Erinome: Hello dear friends! Welcome to our podcast. Today, Enceladus and I are going to chat about something that matters to anyone who orders takeout—new rules to make food delivery safer. Enceladus, do you order takeout often?
Enceladus: Oh yes! Especially on busy days. But sometimes I worry, like… is the restaurant real? You know, those "ghost restaurants" people talk about.
Erinome: Exactly! That’s why the government has new plans. On October 16th, the State Market Regulation Administration released a draft rule. They want to stop "ghost restaurants" and make food safer.
Enceladus: Wow, what’s in the new rule? Tell me!
Erinome: Well, first, restaurants on delivery apps must show their real info. Like, the online shop name must be the same as their real store sign. And the pickup address must match their business license.
Enceladus: Oh right! No more fake addresses. But what about places that only do takeout, no dine-in?
Erinome: Good question! The rule says those "no dine-in" shops must have a special sign—like a "no dine-in" label on their app page. So when you order, you can see at a glance: "Oh, this shop doesn’t have tables, just takeout."
Enceladus: That’s smart! Why is this so important?
Erinome: Because "ghost restaurants" are a big problem. They hide—maybe a small dirty workshop in a garage, no real store. People order food, but don’t know how clean it is. Sad, right?
Enceladus: So sad! My neighbor Aunt Zhang had this problem last month. She ordered a braised rice from a "famous shop" online. But when she went to pick it up, it was just a tiny garage workshop. No tables, and the卫生 (weisheng—hygiene) was really bad.
Erinome: Oh no! That’s exactly why the new rule is needed. With the "no dine-in" sign, Aunt Zhang would have known: "This isn’t a real restaurant, maybe I shouldn’t order here."
Enceladus: Right! And the rule also says one business license can only open one shop on the same app. No more one license for many fake shops.
Erinome: Yes! That stops bad businesses from expanding quickly with fake shops. Now, the draft is asking for public comments until November 16th. So people can share their ideas.
Enceladus: That’s good. What are the delivery platforms doing? Like Meituan, Ele.me, JD.com?
Erinome: Oh, they’re already changing! JD.com, which just entered the takeout market, says they only let good restaurants in. Their approval rate for new shops is only 40%—super strict!
Enceladus: 40%? That’s low. So they check a lot?
Erinome: Yep! They check资质 (zizhi—qualifications), photos, even do video checks. No fake info allowed.
Enceladus: What about Meituan? I use Meituan often.
Erinome: Meituan announced a "Flourishing Plan" on October 16th. They’re spending 500 million yuan to build "transparent kitchens"—you can watch live videos of the kitchen while they make your food!
Enceladus: Wow! Live kitchen videos? That makes me feel safer. What about Ele.me?
Erinome: Ele.me worked with a tech company in September to push "internet + transparent kitchens" too. So all big platforms are focusing on safety now.
Enceladus: Why the big change? Before, they just fought with low prices, right?
Erinome: Exactly! Before, it was a "traffic war"—get more users with cheap prices. Now, it’s a "quality war"—focus on food safety and service.
Enceladus: So "transparent" isn’t just for rules now; it’s how platforms compete?
Erinome: You got it! Like, JD calls their takeout "quality takeout"—only real dine-in restaurants or good chain shops can join. No random small workshops.
Enceladus: That helps honest businesses, too. They won’t lose customers to fake "ghost restaurants" anymore.
Erinome: Yes! And old people will feel more at ease. They care a lot about food safety. With clear signs, they can choose better.
Enceladus: My grandma always says, "Better safe than sorry" when ordering takeout. Now she can check the "no dine-in" sign first.
Erinome: Exactly! The rule makes everything clearer. Shops must show their real name, real address, and if they have no dine-in. No more surprises.
Enceladus: What else does the new rule say? Any punishments for breaking it?
Erinome: Oh yes! If platforms or shops don’t follow the rules, they’ll get fined. Like, if a shop uses one license to open many shops, they’ll be punished.
Enceladus: That should make them more careful.
Erinome: For sure. Experts say this will push the industry to grow healthily. Short-term, maybe more work for platforms and shops, but long-term, everyone wins—safer food, happier customers.
Enceladus: I agree. No one wants to eat food from a dirty workshop.
Erinome: Right! So next time you order takeout, check for that "no dine-in" sign. It’s small, but it means a lot for your safety.
Enceladus: Will all shops follow this soon?
Erinome: Well, the draft is still being commented on. But after November 16th, the final rule will come out. Then platforms and shops have to follow.
