Meituan Waimai, Meituan's food delivery division, has announced the provision of a free artificial intelligence-based manager for restaurant business locations across China. This was reported by Xue Bin, General Manager of Meituan Waimai, during the Meituan Food Delivery Industry Conference in 2026, where the company introduced the delivery version of its assistant, Miaoshou AI.
Meituan positions this product as an AI-powered tool specifically designed for managing restaurants operating through delivery. It covers four key functions: analyzing the current performance of the establishment, conducting regular checks, managing the dish assortment, and assisting new locations at the start of their operations. Instead of simply generating reports, this assistant integrates Meituan platform data with the seller's own data, suggesting specific actions, helping implement them, and tracking the resulting outcomes.
Meituan stated that thousands of small and medium-sized sellers have already used this tool in their daily operations prior to the nationwide launch, and it is being utilized by over 200 chain brands. As an example, a small chicken hot pot shop in Yuanxi County, Hebei Province, used the tool to diagnose its business, subsequently adjusted its menu and promotions, which led to an increase in weekly orders of over 30% compared to the previous week. Furthermore, Meituan noted that new locations of one of its partners showed better results in the first month of operation. It should be noted that these figures are internal data from Meituan based on selected test sellers and have not undergone independent verification.
Xue presented this AI tool as part of the so-called 'delivery efficiency triangle,' which includes innovations in products and new store formats. Regarding formats, Meituan promotes the concept of 'Super Kitchens'—larger kitchens focused on delivery—and provides support in selecting locations, products, kitchen layout, and workflows. The production planning system connects ingredient preparation, cooking, and order sorting. In one partner location, Meituan reported that order preparation time was reduced from approximately 18 minutes to 8 minutes.
Xue expressed hope that artificial intelligence can bring professional skills into the delivery sector for every location, providing each establishment with more detailed support tailored to its needs. This step places the assistant agent before a very large base of small restaurant owners, many of whom cannot afford full-time operational staff. The real test will be how well the system performs across diverse cuisines, menus, and districts after moving beyond the early testing group.