Chi fan le ma?

It is a growing trend in big cities for the Chinese to eat their New Year's Eve dinner at a restaurant, instead of at home. It is an occasion for the family to enjoy a different experience and new tastes, while also saving the trouble of buying and preparing a big feast, which is convenient for people who are too busy to put their mind to food matters.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Commerce, conducted last year in 18 big cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, more than 600,000 group feast tables were reserved, with a total consumption of 10 billion yuan.