By Yang Jie, Sun Yongjian and Song Yuanyuan
The Hepingmen outlet of the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant chain in Beijing was found to be the most profitable restaurant in China, according to a report released by China Hotel Association (CHA) Tuesday.
The association compiled the report after comparing figures of restaurants in 10 major cities and provinces including Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Guangdong, assessing thenet gain and dividing it by the number of staff members.
Ducks are prepared in different ways around China, like the salted duck popular in Nanjing, however, the rich history of the cooking method and the large number of inbound tourists to Beijing has made the Peking duck recognized in and outside of the country.
A real "duck dungeon", the restaurant consumes around 4,000 roast ducks every day, 1.5 million in a year. Opened in 1979, the six-floor shop, covering15,000 square meters, receives around 10,000 guests daily, with net gain surpassing 200 million yuan ($29.3 million) a year, a staff member surnamed Ma told the Global Times.
The city has a number of famous Peking duck restaurants including Dadong, Bianyifang and Duck King, but Quanjude is always the first to come to mind.
The time-honored brand, established in 1864, was identified as a Chinese Well-knownBrand in 1999. The Hepingmen outlet, the flagship branch of Quanjude, located near the Tiananmen Square, has been seeing a business boom partly due to its location.
Yukio Hatoyama, the new Japanese Prime Minister, said that the most unforgettable Chinese dish was the Quanjude Roast Duck he ate in 1996 when he visited China, as reported by the China Business Network Daily.
Susanne Bewersdors, a German public service employee, who came to Beijing for the first time to participate in the marathon, said she felt very fortunate to be able to taste the most authentic one before she travels to other Chinese cities.
The Peking duck, though popular among tourists, is accused of being greasy and unhealthy by some, and many believe the Quanjude restaurants to be too expensive. However, these demerits don't seem to affect the eatery's popularity, as the restaurant chaincooperates with travel agencies, bringing in regular hordes of tourists. The restaurant has made one floor of the building into a dining area reserved for groups of tourists.
One local Beijinger said they don't eat roast duck often, but would still go to the restaurant with visiting friends and family.
Korean teacher Kim Youngnum said ducks are also popular in Korea, but it's cooked in a different way that it is made into kebabs and eaten with castor leaves.
A man surnamed Chen from Wuxi was waiting in a long queue at the Hepingmen shop. He said that as the most famous snack in Beijing, there's no reason to leave for home without tasting it.
"I already began to inquire about the best place when I was on the subway, and they all recommended this one. I think it's worth the wait," said Chen.