Beijing to Prepare Late-Night Dining Spots Ahead of 2022 Winter Olympics

By Edoardo Donati Fogliazza, May 10, 2019

With one of the world’s most vibrant economies, entertainment and dining spots to spare, you’d think there’s nothing missing in Beijing. That is, until you find yourself hungry after 10pm and have no choice but a cheap fix at McDonalds.

Beijing’s late-night dining scene has never been the richest, in part due to the local culture in which breakfast at 6am and dinner around 6pm is the general rule. Though some might argue that things have only gotten worse in the past couple of years, after the crackdown on street food vendors, hutong joints and the migration of dining establishments into malls.

The good news is that this might all change very soon, thanks to the much-anticipated 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Last month, the capital’s Commerce Bureau announced its ambitious plan to introduce 10 new hotspots for voracious nightcrawlers by the end of 2022, as well as upgrade its breakfast services, according to China Daily.

The bureau’s head Yan Ligang stressed the fact that the move comes as the city tries to up its service offering before the great event, but also to satisfy a desire that has been growing steadily in recent years. With the rise in disposable income of the Chinese middle class, the rapid growth of the entertainment industry and even the grueling ‘996’ work schedules, more people have a newfound willingness to eat out late after 9pm.

City authorities also plan to take the opportunity to assure barrier-free access in shopping centers for all people with disabilities. (Here's hoping these new food areas don't turn out to be inside mega-malls.)

[Cover image via Pixabay]