
Group 1 - The core point of the news is that Haidilao is facing challenges in maintaining growth and is exploring new product offerings to adapt to changing market conditions [11] - A recent post on social media highlighted a workday self-service lunch at Haidilao priced at 22 yuan, which includes various dishes but lacks meat, leading to mixed reactions from customers [1][4][7] - Some customers have expressed that the pricing is too high, indicating potential concerns about value perception among consumers [7] Group 2 - Haidilao has started selling breakfast, boxed meals, and street food in some cities, with prices being more affordable, such as tea eggs at 1.5 yuan each and boxed meals around 15 yuan [8] - The company reported a decline in table turnover rate by approximately 3% to 4.0 times per day in January and February, despite a peak during the Spring Festival [11] - In the first quarter, Haidilao opened about 20 new stores while closing 15 underperforming ones, resulting in a net increase of only 5 stores, maintaining a total of around 1,368 locations [11] Group 3 - Rising costs are impacting Haidilao's profitability, with raw material prices increasing by about 8% year-on-year, and logistics costs also rising, which may lead to a slight decrease in gross margin from 60.5% in 2024 to 59.8% [11] - Employee costs are projected to rise by 8.2% year-on-year, accounting for 33% of total revenue, further straining the company's financials [11]