Recently, a new trend is rising in China hotpot dining scene — the "category collection" model.
In an era where single-item focus dominates, one standout product alone can attract a large following. Today, only by showcasing popular items, trending dishes, and high-margin products right on the storefront can restaurants hope to draw in customers.
With a multi-pronged approach and cross-category fusion, how can hotpot restaurants cast a wider net to attract more diners?
“All-in-One” Collection-Style Eateries Are Taking Over Chengdu
Recently, a member of the Restaurant Innovation Alliance discovered a highly popular eatery in Chengdu called “Wang Chichi Sichuan Snack Collection”. Even during its soft opening, the foot traffic was overwhelming — the doorstep was practically worn out by eager customers. From morning until the early hours of the next day, the crowd never stopped.
So, how does this compact, multi-category restaurant maintain a stable daily revenue of RM20,000 to RM30,000?
What rising trends have they seized upon?
And more importantly, what lessons can hotpot entrepreneurs take from their success?
1. Innovative Product Structure: A Fusion of Hotpot Flavors, Chinese Cuisine, and Street Snacks
As a collection-style restaurant, Wang Chichi naturally embraces multi-category integration. The store brings together a rich variety of offerings such as hotpot vermicelli, skewers, spicy sour noodles, rice noodles, chicken soup rice, spicy braised dishes, and traditional Sichuan-style desserts like ice jelly — all under one roof.
Let’s start with their signature: Malatang (spicy hotpot). Take the RM52 set meal for two — customers handpick their ingredients from 60 skewer options (meat and veggies). For the staple, they choose one from three: hotpot vermicelli, chicken soup rice, or savory tofu pudding. The set also includes a dessert.
On the snack menu, they offer well-known local favorites like fried potatoes, lard-mixed rice, wrapped tofu, cold mixed noodles, and egg-soy milk combos. These snacks have already been validated by the market. Items like pork intestines and crab sticks — smaller, hotpot-flavored portions — are easy to order and light to consume.
Desserts and sweet drinks like brown sugar fermented rice soup, tofu pudding, and baked pear are also included, cleverly expanding the brand’s appeal into brunch, tea time, and light meals.
With such category diversity, the restaurant can operate across multiple time periods of the day. It targets consumers looking to satisfy cravings, feel full, and enjoy variety. The “1 + 1 + 1” three-part ordering system — reminiscent of a sandwich combo — enhances the sense of abundance and customer satisfaction.2. Value for Money: Delivering Quality at an Average Spend of Just ¥30 (Approx. RM20)
What’s it like to enjoy a “full feast” with just ¥100? At Wang Chichi, that’s entirely possible.
Looking at their popular items:
Even for those who come in starving, a full meal is very affordable.
Although the menu is primarily snack-based — which could easily be optimized with a streamlined supply chain — Wang Chichi insists on handmade preparation for most items. While this increases labor costs, the brand strikes a balance across ingredients, rent, and operations. The result? Craftsmanship that wins over customers and translates into high footfall.
What’s more, the store knows how to capture traffic online. The owner regularly shares behind-the-scenes videos, such as early morning visits to the wet market, showcasing how ingredients are selected and which cuts of meat are used. This creates transparency and allows customers to “inspect” the food quality virtually — boosting trust and engagement even before they walk through the door.
3. Turning Trendy Desserts into an Open-Display Feature Zone
In summer, desserts and sweet drinks continue to be a powerful magnet for foot traffic and product innovation.
At Wang Chichi, sweet offerings are not just a side note — they’ve been elevated to a dedicated open-display counter, featuring nearly 40 different SKUs. The selection includes various styles of ice jelly, traditional sweet soups, baked pears, tofu puddings, and shaved ice desserts, priced between ¥6–¥18. Regulars often remark that each visit brings a new sweet experience.
By setting up a clearly visible dessert zone, the restaurant not only showcases its handmade production process, but also signals to customers that these aren’t just optional extras — they’re highlighted items worth trying.
Together, the authentic street-food-style Malatang, the satisfying variety of snacks, and the Instagrammable desserts form a complete experience. In a time when consumer spending is cautious, this multi-category, hybrid dining model offers a compelling answer to changing demands.
A Multi-Category Strategy to Diversify Foot Traffic
Today, many restaurants are moving away from single-product hero strategies. Instead, they’re bundling main dishes, high-margin items, and traffic-driving products into one cohesive offering. Industry insiders say most food outlets are still struggling with underwhelming sales volumes — and for many, expanding product categories is a survival tactic filled with urgency and creativity.
4. Using Ice Desserts and Snacks as a “Pop-Up Collection” to Boost Hotpot Appeal
Summer is naturally the season for icy treats and fruity flavors. By moving what used to be free condiments or snacks from the sauce station to outside the store, hotpot restaurants are quickly transforming into pop-up-style “collection stores”.
For example, Yuan Lao Si Old Hotpot recently put on a “show” by setting up an outdoor self-service station, offering a free tasting experience. From mixed fruit desserts, hand-stirred ice jelly, and pandan sago jelly, to spicy sour noodles and teppanyaki fried rice — over 10 varieties of icy snacks and appetizers were featured. The goal? Simple: draw more people into the store.
Once customers are gathered by these attention-grabbing offerings, the brand strategically introduces core menu items like hand-shredded beef omasum, air-flown beef artery, and fresh duck intestines. These premium ingredients are visually showcased to reinforce menu memory and drive in-store orders.
So, while it may look like a trendy summer snack shop on the outside, it's ultimately still a hotpot experience at its core. By adopting the “collection store” concept, the brand gives customers a fresh new reason to step inside.
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