China’s Economy is Collapsing Cheap Meal Boxes Are Back

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:01]Today, let's take a look at what it's like eating at Scent self-service box lunches.

[00:00:06]>> There are 50 or 60 kinds of hot and cold dishes, and you can eat as soon as you arrive at 2 p.m.

[00:00:13]>> Watch a handsome young man born in 1995 selling 45 cent box lunches on a hospital entrance. What kind of story will unfold?

[00:00:23]This is freshly cooked. This dish is a bit lighter because I'm considering that hospital patients might prefer something a little lighter. Sister, would you like some food? One meat dish, one vegetable dish, one soup, and a box lunch for4.

[00:00:37]Auntie, please wait a moment.

[00:00:40]>> China's economy continues to weaken.

[00:00:42]Foreign companies are withdrawing.

[00:00:44]Private enterprises are going bankrupt.

[00:00:46]And more and more people are becoming unemployed, which is leaving them stuck in a sense of job insecurity and quietly changing people's lifestyles. Even without actually losing their jobs, many people have already entered a defensive posture. Reducing outings and cutting back on spending. As a result, a trend of downgrading consumption has gradually become widespread. Coffee has shifted from freshly ground to instant. Takeout has been replaced by home cooking. and the frequency of dining out parties has been further reduced. This has led to a seemingly absurd yet real scene. 15 cent buffets and 45cent takeout meals have appeared on the streets. These may seem like reasonable prices from businesses, but behind them lies desperate competition across the entire industry.

[00:01:28]In the past, this internal malicious competition mainly occurred in education, workplaces, and performance.

[00:01:34]Now, this competition is spreading downwards, becoming price compression and profit dilution. Businesses are no longer competing on who does better, but who can survive the longest. The appearance of cheap food on the streets is actually a signal of economic downturn. Many people lament. Life seems to have suddenly returned to 30 years ago. That atmosphere of frugality, meticulous budgeting, and a lack of hope for the future has once again enveloped people's hearts.

[00:02:03]Shenzhen is not the Shenzhen of the past. If you haven't come, don't come.

[00:02:07]It's impossible to find a job in Shenzhen now. I've been here for almost half a month and haven't found a suitable job. Now I'm out of money, have nowhere to sleep at night, and nowhere to stay. Sometimes I eat one meal a day, sometimes I don't eat at all. What should I do, brothers?

[00:02:28]I received my March salary a few days ago, $1,000 after taxes. As soon as it arrived, I put $500 into a fixed deposit. Although the return isn't much, it helps me control my spending, bringing me one step closer to my goal of buying a car. I was born in 2000, almost 27 years old, with a regular college diploma, working in Shenzhen, where I could lose my job at any time. I want to change careers, but don't know what I can do. Lately, I've been so anxious I can't sleep at night. Often thinking, what could I do if I suddenly lost my job? I don't have any special skills, so I don't have any advantages in Shenzhen.

[00:03:07]The blogger said that if she were laid off, it seemed she could only do physically demanding jobs like delivering packages or food. But even so, she reminds herself, "No matter how hard life is, I can't stop moving forward. She'll save money slowly. Even if the salary isn't much, she believes that as long as she works hard, things will gradually get better."

[00:03:27]>> To save money, I bought a lunch voucher online for 15, which seems unbelievable, and decided to have a good meal.

[00:03:35]I saw it only six. Oh my god, that's enough for lunch.

[00:03:40]>> If I had come earlier, there would have been 16 dishes, but now there are fewer.

[00:03:46]>> Okay. Okay. Only 15 cents. 15 cents. Oh my god.

[00:03:51]Everyone, can you come a little earlier because we close at 1:00 p.m. and stop serving your dishes at 12:30 p.m.

[00:03:57][clears throat] Wow.

[00:04:00]I'm telling you from my experience of searching for a job in Chong Sha for 5 months after losing my job that finding a job in Chong Sha is harder than climbing to heaven. Who actually found a job in Chong Sha? At 35, I just want to tell you that the job market in Chong Sha can only be described as disastrous.

[00:04:18]No wonder everyone says that the real capital of Hunan is Shenzhen. Even the neighbor Wuhan is much better than Chong Sha. I think the job market in Chung Sha is bad mainly because of the following points. First, the salary level is low.

[00:04:31]The average salary in Chung Sha is only $440.

[00:04:39]I advise you young people, if you don't have any special skills, don't come to Shenzhen. You'd be better off staying in your hometown. Recently, a younger girl born in the early 2000s asked me about job hunting. She used to be a kindergarten teacher, and she's quite pretty. When she worked at the kindergarten, she earned $600 after taxes. After quitting, she started selling houses, working for three months, averaging only $300 per month.

[00:05:03]She is exhausted every day, still making phone calls at 9 or 10 p.m.

[00:05:12]Hello everyone, I'm Shiaoju. Today, I brought braised duck leg, stir-fried cabbage, and milk for my uncle and aunt.

[00:05:19]One serving cost4, only4.

[00:05:24]>> Okay. A duck leg, a buck choy, a bowl of rice, and a box of milk. The milk is4.

[00:05:29]They're doing this for charity.

[00:05:33]>> Put two together, one for two people.

[00:05:35]You're at the back of the line. You will get one, too.

[00:05:42]Everyone gets one.

[00:05:46]Everyone says that for ordinary people, taking the post-graduate entrance exam is the best shortcut to turning their lives around. It wasn't until all my post-graduate roommates lost their jobs that I realized how cruel society is.

[00:05:58]You probably think we're just having high unrealistic expectations but low skills. Do you know how disheartening the 2026 employment data is? This year there are 12.7 million graduates, meaning two people are competing for every job. The employment rate for associate degree holders is 56%. For bachelor's degree holders, it's 45%. And for master's degree holders, it's 40%.

[00:06:21]See, the higher the degree, the harder it is to find a job.

[00:06:28]Today's challenge is to eat a full meal in Xihong for 15 cents. I saw in Doian that your company offers this 15 cent meal promotion. Is it real? Yes. Then give me one. Okay. Okay.

[00:06:41]Take a look at their 15 cent box lunch.

[00:06:43]It is quite generous in portion size.

[00:06:45]The rice is Wu Chong rice and there's one meat dish and one vegetable dish with a good amount of vegetables.

[00:06:50]There's also a soup. If you're a student, a delivery rider or a courier, you can enjoy this offer.

[00:07:00]Staying in Shenzhen is 10,000 times harder than coming to Shenzhen. Arriving in Shenzhen only requires a train ticket, but staying takes immense courage. How difficult is it for young people to settle down in this money-making capital? The first lesson is always renting an apartment.

[00:07:16]Countless young people, resumes in hand, wander aimlessly through the urban villages of Non Shan Fuian Bow on and Lua districts only to find themselves in a tiny room of less than 10 square meters. With a monthly salary of $1,200, $300 could only afford a run-down old apartment outside the city center. The walls are damp and cockroaches and mosquitoes are their constant roommates.

[00:07:40]The blogger says that when looking for a job in Shenzhen, résumés sent out are like paper boats drifting into Shenzhen Bay, never to be heard from again.

[00:07:48]Graduates from prestigious universities find that major internet companies prefer experienced technicians who can withstand high pressure work. Once laid off after 35, they often face the difficult situation of having nowhere to turn for work.

[00:08:03]To all ride hailing drivers in Wuhan, the 15 cent canteen charity event is about to launch. Don't think that 15 cent food is low quality. We personally go to the market every morning to select fresh vegetables, cut fresh meat, and cook and serve it fresh. One meat dish, one vegetable dish, one soup, and one bowl of rice served with a bottle of water. Clean, hygienic, and generously portioned. Just as reassuring as home-cooked food, the 15 cent cafeteria is launching soon. Riders who pass by on their way to deliver orders, feel free to stop by for a hot meal before you go.

[00:08:42]On the sixth day after being laid off, I fled from Shenzhen back to my hometown in Hunan. Last month, I was still working late into the night in an office building in Shenzhen, revising plans. I never expected to receive such a heavy blow so quickly. The economic environment in Shenzhen has been really bad these past few years. Several of my friends companies have been laying off employees wave after wave. Add to that the impact of AI and many jobs are gone just like that. I was anxious when I first received the layoff news, but then I came to terms with it. After drifting in Shenzhen for several years without a house, a car or loans, I actually feel quite carefree.

[00:09:24]After being unemployed for so long, I finally gave myself a big surprise today. I came to Shenzhen from a rural area in northern Onway in 2004 to work hard. Even after being unemployed for so long, I didn't give up, but persisted in doing self media. Today, I finally received my first advertisement through self media and earned my first promotional fee. Although the money isn't much, I'm really happy and excited for a long time. I immediately went out and bought a box of groceries. I'm going to cook myself a good meal tonight to treat myself.

[00:09:59]Hello everyone. I'm Huang Don from the People's Canteen. Today, I'll introduce the dishes in our canteen to you. These are the dishes we serve for lunch today.

[00:10:08]The first 15 cent section is our light food area, perfect for ladies who are in hot weather or trying to manage their figure. Behind that is a wide variety of fruits, including over 20 kinds of stir- fried dishes. Following the success of our 10 sauce noodles to further benefit everyone, we've launched 1,000 orders of the 15 cent steamed braise noodle, all catering to a wide range of tastes.

[00:10:35]I've been unemployed in Shenzhen for two whole months. Rent is due, my savings are dwindling, and all the resumes I've sent out seem to disappear into thin air. I'm incredibly anxious. Today, I finally got an interview for software testing. The treatment is quite satisfactory. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

[00:10:51]regular weekends off, project bonuses, and a 2-hour commute. I'm already extremely content. There is still about half an hour before the interview. I'm taking a walk in the park beforehand.

[00:11:02]The flowers are in full bloom, which is incredibly soothing. It makes me feel much lighter. The salary range is 9,000 to 13,000. I talked with the interviewer for an hour and it went quite well. The HR said they give me a result within 3 days.

[00:11:23]Shenzhen's job market is hopeless.

[00:11:25]Hopeless. I just interviewed at a company. The probationary period salary is 5.5K R&B and 6K after probation. 5 years ago when I first graduated and came to Shenzhen, I earned 6K during my probationary period. I laughed. I laughed. I laughed in frustration. Even though it's 6K, I still said I'd be willing, but I don't know if they'd even hire me. I'm 30 years old and my monthly salary is $880.

[00:11:54]>> 45 cents today.

[00:11:57]45 cents. Yes, 45 cents.

[00:12:03]Hi everyone, I'm Shaolu. Today I bought 50 j of big bones to make bra pork bones for the workers. Let's see if they like it.

[00:12:13]I'll get you some bones on today. Comes today's dish sponsored by fans. They've already paid. Is that okay?

[00:12:23]>> Okay.

[00:12:25]Let's get a small one. This one. Okay.

[00:12:28]Okay. Is that okay?

[00:12:32]45 cents today.

[00:12:36]Because I haven't had much to do lately and I live near Nanu Chong. I saw a job posting for a part-time female live streamer. So, I applied. After applying, they would do some small tasks every day, like organizing materials, and they would post job openings on Shiao Hong Shu. $2.60 an hour and people applied every day. I was like, "Wow, the number of people applying on Xiaoong Shu for their posts is incredible. $2.60 an hour. It's quite impressive.

[00:13:08]I only went to four factories this year.

[00:13:10]I got interviews at three of them, but one factory rejected me because my eyesight isn't good enough. I went to more factories last year, maybe 20 or 30. At least 20 or 30. I've only earned $700 so far this year. $700 after spending it all and having fun. There's not much money left. It's already April and half a year is almost over.

[00:13:34]How much is it?

[00:13:35]>> Are you here for a medical appointment?

[00:13:38]Yes. That's 45 cents a serving.

[00:13:40]>> Only 45 cents? Yes. 45 cents. So cheap.

[00:13:45]>> Ask them if it's good. Today they only use the middle section of the fish and it's boneless.

[00:13:53]Thanks. You're welcome, miss. You're not making any money. There's also a pickled egg. Take one.

[00:14:02]There's another egg. Yeah, you are losing money. [laughter] Thanks. You're welcome.

[00:14:10]>> A middle-aged couple is both unemployed.

[00:14:12]The family of four has a mortgage in Shenzhen and two sons. How to make a living. How to make ends meet. Last year, my husband and I were suddenly laid off from the companies we worked for for over a decade, instantly losing all our income. Although the companies readily offered N plus3 severance pay in Shenzhen, a city where money seems to disappear in your sleep, the severance pay wouldn't last long. So finding new jobs became our top priority. But we're both in our 40s and having left multinational corporations after over 10 years. Finding work isn't easy. My husband is a typical IT guy, not good with words and lacking other skills.

[00:14:48]The blogger mentioned that her husband had considered starting his own business, but lacking both the necessary skills and sufficient social experience, it was clearly unrealistic. Later, he took on some small projects intermittently, earning a little income.

[00:15:01]He also delivered food in his spare time. He tried everything he could.

[00:15:05]Recently, he felt that finding a stable job was more reliable, so he started sending out rums again. Although the couple currently has no income, they've cut back on unnecessary expenses and are basically maintaining their previous standard of living. So, the pressure isn't too great. She said they didn't know what the future held, but there was no need to worry prematurely. They should work hard to earn money when they can and rest well when they can't, facing life with a calm attitude.

[00:15:32]>> Let me show you. There's a chicken leg and an egg. That's 70.

[00:15:36]>> How much for a box of rice?

[00:15:38]>> It's free. I'll get you a chicken leg, an egg, and a small meat dish.

[00:15:50]>> Is this enough, sir?

[00:15:52]>> Here. 70 cents. Sit here and eat.

[00:15:54]There's a stool. Come on, sir. Please take a seat.

[00:16:00]I've been in Shenzhen for 2 months and still haven't found a job. I've realized that once a man is over 30, he shouldn't bother looking for a job anymore. It's impossible to find one now. I only have three options. Work in a factory, deliver food, or become a ride hailing driver. I'm not interested in any of these. Having no other choice, I impulsively opened my own studio.

[00:16:26]That's all for today. If you enjoy our content, please give us a thumbs up, subscribe, leave a comment, or share it with a friend. We appreciate your support, and we'll see you next time.

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