Tina Chen
BOXED lunches provided by a meals-on-wheels service attracted few customers days after the service was launched Monday.
At a lunch van in Shenzhen Hi-tech Industrial Park in Nanshan District, only a few people were buying lunches with many more queuing at nearby fast-food restaurants.
Shenzhen Shadu Co., one of the companies providing the service, arrives at the site before 11:30 a.m. each day. The menu comprises five meals for 12 yuan (US$1.80) per box.
One customer, Chen, said he was disappointed. It s not as good as I expected. There is little variety of meat and vegetables and the taste is just so-so.
An unidentified customer at a nearby fast-food restaurant said the van provided little choice and he did not feel like trying the food.
Another customer said there was no seating at the van so he and his colleagues could only have lunch at restaurants.
Li, a fast-food restaurant owner, didn t think the vans would have much effect on his business. My meals are quite flexible and can be prepared to order. As the weather turns cold, more people will prefer to sit indoors to enjoy hot fresh meals, he said.
A Shadu Co. staff member, Wen, said he believed the lunches would become popular because they saved time and the food was qualified and safe.
We will conduct a survey to improve the service, he said.
