Residents have meals at Qingshuiwan community canteen in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zou Xinyuan)

YINCHUAN, Sept. 6, 2024 -- For the modest sum of just over 3 yuan (about 40 U.S. cents), 74-year-old He Ying enjoys a nourishing breakfast at Qingshuiwan community canteen in Jinfeng District, Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

His meal typically consists of a steamed roll, an egg and a bowl of porridge. "Following the passing of my spouse, preparing a meal with proper amount became a challenge, and dining out didn't suit my palate," He explained. Now, he enjoys a daily stroll to the community canteen, where he appreciates the diverse offerings and its cleanliness.

In Qingshuiwan community, the elderly make up 25 percent of the over 14,000 residents, with more than 100 living alone or with disabilities. Wu Haiming, the Party secretary of the community, said that a dining facility was established in 2018 to serve lunch exclusively to the elderly, but it closed due to limited patronage and menu variety.

To enhance the quality of services for seniors, China has seen a surge in community canteens in recent years. Chen Weilong, deputy director of Yinchuan municipal civil affairs bureau, said that Yinchuan now has more than 200 community canteens that mainly serve the elderly and continues to invest in their improvement.

Last year, Qingshuiwan community sought financial support from the local government and partnered with a catering company to transform the original 60-square-meter dinning facility into a 260-square-meter community canteen, which is now open to all, regardless of age.

"The community provides us with a rent-free venue, and discounted utilities, so we are committed to offering the best possible service," said Zhao Jiangyu, the manager of the Qingshuiwan community canteen.

In August 2023, the canteen officially opened, initially offering only lunch. However, as the number of diners there grew and its reputation improved, breakfast and dinner were added, and the menu was expanded to include a wider variety of dishes, all based on customer feedback.

Now, as lunchtime approaches, the Qingshuiwan community canteen is bustling with diners. In addition to six regular dishes, there are also specialty items like stewed mutton and a range of staple food including rice, steamed rolls and noodles.

The canteen extends special discounts to the elderly, the disabled and those low-income households. Other residents can receive corresponding discounts by applying for a meal card. For those unable to dine in, delivery services are available.

The "all-age friendly" approach has made community canteens popular with the younger generation, such as students and office workers.

A local resident surnamed Wu and her husband often bring their two children to the canteen for lunch. "Our children's primary school is just across the street, so they have more time for lunch breaks if they eat here. Most importantly, the dishes are diverse and nutritious," Wu explained.

Today, community canteens are not only a convenient and affordable option for the elderly, but they are a social space, as the staff welcome them with a familial warmth.

"By revitalizing under-utilized resources, we aim to ensure the low-cost and sustainable operation of community canteens," said Song Yadong, an official with Ningxia's civil affairs department. "Ningxia is exploring various financing mechanisms and preferential policies to make it more convenient for the elderly to dine."