https://en.people.cn/n3/2026/0401/c98649-20442403.html

The 260 m2 Jingshan AI Canteen in Beijing, operated by municipal enterprise Shoukai Group features 80 seats and serves three daily meals, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing everyday dining.

Once the ingredients are ready, machines handle the rest. The chef, standing before a waist-high AI-powered cooking unit, selects a stir-fried pork dish and presses a “one-click cooking” button. The system autonomously heats the wok, adds oil, and sequentially introduces scallions, ginger, garlic, sliced pork, and chili peppers while precisely dispensing seasonings. A real-time display monitors oil temperature, heat intensity, and stirring speed with chef-like precision.

Within three minutes, 50 servings of steaming stir-fried pork are ready. The “auto-clean” function then sanitized the equipment in 10 seconds using high-pressure jets and rotating scrubbing. With just two AI cooking machines and two chefs, the canteen serves over 200 patrons during lunch rushes.

At 11:40 a.m., the peak lunch hour, the queue for food stretched nearly 15 meters but moved surprisingly quickly. Facial recognition, self-service meal pickup, and automatic payment took less than a minute, no cashier or QR code required.

A meal cost under 30 yuan ($4.34). It’s affordable, light and healthy, and the open kitchen makes it reassuring to eat here. The information includes a breakdown of the meal, including calorie count and intake of protein and vitamins, along with dietary suggestions.

(Photo from the official WeChat account of the Information Office of Beijing Municipality Government)