The well-known Chinese restaurant chain, Tai Er Suan Cai Yu (Thai Er Pickled Fish), famous for its slogan "Pickled cabbage is better than the fish," has recently undergone another round of store adjustments in the Jinan market. A location on the 4th floor of Jinan Mixc was officially closed on July 25. A reporter's on-site visit revealed that the original spot is now blocked by construction walls and undergoing renovation, set to be replaced by the first Shandong store of the "Ning Jia Shi Zhi" brand.
It is understood that this Tai Er Suan Cai Yu outlet had been operating at Jinan Mixc since the mall's opening. Its departure has left many loyal customers feeling regretful. A call to the store manager revealed that the closure was due to the lease expiration. The chain stated that the location will be renovated and may reopen at a later date, but no specific timeline has been confirmed. In Jinan, the chain's footprint has shrunk significantly, with previous closures at the Gaoxin Wanda Plaza and Huashan Huanyu City stores. Currently, only two Tai Er Suan Cai Yu locations remain operational in Jinan, one at the Plaza 66 and another at the Lingxiucheng store.
The closures in Jinan are just a microcosm of the brand's nationwide contraction. Over the past year, the company has undergone a massive store adjustment. According to financial reports from its parent company, Jiumaojiu Group, the number of self-operated Tai Er restaurants decreased from 623 at the end of 2024 to 477 in 2025, a closure rate of over 23%. In 2025, the group closed 189 stores in total while opening only 26, resulting in a net decrease of 163 stores. In 2026, the closures continued, with total store numbers dropping by a net 24 by the end of March compared to the end of 2025.
Financial performance and operational challenges
Accompanying the store shrinkage, Tai Er's financial performance has also suffered. In 2025, the brand's annual revenue fell by 15.7% year-on-year to 3.720 billion yuan. In the first half of 2025, revenue was 1.948 billion yuan, a 13.3% decrease from the same period last year. The table turnover rate, which peaked at 4.9 times per day, has dropped to 3.5 times per day in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, customer complaints have surfaced. According to data from the 12315 Consumer Complaint Information Disclosure Platform, Tai Er Suan Cai Yu has been involved in several food safety-related complaints since 2026. The Black Cat Complaint platform also shows reports from consumers who found foreign objects in their food while dining at the chain.
Brand transformation and market response
Facing growth difficulties, Tai Er has opted for a "rebranding" strategy to save itself. Starting from late 2025, the chain began removing the "Tai Er Suan Cai Yu" signage from multiple stores in cities like Guangzhou and Foshan, replacing it with "New Tai Er·Fresh Ingredients Sichuan Cuisine." The brand's slogan has shifted from "Pickled cabbage is better than the fish" to "Using fresh ingredients to make fresh Sichuan cuisine." The menu has been significantly expanded, adding over 20 new dishes centered around five main categories: "live fish, live shrimp, fresh beef, fresh chicken, and fresh pork." By the end of March 2026, Tai Er had implemented the new "fresh" model in 273 stores. The chain states that all adjustments are aimed at improving ingredient freshness and menu diversity.
However, consumer feedback on the new model stores remains mixed. Some customers report that the new Tai Er outlets have slower service compared to before, with certain classic dishes removed and changes in flavor. A check of the Black Cat Complaint platform shows that since May 2026, complaints about Tai Er and its new model stores frequently cite slow service and menu item removals. According to the Jiumaojiu Group's plan, all Tai Er stores in mainland China will be converted to the "fresh" model by 2026, but the Jinan Mixc store closed before the conversion was completed.
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