The younger generation is more willing to go on culinary adventures than their older counterparts. (Photo : Getty Images)
In China, there are zero Chinese restaurants, but Chinese food remains the preferred cuisine among Chinese tourists, wrote Wolfgang Georg Arlt in an article for Forbes. It is a different case, however, for the younger generation.
Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as a singular take on Chinese cuisine. China is a sprawling country composed of many provinces with distinct regional flavors. As a result, Chinese food is, more accurately, composed of a diverse selection of regional cuisines, such as Shanghainese, Hunanese, Sichuanese and Cantonese.
This plays a big part on the prevailing popularity of Chinese food over more Western options.
There are thousands of KFCs, McDonald's, Pizza Huts, and Starbucks scattered all over China, as well as a huge selection of restaurants offering international flavors.
The younger generation, however, are more willing to go on culinary adventures than their older counterparts.
"Chinese travelers often prefer Chinese food when they travel. However, I don't think that applies as much to the younger generation of independent travelers," wrote an anonymous digital marketing manager based in Shanghai.
"Many of my friends and I are foodies. We travel to eat. Exploring local cuisine is a huge part of exploring a new place to us. It's something we can't experience in China and gives us an introduction and better understanding of the local culture."
This sentiment is backed up by a study by IPSOS and WTCF back in 2014. The report revealed that younger Chinese travelers prefer Western food over cuisines they are accustomed to.
It has also become a part of the dining experience of young Chinese travelers to document their overseas food experiences by posting about it on social media. This gives them a certain level of street cred, a couple of bragging rights, among fellow foodies back home.
