Over the past few centuries, Quanjude Roast Duck has become one of the representatives of Peking Duck due to its unique culinary skills and century-old history. In recent years, however, the once-culinary powerhouse has undergone a dramatic shift from boom to decline. Tourists take photos at the door, but few actually enter the restaurant to taste it. What is it that has taken this century-old brand from the top to the bottom of the restaurant world? Let's dig behind the scenes of this business story.
The splendor of its heyday
In the recent past, Quanjude roast duck was the bright star of Peking duck. The brand has a century-old heritage and is known as the pinnacle representative of Beijing's catering industry. Its history began with a young apprentice in a dried fruit shop, Yang Quanren. His dream was to open a restaurant that could serve delicious roast duck. After 30 years of hard work, he finally opened Quanjude Roast Duck in Beijing, laying a solid foundation for the brand.
In its heyday, Quanjude Roast Duck was the leader of Beijing's catering industry, becoming the first time-honored brand to go public. The influx of top dignitaries and foreign guests made the store even more famous after the 2008 Olympics. In the first half of 2001, the Qianmen head office alone generated a turnover of 350 million yuan, dwarfing the per capita income of Beijing at that time. Such brilliant achievements made Quanjude roast duck once the only top culinary in that era.
The reason for the deterioration of word-of-
However, the glorious history did not bring long-term success to Quanjude. In 2014, a "sky-high bill" was exposed, which became a watershed for the brand. A diner posted a bill online, revealing the high prices and the deterioration in service quality. This exposure sparked widespread controversy, leading to a sharp decline in the brand's reputation. High-priced dishes and poor service make diners start to stay away, or even avoid them. Quanjude has been reduced from a top-class restaurant to a background wall for tourists to take pictures, and this change makes people wonder what caused this huge decline.
Sky-high bills
The "sky-high bill" incident in 2014 became a watershed in the transformation of Quanjude's fate. In response to reputational damage and consecutive years of losses, brands began to implement comprehensive price reduction measures in the second half of 2020, eliminating additional fees such as service fees. However, the effect of this measure is not significant, and the dilemma of consecutive years of losses continues. Quanjude tried to break the high-end image and get closer to ordinary diners, but the market did not react significantly.
In addition to price reduction measures, Quanjude also tried to enter the liquor industry, hoping to gain new growth points in this field. In the capital markets, this move was a success, and the market value of the brand rose. However, the actual sales situation was not as good as expected, and in the face of competition in the consumer market, Quanjude roast duck did not find a real foothold in the field of liquor.
Comparison of the history of the brand with the current situation
The history of Quanjude carries the dream of the founder Yang Quanren, from the apprentice of the dried fruit shop to the representative of roast duck, this history is full of legends. However, the brand's current status is in stark contrast to its illustrious history. The decline in high-priced dishes, the decline in service quality, and the impact of market changes have made Quanjude roast duck gradually lose its former glory. Brands need to rethink and adapt to regain consumer trust and market share.
On the basis of a century-old heritage, the Quanjude roast duck brand has experienced glory and decline, and is now facing unprecedented challenges. The brand used to be the jewel of Beijing's food and beverage scene, however, the changes in the market and the changes in consumer demand have taken a huge cost. Although a series of self-help measures have been taken in the face of difficulties, it is still unknown how to achieve the brand's resurgence again.
Summary:
The case of Quanjude reminds us that even brands with a history of 100 years need to constantly adapt to the trend of the times. The main reasons for the deterioration of word-of-mouth are the deterioration of high-priced dishes and the deterioration of service quality, and brands need to think carefully about how to rebuild consumer trust while trying to reduce prices and expand into new markets. In the highly competitive F&B market, brand flexibility and a customer-first mindset will be the key to survival.