‘It’s tough, but good luck’: Chinese eatery refunds US$2 meal payment to job-seeking pair
Many share tips on navigating life in Shenzhen in response to the story, some visit eatery to try same dishes known as the ‘tough meal’
A street snack eatery in Shenzhen refunded 13 yuan (US$2) to uplift two young university graduates new to the city, and the gesture moved many people online.
The two young women, Liu and Song, hailing from Hunan and Jiangxi provinces respectively, travelled to Guangdong in southern China for better job opportunities on August 15.
On August 16, they visited a branch of Shaxian Delicacies, a well-known street snack chain in Longgang District, where they ordered food totalling 13 yuan and discussed their job search plans.
Liu ordered a drink, prompting Song to joke about it being a luxury. They paid via an app, and later that day, Liu was surprised to receive a refund.
Accompanying the refund was a message: “Welcome to Shenzhen. It’s tough, but good luck.”
Recognising this as a thoughtful gesture from the restaurant, Liu shared a screenshot online, expressing how touched they were. Her post garnered 850,000 likes and 13,000 comments.
Shaxian Delicacies boasts around 100,000 authorised branches nationwide. Local media revealed that Huang Huailin and Pan Yushuan opened this specific branch under a franchise just five months ago.
