Chefs work at a Xibei restaurant in Beijing amid the controversy over "pre-made dishes" on September 13, 2025. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Chinese restaurant chain Xibei on Monday apologized to its customers in a public letter, vowing to shift from the central kitchen model to on-site food preparation in its outlets whenever possible. 

The announcement came amid a dispute between internet celebrity Luo Yonghao and Xibei, which has sparked heated debate on China's internet over the transparency and definition of pre-made dishes in the past few days.

"We would strive to relocate central kitchen pre-processing operations to in-store processing. By October 1, 2025, all Xibei outlets nationwide are expected to complete the relevant adjustments," the company said in a public letter released on Monday.

The online controversy started with a post by Luo, who said on Wednesday that Xibei's dishes were "almost all pre-made, and so expensive." He also called on authorities to legislate to make restaurants indicate whether they use pre-made dishes.

On Thursday, Xibei's founder Jia Guolong denied Luo's accusation that Xibei served pre-made dishes. He stated that under national regulations, none of Xibei's dishes fall into the category of pre-made dishes.

Amid the heated online discussion, the definition of "pre-made dishes" and how to effectively inform customers about their use have become key points of focus.

Luo on Friday launched a live broadcast on social media. He said that he did not oppose pre-made dishes but objected to restaurants selling pre-made dishes while disguising them as freshly cooked.

In the latest statement on Monday, Xibei said that it will shift from the central kitchen pre-preparation model to on-site food preparation whenever possible.

"We have taken every single voice to heart and deeply realized that Xibei's production processes have fallen significantly short of customer expectations and failed to meet the needs and expectations of our broad customer base," Xibei said in the statement. 

"Here, we extend our deepest apologies for the confusion and concerns caused to our customers," it said.

Hours after the apology made by Xibei, Luo said that he would give up further pursuit of actions against Xibei.

"I previously stated that I would pursue legal action against Jia for defaming and slandering me, but I have now decided to drop the idea," Luo said, and he added that he would not proceed with any reward, as he earlier said that he would withdraw 100,000 yuan in cash to reward Jia for his efforts in exposing internal issues.

The issue of "pre-made dishes" has come under close public scrutiny in China, with the Xinhua News Agency publishing a report on Sunday examining what consumers really care about, and the People's Daily posting a micro-commentary calling for greater transparency so that diners can make informed choices.

According to Xinhua, pre-made dishes are an important part of the food industry, and how to develop them responsibly to meet growing consumer demand is a key issue.

Global Times