Xibei's Guo Long opens a new store—why are people queuing for an hour?

Ask AI · Why did Jia Guolong start a new venture with Sandpot Braised Noodles during Xibei’s difficulties?

Jia Guolong, again starting a business?

Recently, the founder of Xibei Catering Group, Jia Guolong, quietly opened his latest venture, “Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles,” in Beijing’s 798 Art District. This is another attempt after various restaurant brands like Kung Fu Cuisine, Chinese Pot, and Small Pot Beef, with Xibei launching a secondary brand.

In the past six months, Xibei’s attention has mostly been on controversies over pre-made dishes, the closure of 102 stores at once, and layoffs and pay cuts for employees. Now, Jia Guolong chooses to start a new business with Sandpot Braised Noodles—what is his true intention?

Waiting in line for an hour to eat braised noodles

On March 20, a report from You Yao arrived at 798 Art District. Before even approaching, you could see a two-story standalone building with a large sign reading “Tianbian” at the top.

In front of the door, there are multiple layers of square stone piles and a row of large sandpots. It doesn’t look like a restaurant just from the appearance. But the continuous calling of numbers proves its identity.

Photo source: Gao Yue

During the lunch rush, the inside of the restaurant was fully booked with about fifty tables, and outside, over forty tables were waiting for seats, with an estimated wait time of an hour. A staff member at Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles said, “Since opening, almost every peak meal time has had lines.”

You Yao noted that Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles features earthy tones and natural decor, quite different from Xibei’s red-themed style. However, its main dish, sandpot braised noodles, is a culinary specialty from Jia Guolong’s hometown in Inner Mongolia’s Bayannur League.

Braised Noodles Product | Source: Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles ordering mini-program

The store’s SKU list has only about 20 items, including sandpot braised noodles, soup noodles, sandpot dishes, and Hetao snacks. Signature dishes include pork rib and green bean braised noodles, lamb spicy skin braised noodles, and cabbage and potato braised noodles, priced between 36 and 60 yuan.

In line with the trend of freshly made dishes, Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles adopts an open kitchen concept, showing all processes of braising and stir-frying to customers. “All our braised noodles are freshly rolled and braised on-site, and the marinated meat is made fresh every morning. Therefore, the serving time is slower, usually about 30 minutes,” a staff member explained.

Photo source: Gao Yue

On the staircase leading to the second floor, there are also products like Bayannur flour, Hetao pear juice, and glutinous corn. The staff said this not only showcases raw ingredients but also allows for individual sale.

Most customers waiting outside are office workers near 798 Art District. One customer told You Yao that she saw the new store on social media and decided to try it. However, due to the long queue, she waited 30 minutes and then chose to have lunch at another restaurant diagonally opposite.

A new secondary brand?

Launching a secondary brand is not unfamiliar to Xibei.

Since 2016, Xibei has tried many secondary brands, including Xibei Oatmeal Noodles, Maixiang Village, Xibei Yogurt Shop, Gongzhangzhang, Jia Guolong Kung Fu Cuisine, Jia Guolong Chinese Burger, and Xibei Small Pot Beef.

However, none of these brands have been successful long-term, with survival times ranging from three months to two years.

Among them, Jia Guolong Chinese Burger, launched in 2023, was relatively large-scale, with up to 53 stores in Beijing at one point, but all closed by 2024.

If past restaurant secondary brands were Xibei exploring a second growth curve, then this time, Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles carries a different significance.

Regarding the new brand, Jia Guolong told the Daily Economic News that Xibei plans to close some stores and hopes a new brand can take over some of the stores and staff. “Xibei’s main brand will still operate, but in the future, some stores will close, some will transition to the new brand, and some core stores will be retained.”

The staff also revealed that some employees at Tianbian Sandpot Braised Noodles were transferred from Xibei, while others were newly hired.

Photo source: Visual China

Indeed, a significant number of Xibei employees are facing departure. Since January, Xibei has been closing stores continuously. Jia Guolong initially said about 102 stores had closed, but multiple media reports suggest the actual number is around 140, accounting for about 40% of Xibei’s total stores. This roughly impacts around 4,000 employees.

Luo Shengmin, in her 50s, was previously a dishwasher at a Xibei store in Chengdu. Before the Spring Festival, she was notified that her store would close, and all staff were waiting for transfer notices. But after the holiday, she and other colleagues received the message that there were no positions available and they needed to resign.

Other remaining Xibei employees are also facing pay cuts.

In March, it was reported that all store employees would have their salaries proportionally reduced, and wages would be delayed. A chef named Zheng Jie at a Beijing store told You Yao that his original salary was between 16,000 and 18,000 yuan, but now he only receives about 60% of that, and the payments are delayed. “Since March 10, wages have been officially delayed, and I haven’t received my February salary.”

Zheng Jie said his store used to do well, with daily sales often reaching 80,000 to 100,000 yuan, but after the Spring Festival, sales plummeted, dropping below 50% of previous levels.

On one side, stores are shrinking and layoffs are happening; on the other, new brands are being tried. Xibei is still trying to save itself. But how much a new brand can help remains to be seen over time.

Author: Gao Yue

Editor: Yu Yuan