Din Tai Fung franchisee Beijing Hengtai Feng Catering will close 14 out of 30 of its stores in Mainland China by October. 

Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese restaurant chain specialising in Chinese cuisine, and particularly known for its Xiaolongbao, or dumplings.

The decision, shared by the company via WeChat, comes as a result of expiring business licenses and the board’s failure to reach a consensus on the renewal. 

Beijing Heng Tai Feng Catering clarified that its operation and management of branches in other cities in China, including Shanghai and Nanjing, will not be affected. 

“We remain optimistic about the Chinese market and will continue to observe developments and trends in the restaurant industry,” it added. 

Established in 2004, Beijing Hangteifeng Catering operates Din Tai Fung restaurants in northern China and Xiamen. 

Meanwhile, Din Tai Fung works with a different entity to run its other restaurants in eastern China.

Din Tai Fung China currently operates 37 stores in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Xi’an, Wuxi, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and Macau.