The Paper's reporter Wang Qifan
After the China Cuisine Association and the American Panda Group debunked the rumors, the cottage "Panda Restaurant" in Kunming, Yunnan Province, has been suspended.
On October 21, the surging news reporter learned that the "panda express panda restaurant" currently located in Wuyue Plaza, Chenggong District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, has been suspended and the door is closed. In addition, its page on Dianping also shows "Merchants are temporarily suspended".
A merchant also located in wuyue plaza revealed to reporters that the suspension of the cottage "panda restaurant" should be the matter of these two days, and recently he saw a sign hanging on the trial operation when he passed the store.
According to the information revealed by Wuyue Plaza to reporters, the process and procedures of the investment project are formal, but after the rumors were debunked in the US main store, the company is reviewing the project, and there is no conclusion at present.
Last week, the news that a panda restaurant called "Panda Express" opened a store in Wuyue Plaza, Chenggong District, Kunming, Yunnan Province, attracted attention from the outside world. According to the news revealed by Wuyue Plaza at that time, this was the first store of Panda Express (Panda Restaurant), the largest Chinese fast food chain in the United States, to enter China, and was operated by Shenzhen Xiguifu Restaurant Management Co., Ltd.
Just a few days later, the China Cuisine Association debunked the news that "American Panda Fast Food" had opened a store in Yunnan, and after verification between the association and panda group, the store was not opened by panda group, and panda group had never authorized any domestic enterprise or individual to carry out franchise business.
At the same time, the China Cuisine Association also released a clarification statement from Cheng Zhengchang, founder and co-CEO of American Panda Group. Cheng Zhengchang said in a statement that all the "American Panda Fast Food" currently in the Chinese market is fake, and the "Panda" trademark used is misappropriated or forged; the American Panda Group has not authorized any department and individual in China to join in any form in the name of "American Panda", including the patented dishes and products developed and registered by "American Panda". Cheng Zhengchang also advised those who stole the panda trademark to defraud money to stop illegal and criminal acts, and reminded colleagues in the catering industry, investment entrepreneurs and people from all walks of life not to be deceived.
The surging news reporter found that its page on the public review also showed that "merchants are suspended for business".
A merchant also located in the Wuyue Plaza revealed to reporters that the suspension of business should be the matter of these two days, and recently he saw a sign hanging on the trial operation when he passed the store. It is reported that the "panda express panda restaurant" was officially opened on the 25th of last month, when a wave of publicity activities were carried out in the mall, and there were sculptures of pandas outside the square.
However, the merchant also told reporters that it believes that the taste of the restaurant is general, the price is expensive, and the lunch for one person is thirty or fifty yuan, compared with similar cafeterias in the mall, most of its dishes are below 10 yuan. Moreover, the "panda restaurant" does not clearly mark the price of the dishes, and consumers only know the price of the dishes and the amount of their consumption when they finish the meal checkout.
So how did such a "cottage" restaurant deceive consumers and shopping malls and open for up to a month?
In addition, another reason why Wuyue Plaza believes that "Panda Restaurant" is legitimate is that the latter participated in the 2019 Beijing International Chain Franchise Exhibition held last year. The Beijing Chain International Franchise Exhibition also hung the information of its participation on the official website, saying that the exhibition site achieved a good investment effect. However, the link is no longer open.
On October 21, the surging news reporter contacted the staff of the Beijing Chain International Franchise Exhibition, and the other party said that he remembered that there was a panda restaurant participating in the exhibition last year, but the results of its "cottage" still need to be checked with the project team, and there is no more information to disclose at present.
So what about the so-called agents?
According to the data of Tianyancha, the "agent" Shenzhen Xiguifu Catering Management Co., Ltd. was established in 2018, mainly engaged in investment consulting; enterprise management consulting; daily necessities, catering equipment wholesale; exhibition services. Hu Peng, the actual controller and legal representative of the company, is also the actual controller and legal representative of Shenzhen Shanghai Guimanlong Catering Service Consulting Co., Ltd.
Since the "Panda Restaurant" became popular, the reporter has not been able to dial the phone of Shenzhen Xiguifu Restaurant Management Co., Ltd., and Wuyue Plaza, which cooperates with it, has not disclosed more information.
What will happen to this "cottage" panda restaurant in the future, and what will happen to the agents? Recently, the public relations company of the American Panda Group told reporters that if legal rights protection measures are adopted in the future, it will be released to the public for the first time.
Editor-in-Charge: It's Winter
Proofreader: Luan Meng