Church's Texas Chicken's China debut drew 2-hour lines — and $22 offers to wait in them

China's user spending remains sluggish, but the presence of a caller American fried-chicken concatenation shows there's still an appetite for an affordable indulgence.

Church's Texas Chicken opened its first mainland China location successful Shanghai connected Friday, drafting customers who waited successful the rainfall for much than 2 hours, section media reported.

Staff told Chinese news outlet Lanjing News that the edifice was handling astir 800 to 900 orders a day.

The lines person spawned a mini broadside hustle. People connected Chinese resale platforms were advertizing queueing services for 100 to 150 yuan, aliases up to astir $22, the outlet reported. That's much than the 89.90 yuan value of a six-piece bucket.

The opening besides drew attraction connected the Chinese societal media level Weibo, wherever the hashtag "American fried-chicken elephantine opens first China store" became a basking topic.

"I can't judge that successful 2026, group are still lining up for hours for a fried-chicken edifice opening. I thought it was 1996," 1 personification wrote.

Another joked: "When you eat it, you person to say: 'This is precisely the aforesaid sensation I had erstwhile I was studying successful Texas.' That's what makes it prestigious enough."

Others questioned whether the first enthusiasm would last. One Weibo personification said early reactions to the nutrient had been mixed, and said immoderate overseas paper items weren't disposable successful Shanghai.

The crowds guidelines retired against cautious user spending and a prolonged property downturn successful China.

Spending connected services has held up amended than spending connected goods. Retail income of services roseate 5% successful the first 7 months of the year, compared pinch 1.1% maturation successful unit income of goods, charismatic information showed. Catering gross roseate 2.6% complete the aforesaid period.

Church's has plans to spell overmuch bigger successful China. The chain, founded successful Texas successful 1952, signed its largest world improvement statement pinch the Chinese usability Deke Shengtang, pinch plans to create astatine slightest 600 restaurants crossed the state complete the adjacent respective years.

It's entering a crowded marketplace that includes KFC, McDonald's, and home fried-chicken chains. KFC, which opened its first edifice successful China successful 1987, had complete 13,000 locations successful the state arsenic of the extremity of June.

Church's Texas Chicken did not instantly respond to a petition for remark sent extracurricular regular business hours.