Local residents line up to buy food at a hotel-operated street stall in Jinan. [Photo/Qilu Evening News]

Star-rated hotels and upscale restaurants in Jinan, Shandong province are setting up food stalls outside their premises, offering premium dishes at street-level prices and drawing crowds of eager customers.

From crispy fried pork to soy-braised pig trotters, signature dishes once served in hotel banquet rooms are now being made available to passersby during their evening commute.

The initiative has sparked a surge in foot traffic and created a new consumption scene combining affordability with high-end quality.

Since June, a growing number of four and five-star hotels in Jinan have joined the street stall trend.

Early adopters included the Jinan Zhonghao Grand Hotel, the Luxury Blue Horizon Hotel and the Shunhe International Hotel, followed by a wave of other upscale establishments across the city.

The hotel-run stalls emphasize fresh ingredients, transparent pricing and same-day preparation. They typically offer a wide range of ready-to-eat items such as stir-fries, cold dishes, crayfish, deep-fried snacks and noodles, along with signature specialties from in-house chefs. Prices range from 5 to 50 yuan ($0.7 to $7).

The blend of affordable costs and high-end quality has sparked a fresh wave of evening consumption, quickly becoming a vibrant new addition to the city’s nightlife.

“It’s tasty, affordable and trustworthy,” said a local resident surnamed Zhao, who has become a regular at the stalls and often picks up food for his family.

Cui Liwei, marketing director at the Luxury Blue Horizon Hotel in Jinan, said that the outdoor stall generated over 15,000 yuan in daily revenue.

Hotels are adapting to market changes by taking to the streets, tapping into public demand and making better use of idle resources amid industry pressures.

According to Chen Xinhua, president of the China Hotel Association, the market is evolving with more leisure demand and diverse destinations.

Hotels face rising supply and seasonal fluctuations and setting up outdoor stalls has become a new strategy to boost their revenue and address these challenges, he said.