{
  "id": 1439762,
  "title": "Burger's 100-yr story gets a China twist",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/burgers-100-yr-story-gets-a-china-twist",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-17T06:30:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/global-trends/a-cheap-american-sandwich-conquered-the-world-now-china-is-rewriting-the-burgers-100-year-old-story/articleshow/133288811.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Burgers are rapidly gaining popularity in China, becoming a fierce competitor in the fast-food market. This growth is driven by several factors, including limited household budgets, shrinking family sizes, and a strong preference for quick, portable meals. Global restaurant chains, local hotpot operators, and coffee brands are all vying for a piece of this market.\n\nThe history of the hamburger in China stretches back to 1921, when Walter Anderson and Billy Ingram opened White Castle in Wichita, Kansas, marking it as the first fast-food chain in the United States. The hamburger eventually reached China in 1987 through KFC's debut in Beijing, followed by McDonald's in Shenzhen in 1990. Both brands spent the next three decades establishing the burger as a familiar Western fast-food option in China.\n\nHowever, the burger landscape is now being reshaped by a diverse group of local players. Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum China, has made a significant move with its Burger Bar format, which combines a burger counter with an existing Pizza Hut outlet. This format has expanded to over 200 locations in just six months and is set to grow to 500-600 outlets by the end of 2026, representing roughly 10% of Pizza Hut's total network in China.\n\nThis burger surge reflects a broader trend in Chinese consumer spending. As household sizes decrease and economic uncertainty keeps discretionary spending in check, consumers are increasingly opting for cheaper, portable meals that offer convenience without compromising on quality. China's Western fast-food market was valued at 499.65 billion yuan ($74.1 billion) in 2025 and is projected to reach 587.09 billion yuan by 2027, according to iiMedia Research.\n\nWithin this segment, burgers have emerged as the top choice among consumers, with 55% of respondents preferring them over other options. Despite being a relatively small portion of the overall fast-food industry, the burger market is expanding rapidly, with a projected growth rate of 8.7% annually through 2035, as per Emergen Research.\n\nThe appeal of burgers extends beyond just affordability. For instance, Beijing university student Wang Fang finds them to be a cost-effective alternative to a full sit-down meal, providing a balanced option that includes meat, vegetables, and butter. Hotpot giant Haidilao has entered the burger scene with a new chain called Huanxianbao, or Fresh Burger, which also serves pizza, pasta, and fried chicken. Coffee chain M Stand has also joined the trend by opening burger-focused outlets in select cities.\n\nThe format's popularity is further bolstered by China's strong delivery culture. With 43% of Chinese consumers ordering delivery at least once a week, the portability of burgers makes them an ideal choice for takeaway and delivery. Global chains are actively racing to capture a share of this growing market. For example, Five Guys' recent opening in Beijing saw customers waiting over two hours for a seat, while Wendy's has announced plans to enter China, aiming to open up to 1,000 franchised restaurants over the next decade.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}