Shanghai's First 'Shared Restaurant' Opens in SML Center

By Molly Jett

Shanghai is now home to the city's first ‘shared restaurant.’ The space is located in the SML Center shopping mall in Huangpu District.

According to Shine, customers order food through an app that features seven different restaurants located inside the mall. The food is then delivered by a “third party” to the shared restaurant, where customers can enjoy their meal. 

The concept was created to help alleviate crowds and restaurant traffic. Instead of waiting in line at popular restaurants, people can now order their meal in advance and eat it as soon as they arrive in the shared restaurant.

Through the app, it takes about 17 minutes for the food to be delivered, but can take around 25 minutes during rush hour, Shine reports.

Another perk about the shared restaurant is that it allows families and groups to eat from different restaurants while still dining together. Children can eat food from one place and parents can eat food from another place but they can all sit at the same table and enjoy a meal together.

With 121 seats, the space has plenty of room compared to many other restaurants. And, customers do not have to pay for seats or a delivery fee.

The Shanghai Food and Drug Administration has placed some regulations on this new dining model, mainly that participating restaurants must be located in the same building (or within 800 meters) as the shared restaurant. Delivery boxes and materials and cleaning procedures at the restaurant must also meet standards. 

Given the shared restaurant's popularity, we may very well see similar restaurants pop up around Shanghai in the near future. 

[Images via Sina and JFDaily.com]

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