Core Viewpoint - The implementation of the new regulations on food safety management for chain restaurants in China aims to enhance accountability and oversight, ensuring that headquarters actively manage food safety rather than merely collecting fees from franchisees [1][2][6]. Summary by Sections Industry Trends - The chain restaurant penetration rate in China has increased to 23% in 2024, up from 15% in 2020, indicating a rapid shift towards brand and scale development in the restaurant industry [1]. New Regulations - The newly implemented regulations require chain restaurant headquarters to establish comprehensive operational procedures covering the entire food safety process, from raw material procurement to emergency response [1]. - Headquarters of chain restaurants with varying numbers of outlets (over 10,000, 1,000-9,999, and under 999) will be supervised by provincial, municipal, and county-level market regulatory authorities, respectively [1]. Responsibilities and Compliance - Headquarters must allocate a certain percentage of annual revenue to food safety management, ensuring adequate funding for personnel, inspections, and system upgrades [2]. - The regulations clarify the responsibilities of headquarters and franchisees, mandating that contracts specify food safety management obligations without transferring legal responsibilities [4]. Implementation and Oversight - Local regulatory bodies are focusing on identifying and supervising the headquarters of chain restaurants, which involves extensive preparatory work to understand the landscape of local chain enterprises [2][3]. - Various regions are adopting digital systems for food safety management, allowing for real-time monitoring and compliance with the new regulations [5]. Industry Response - Many chain restaurants are proactively enhancing their food safety measures, such as integrating kitchen surveillance with provincial monitoring platforms and increasing staff dedicated to food safety checks [4][5]. - The new regulations are expected to address long-standing issues in the industry, particularly the lack of oversight from headquarters over franchise operations [6].