In recent years, the Chinese economy has been struggling, making it more difficult for people to find jobs, especially with a record-breaking 12.22 million university graduates in 2025. There have been reports of many university graduates, master’s, and even doctoral degree holders taking up “lowly” positions. A recent case that sparked discussion was the hot recruitment topic of Haidilao, a popular restaurant chain, openly hiring a group of delivery staff with 985/211 university backgrounds.
According to publicly available information, “985” refers to the so-called world-class university construction project initiated by the Chinese Communist Party, known as the 985 Project. “211” refers to the construction project of approximately 100 key higher education institutions and a number of key disciplines set by the Chinese Communist Party for the 21st century.
Mainland China’s Hubei News reported on February 11th that a recent advertisement on social media by Haidilao recruiting delivery staff with 985/211 university backgrounds has sparked discussion. Some netizens expressed surprise at the high hiring requirements of Haidilao, stating that recruiting university graduates with such prestigious backgrounds as delivery staff seemed like a waste of talent.
On February 11th, Haidilao officials responded to the media, stating that they receive resumes every year from graduates of Double First-Class and even 985/211 universities. Regardless of whether they apply for delivery positions or other roles, “there are exclusive talent development plans for all.”
The job of a delivery staff member, as mentioned by Hubei News, does not require a high level of education – as long as one is diligent and responsible. Moreover, Haidilao is not exclusively hiring from 985/211 universities but offers subsidies of 1200 RMB per month for regular undergraduate degree holders and 2000 RMB per month for 985/211 and above, with a subsidy cycle of 6 months.
Additionally, Jupai News reported that an employee who only graduated from high school and worked at Haidilao as a delivery staff member for a year mentioned the challenges of the position. They highlighted the need to be familiar with the kitchen’s meal preparation tasks, learn communication skills with customers as well as handle after-sales and complaint issues occasionally, indicating that even high-achieving individuals would require time to adjust to the role.
In recent years, working as a ride-hailing driver or a delivery staff member has been considered temporary solutions for individuals facing difficulties in finding decent employment. However, industry insiders have noted that these sectors are also facing challenges this year.
Mr. Lin from Henan Province shared his thoughts with Dajiyuan, expressing that many university graduates are struggling to secure jobs and end up doing physically demanding work like delivering food and parcels, which although relatively low-paying, are becoming increasingly competitive.
Due to the economic downturn, individuals can be seen braving the cold winds in major Chinese cities as they deliver food or drive ride-hailing vehicles. Many of them come from middle-class backgrounds who have now resorted to this work, coupled with recent university graduates unable to find suitable employment opportunities.
Official data indicates that in just the city of Hefei, the number of licensed ride-hailing drivers has exceeded 100,000, with ride-hailing vehicles showing an idle rate of over 45%. In Beijing, the number of food delivery workers in the first half of last year increased by an astonishing 49.7% compared to the same period the year before, yet the profits of the food service industry plummeted by almost 90%. Red Restaurant Network, a Chinese food industry media platform, reported that nearly 3 million restaurants closed throughout 2024, marking a historical high.