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Wang Jian Shuo introduces us to a local Shanghai restaurant chain called Zhending Chicken. We've never been, but we might go now -- sounds like an interesting place:
This noon, we went to our favorite restaurant Zhengding Chicken (振鼎鸡) for lunch. It is famous for its chicken. It is a successful business, just like KFC for fried chicken.Zhending Chicken meets the need of local market precisely, because people are very sensitive about cost and the value. They have some rules in their restaurant I feel strange.
Close The Business at Rush Hours
I remember the store at Tianlin closes at 6:00 PM. Many times we rushed to the store only to find out the store is closed. A server stands at the door and politely tell us: All chicken sold out.
It is the very few restaurant that I would keep my finger crossed on the way to there, hoping I can get permission to enter the store, for chickens.
Cold Coke or Not?
The price for cold coke and normal temperature coke are different. You have to pay 0.2 RMB more for the coke to be cold.
People clearly see the value that the coke is sold at a very low margin, that they cannot aford to pay for the refragerator to cold it.
There is more after that. Worth a read.
If you live in Shanghai, odds are there is a Zhending Chicken not too far from where you live. Check out this map. The restaurant's signature dish is, naturally, Zhending Chicken (振鼎鸡). Other popular items are Chicken Noodle Soup (鸡汤面), Chicken Porridge (鸡粥) and Chicken Blood Soup (鸡血汤).
Photo from english.eastday.com.cn.
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Now getting '403 Forbidden' errors on all page/img requests to their website. Perhaps they suspected all this extra press would cause them to run out of chicken sooner.
I have eaten at ZhenDing Chicken many times with my wife for years now and I must say it is really a value oriented restaurant.
The food selection is spartan to say the least. You may get cold, jellied chicken, in 1/4, 1/2, and whole bird portions.
The noodles come in two varieties, in water or not in water.
You may order porridge or cold chicken blood in water, and that is about it for food selection.
I find the food good and a nice price. I have generally gone to the one by Xiang Yang Market, which stays open til 10!
However, I have also had some bowl movements that were out of the usual range after eating the noodles in water, so be aware.
And the total bill? A 1/2 chicken, two bowls of noodles, a coke, and two beers can be had for under 50 rmb...
so persuasive that i will definitely be hunting for it during my next trip to shanghai. :-P