Senior canteens that offer discounted meals to elderly residents have sprung up across China in recent years.
These canteens, usually located near residential areas, are operated by companies that receive government subsidies. They were established to address the needs of China's aging population. By the end of 2025, the number of Chinese citizens aged 60 and above reached 323 million, accounting for 23 percent of the total population.
With family sizes shrinking and adult children often working in distant locations, many older adults are left to manage daily life on their own. For the elderly or people with limited mobility, tasks like grocery shopping, cooking and dishwashing can be arduous. Some seniors cook once a day and eat the same meal all day, or rely on a simple dish of pickled vegetables. A nearby canteen significantly eases the burden on seniors and provides peace of mind for their children living elsewhere.
Balancing affordability with sustainability is a priority for these canteens. To achieve this, they have expanded their customer base by offering services to diverse groups. For example, some canteens offer tiered discounts for seniors based on age, with larger discounts for older age groups. Some canteens also provide customized meals for younger residents with greater purchasing power and discounted set meals for food delivery riders.
This approach benefits multiple groups: seniors don't have to spend hours preparing meals of their own, working adults save time on grocery shopping and cooking, and delivery riders get access to affordable lunches.
While the primary goal is to serve seniors, opening their doors to other age groups not only benefits a larger population but also helps the canteens achieve self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability.
Successful canteens also require refined services. In Shanghai's Yangpu district, one canteen has adopted smart technologies, placing electronic scales under each dish. Diners serve themselves, and the system automatically calculates charges based on weight.
Seniors with smaller appetites can sample a variety of dishes without having to buy full portions. This not only lowers the costs for customers but also helps avoid food waste and increases the chance of customers coming back. Nutritional information is provided for each dish, catering to different dietary requirements.
While urban canteens benefit from large customer flows, those in remote villages face challenges. In rural areas, older adults usually live far apart, making traveling to canteens difficult. Jingning She autonomous county in Zhejiang province has managed to address this issue by mobilizing local residents.
The county encourages households in villages to prepare extra portions for their senior neighbors and invite older adults who struggle to cook to dine with them. Villages match senior residents in need with participating households.
The costs are shared among seniors, public funds, villages and charitable organizations. Households providing high-quality service may receive bonuses, turning goodwill among neighbors into a stable income stream.
Urban canteens and village family kitchens represent different approaches toward serving older adults, yet they share a core principle: grassroots governments, urban communities and villages first identify those in need and available local resources, then coordinate all stakeholders, including enterprises, residents and volunteers, to provide support.
Some senior canteens face challenges such as low footfall, funding shortages and insufficient staff. Though public investment is necessary, the service cannot rely solely on increasing subsidies.
Enterprises running the canteens should remain committed to the primary mission of supporting vulnerable seniors while earning reasonable returns. The key is to set clear rules for pricing, discounts and subsidies to create stable expectations for both residents and operators.
To improve community canteens, efforts should begin with mapping where seniors live, their spending capacity and ability to travel independently. Where conditions permit, canteens should open to residents of all ages and boost revenue through professional management. Meal and delivery subsidies should be targeted at the advanced-aged, those suffering from disabilities and low-income seniors. For villages with scattered populations, household-based catering services by neighbors are recommended over a single canteen.
Regardless of the service model, food safety, taste and nutrition should not be compromised. Also, canteens using digital tools should retain in-person support for seniors unfamiliar with smart devices. Capable canteens could also serve as venues for other activities, offering seniors not just meals but also opportunities for social interaction.
Catering services for seniors exemplify the cooperation among the government, enterprises and residents. Though seemingly ordinary, these hot meals significantly enhance the well-being of older adults and constitute a vital part of effective grassroots governance.
The author is a research fellow at the National Academy of Chinese Modernization, an institution under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the director of the Centre for International Social Security Studies at CASS.
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
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