customers waits their turn. “It’s limited each day, so you have to come early,” one satisfied buyer says, clutching their prized takeaway.

Scenes like this are popping up nationwide. As five-star hotels across China are rolling out wallet-friendly street foods, once the preserve of lavish banquets, high-end hotels are now winning over a broader crowd by bringing their kitchens—and their signature dishes—to the streets.

Crayfish at JW Marriott Hotel Chongqing, 58 yuan per serving. (Photo provided by interviewee)

Hotel Kitchens Hit the Street

The popularity of these offerings is evident outside Le Méridien Chongqing, where the hotel’s special kiln-roasted chicken—stuffed with pickled vegetables and peppercorns in true Chongqing style—has become a daily sell-out. A hotel representative says the snack is made in limited quantities to guarantee quality.

The trend isn’t limited to one hotel or city. JW Marriott Chongqing’s recent launch of a 58-yuan crayfish platter and special dining coupons issued through a strategic partnership with online platform Meituan has brought new traffic and revenue to the hotel’s restaurants. According to Marriott, its affordable offerings have already racked up more than 10,000 online orders, driving over 580,000 yuan in additional food and beverage sales.

Hot snacks have proven to be a gateway for new customers. After trying street-side specials, some are converting into regular restaurant or hotel guests, boosting occupancy and brand buzz.

A New Trend for Luxury Hotels

Affordable food has emerged as the latest growth driver for China’s luxury hotel industry, spreading from top-tier cities to county-level markets. In Shanghai, St. Regis’s street cart dishes out 8-yuan pan-fried buns and 18-yuan coffee-and-scone combos. In Tianjin, the Ritz-Carlton’s mobile burger truck draws queues, while in Hangzhou, Baosheng Hotel’s snack stand regularly sells out in an hour.

The most popular menu items range from cold cuts and dim sum to boxed meals designed for grab-and-go convenience. These meals move away from the formal banquets typically associated with five-star hotels. By embracing casual, affordable fare, hotels attract more foot traffic and tap new revenue streams.

Chongqing’s JW Marriott, for example, has sold over 3,000 "all-you-can-eat" meal sets on Meituan in the past six months. It's Cantonese restaurant, Man Ho, boasts nearly 4,800 positive reviews, earning it the top spot for Cantonese cuisine in the city’s Jiefangbei area.

Dual Strategy Balances Prestige and Popularity

Not everyone in the industry agrees with the approach. Supporters hail it as a flexible response to evolving market demands, while skeptics question whether selling low-cost street food might dilute luxury hotel brands.

Li Ran, head of the Applied Economics Department at Chongqing Technology and Business University, argues that the move represents a strategic repositioning. "Luxury hotels are holding onto their high-end foundations while branching out to the mass market. This dual-track approach may become a hallmark survival strategy in China’s new consumer era," Li says.

Li draws parallels to other industries, noting that traditional department stores have struggled by failing to adapt to changing consumer habits, while those that embrace innovation—such as merging offline and online retail—have thrived. "Innovation and agility are essential for survival and growth," Li adds, suggesting that luxury hotels’ affordable dining is a timely and savvy evolution.