CX DAILY

CX Daily: China’s Catering Sector Rethinks Growth After Toxic Subsidy-Fueled Boom

Published: Oct. 14, 2026 9:00 a.m. GMT+8

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Li Ling still looks back on the summer of 2025 with a mix of nostalgia and disbelief. When China’s e-commerce giants waged an unprecedented food delivery subsidy war, her milk tea shop was overwhelmed by orders placed through JD.com. The store’s pudding sago drink, priced at 11 yuan ($1.60), cost consumers just 1 yuan after a hefty platform discount.

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