Liulang Paopao opens franchising across China: no franchise fee and subsidies of up to RMB 100,000 per outlet over two years

At its franchisee conference on 19 October 2026, Liulang Paopao announced that it was opening franchise recruitment across China. The self-service barbecue brand offered new franchisees a waiver of the franchise fee, subsidies totalling up to RMB 100,000 per outlet over two years, and permission to reuse existing fixtures and equipment and arrange their own fit-out. Combining fee relief with support for outlet investment, the announcement is a recent development worth watching in China’s franchise market.

Support targets new franchisees, with a cap on subsidies

According to a report published on the NetEase platform on 21 October, the conference’s theme was “Growing upwards, starting from the heart”. The new support package included nationwide franchise recruitment, no franchise fee, and subsidies of up to RMB 100,000 per outlet in total over two years.

The key qualifications are “up to” and “in total over two years”. RMB 100,000 is the announced subsidy ceiling, not a cash sum that every outlet receives on opening. Nor does it mean RMB 100,000 a year. Prospective franchisees should confirm the eligibility criteria, payment schedule and form of support before signing.

Total outlet count exceeds 600, with a net increase of more than 200 operating outlets since the brand revamp

The same report states that Liulang Paopao now has more than 600 outlets in total. Since its brand revamp in August 2025, the number of operating outlets has risen by more than 200 on a net basis. These figures provide some context for the scale of the brand behind the nationwide recruitment drive.

However, the total outlet count and the net increase in operating outlets are different measures. They should not simply be subtracted to estimate the number of outlets before the revamp. For prospective franchisees, scale is a useful starting point when assessing a brand, but it cannot replace an assessment of a particular city, trading area and premises. Nationwide recruitment does not mean that every location offers equally suitable conditions for opening an outlet.

Reuse and self-managed fit-outs put the focus on refurbishment requirements

Alongside the financial incentives, the brand said franchisees could reuse existing fixtures and equipment and arrange their own fit-out. These provisions go beyond the franchise fee: they concern whether existing outlet assets can remain in use and how fit-out spending can be managed. They are particularly relevant to operators considering converting existing premises.

When assessing a site, divide existing facilities into three categories: items to retain, items to modify and items to add. Then confirm with the brand what is permitted and what acceptance standards apply. Permission to reuse assets does not mean that all existing equipment can be used as it stands. Similarly, arranging your own fit-out requires advance agreement on design standards, responsibility for the works and inspection procedures. Only once these requirements are reflected in the budget can an investor judge how the policy affects their opening costs.

No franchise fee does not mean no start-up investment

The recruitment package combines a franchise fee waiver, subsidies spread over time and flexibility over fit-outs. When assessing the commercial value of the offer, prospective franchisees should account for these forms of support separately rather than treating advertised incentives as guaranteed financial gains.

Start with an opening budget that excludes subsidies and covers rent, fit-out, equipment, initial supplies and working capital. Then incorporate subsidies according to terms confirmed in writing, while also testing the impact of lower-than-expected customer traffic on cash flow.

Practical tip: before signing, obtain a complete schedule of fees and costs, the subsidy rules and the acceptance standards for reused fixtures and equipment. Assess the investment using a budget based on your actual premises; do not let “no franchise fee” substitute for a full cost assessment.