Erinome: Hello dear friends! Today Enceladus and I are going to chat about a super hot topic in China’s food world—remember the big argument between Luo Yonghao and Xi Bei about pre-made food?

Enceladus: Oh right! I saw it all over social media! Luo Yonghao said Xi Bei uses only pre-made food, and then Xi Bei fought back. It was everywhere!

Erinome: Exactly! Let’s start with the latest news. A Xi Bei store in Suzhou is closing soon. Some people thought, “Is this because of the pre-made food fight?”

Enceladus: Oh no! Did the store say why?

Erinome: The staff told reporters, “No, no! The store is closing on October 1st because our contract with the mall ended. We even put a notice at the door on September 1st to tell customers early.”

Enceladus: Oh, that’s responsible! So it’s not because of the argument?

Erinome: They said “100% no!” They care about customers, so they told everyone early. And for people with stored money on their Xi Bei cards?

Enceladus: Oh right, stored cards! Can people still use the money?

Erinome: Yes! The staff said, “The stored money works in any Xi Bei store in China. If you can’t go to another store, just give your member number, and we’ll send a link to refund online.”

Enceladus: That’s good. So customers don’t lose money. Now, what about Luo Yonghao? Did he stop talking about it?

Erinome: He did! On September 13th night, he posted on Weibo: “Okay, Xi Bei thing can end. I hope national rules for pre-made food come out soon. I need to work—I missed some work already.”

Enceladus: Wow, he’s moving on! But why did he start this?

Erinome: He said in a live stream, “I don’t hate pre-made food! Sometimes I choose it when I’m busy or lazy. But restaurants must tell customers if they use it. People have the right to know!”

Enceladus: Oh, so he just wants transparency? Not to attack Xi Bei?

Erinome: That’s what he said! And guess what? The national health commission just passed a draft rule for pre-made food safety. Soon they’ll ask the public for ideas. Then restaurants must tell people if they use pre-made food—by law!

Enceladus: That’s big news! So Luo Yonghao got what he wanted?

Erinome: Maybe! He reposted that news and wrote, “Great! Everyone is waiting!” Now, what did Xi Bei say before?

Enceladus: Oh right! Xi Bei’s boss Jia Guolong was angry. He said he’d sue Luo Yonghao, and even showed the food Luo ordered. They even made a “Luo Yonghao menu” in stores!

Erinome: Haha, that’s funny. And Xi Bei said, “We’re not pre-made food! The country has strict rules for pre-made food, and we don’t fit.”

Enceladus: So they say they use pre-processed food, but not “pre-made food”? What’s the difference?

Erinome: Maybe pre-made food is more like fully cooked, just reheat. Xi Bei says their food is half-made, not fully pre-made. But people online were confused.

Enceladus: And did this fight hurt Xi Bei’s business?

Erinome: Yes, sad news. Jia Guolong said on September 12th, “On September 10th and 11th, our daily sales dropped 1 million yuan each day. On the 12th, maybe 2-3 million lost.”

Enceladus: Oh no! That’s a lot of money. Did other restaurant bosses help Xi Bei?

Erinome: Yes! Many big names spoke up—like Du Zhongbing from Ba Nu Hotpot, Zhang Biao from Jixiang Huntun. They said, “The restaurant industry is already hard. Don’t attack Xi Bei alone!”

Enceladus: Why is the industry hard?

Erinome: The news said in 2025 first half, Haidilao’s income dropped 3.7%, Jiu Mao Jiu dropped 10.1%. Many big chains are struggling with less money.

Enceladus: That’s tough. And I heard Xi Bei had a big meeting with 18,000 workers. What was that for?

Erinome: Because some staff got online violence during the fight—people were mean to them online. The meeting was to cheer them up: “Stay strong, keep serving customers well!”

Enceladus: Oh, that’s sad. Online violence is never okay. Did reporters check Xi Bei’s kitchen?

Erinome: Yes! Reporters went to see. They found some food with long shelf lives—like lamb legs for 24 months, shrimp for 12 months, even a child’s broccoli for 2 years!

Enceladus: 2 years? That’s a long time! Some netizens joked, “That broccoli is older than a baby!”

Erinome: Haha, that’s the joke! But people in the industry said, “Big restaurants need central kitchens to keep food the same everywhere. Pre-processing helps with that.”

Enceladus: So some people get it, but most still criticize Xi Bei?

Erinome: Exactly! Most online comments say, “Xi Bei is expensive, no fresh taste, not worth it!” Only a few—like industry people or older folks—understand. Their voices get lost in the noise.