CRI听力:Beijing Tests Seniors Canteen Service

A new pilot project has been launched here in Beijing to offer subsidized meals to the elderly in the capital.

At the Beijing Chess Institutes' canteen, a staff has ladled out the lunch for an old lady. It's a two-dish combo consisting of fish braised in brown sauce and stewed Tofu served with rice. The lunch costs her approximately 15 yuan, or 2.5 US dollars, way cheaper than in a regular restaurant.

This is part of an initiative called Senior's Dining Table launched by the Beijing local government. The diners are seniors from the Beijing Evergreen Community in Dongcheng District.

While they eat, contentment is written all over their faces.

"I like the different kinds of fish and meat dishes they serve here. Tastes better than what we cook at home."

"It's good value-for-money. Much cheaper than what we buy at restaurants. And hygienic and safe too."

"This canteen belongs to a government institution. The food safety and hygiene issues have all been taken care of. And it's cheap and affordable for us."

The canteen opens at 11 am every day to senior citizens of the community. They can choose from a healthy menu which comprises of six meat, fish and vegetable dishes served with free soup. Desert options are also available.

Li Mingche from the Civil Affairs Bureau of Stadium Road Community Center explained how they came up with this program.

"Our community is not a business district, so we have very few catering businesses around here. There isn't even a bus stop close by. So it's not that easy for seniors to go out to dine. Our community has over 7,000 senior citizens over the age of 60. Their demand for food catering is an imminent issue."

Taking into consideration of such factors, Evergreen community opted to cooperate with canteens belonging to government institutions close to the community, and open the doors of these canteens to senior citizens in the community.

To solve senior citizen's food issue, many districts in Beijing are trying out their own methods. Some choose to sign contracts with individual restaurants so that seniors will enjoy discounts at those restaurants. Other districts sign deals with restaurants so that they can deliver food to the doors of seniors of specific communities on order.

As this service caters to seniors, special attention is given to the preparation of the food.

In Dongxinglou, a restaurant participating in the plan in Dongcheng District, a chef surnamed Wang introduces the dish he prepared for the seniors.

"I prepared this red stewed chicken leg. For this dish, we usually put less salt and cooking oil, and we also cook it longer so that they are suitable for the seniors."

Under the Seniors' Dining Table plan, meals are always cheaper.

Food served at the Beijing Chess Institutes' canteen is a quarter percent cheaper than normal price.

Hu Yanlong, head of the China Chess Institute Canteen explains how they managed to cut down on food prices so that seniors can enjoy cheaper food.

"We send our own truck to buy fresh vegetable and meat from Xinfadi wholesale market. This way we get the wholesale price which is much cheaper. For frozen food such as fish and shrimps, we buy them directly from a frozen food storage house in Southwest Beijing."

Cheaper price, guaranteed food quality and hygiene standard, the Seniors' Dining Table initiative is heartily welcomed by seniors as it has made their lives much easier. However, low profit, a lack of venue and standardization are still hurdles containing the popularization of such senior care initiative.

How to find a balance between profitability of participating businesses and meeting seniors' needs to make the service sustainable is a question that the service's investors still have to answer.