Chinese actor Wen Zhang, who previously gained immense popularity through dramas such as "Love is Not Blind," saw his career hit a crisis at its peak after it was exposed that he had an improper relationship with co-star Yao Di while his wife Ma Yili was pregnant. Although Ma Yili ultimately chose to forgive him, the couple eventually divorced in 2019, causing Wen Zhang’s reputation to collapse and his career to go quiet for some time.
Recently, Wen Zhang reportedly switched to the food and beverage industry, opening a noodle shop in Shanghai and personally serving as the owner. Thanks to his celebrity effect, customers are lining up for three hours or more and still might not get a meal, while scalpers are charging as much as 500 RMB (about RM290) to hold a spot in line.
The noodle shop goes viral, crowds pack the place
The noodle shop quickly gained extreme popularity after opening, with lines forming outside every day and wait times often lasting several hours. Some netizens shared their experience, saying the store starts handing out number cards for lunch at 9 a.m. and for dinner at 5 p.m., but even those who arrive early can end up waiting until the afternoon without getting in. The huge lines even disrupted nearby traffic and the shop’s normal operations, making its popularity far exceed that of a typical eatery.
As getting a seat has become increasingly difficult, a market for "proxy queuing" services has emerged, with scalpers offering to hold a spot for up to 500 RMB. This craze has even extended into the gray market. Some customers revealed that even after spending 200 RMB (about RM116) to secure a spot, they might still find that popular menu items are sold out by the time they get inside. In order to control supply, the store has also implemented purchase limits, such as restricting each table to a set number of signature dishes, making many customers exclaim, "It’s so hard just to eat a bowl of noodles."
Source: NOWNEWS