On April 15, a long queue formed outside a new noodle restaurant in Shanghai. The establishment, opened by actor Wen Zhang, has been experiencing overwhelming demand, with seats becoming extremely scarce due to his celebrity status.
Around 11 a.m. at the Shaanxi-style noodle shop named "No. 8 Courtyard" located in Shanghai's Qingpu District, the venue was fully occupied. The waiting line of customers extended around the entire storefront. Numerous live streamers were broadcasting from the scene using their mobile phones. The ordering system indicated that several items, including noodles, roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), and certain barbecue dishes, were already sold out.
One customer reported traveling from Jiashan, Zhejiang Province, stating, "I started queuing at 7 a.m., and by noon I still hadn't entered the restaurant—I waited for five hours."
According to the menu, a roujiamo with a mix of lean and fatty pork is priced at 18 yuan, freshly steamed Qinzhen rice noodles cost 18 yuan per serving, and the signature oil-splashed biangbiang noodles are 32 yuan. Most cold dishes and snacks are priced between 18 and 30 yuan. Customers who had finished their meals commented that the prices were reasonable and affordable, but noted that the service speed was slow and table turnover was not fast.
The shop's popularity has led to the emergence of a scalping service for queue positions. On-site, scalpers were seen selling queue spots for 200 to 300 yuan per number. On the second-hand trading platform Xianyu, prices for queue-holding services ranged from 60 to 500 yuan. Several scalpers contacted online offered immediate entry for 300 yuan per person at noon that day, and 200 yuan per person for evening entry. When asked how they obtained queue numbers, one scalper explained that they hire people to wait in line and have customers join the queue just before their turn, enabling them to enter and dine.
In response to the scalping issue, the manager of "No. 8 Courtyard" stated that the restaurant has employed all available measures to combat the practice. The manager expressed surprise at the level of popularity since the opening, revealing that professional noodle chefs are being urgently brought in from Shaanxi Province to provide support. The restaurant has also adopted a basic strategy by combining on-site queuing with irregular number distribution to confuse scalpers.
The manager explained that when issuing queue numbers, the restaurant requires all diners' mobile phone numbers to be written on the ticket. Staff then randomly verify whether the numbers are active; if a number cannot be reached, the entire party is denied entry on the assumption that they are scalpers. This measure aims to ensure a fair dining experience for all customers. Addressing the slow table turnover, the manager assured that additional staff would be hired soon, and online queueing services are expected to be launched promptly. "Wen Zhang has asked me to apologize to consumers on his behalf. He is very grateful for everyone's support and urges customers not to purchase scalped queue numbers, as the restaurant will continue to improve its operations," the manager added.
Furthermore, the manager mentioned that Wen Zhang is unlikely to make an appearance at the restaurant in the coming month. "If he comes, customers won't want to leave, and we won't be able to turnover tables," the manager said, describing potential visits as random occurrences that depend on fate.
Public records show that "No. 8 Courtyard" began its trial operation on April 9. The restaurant is affiliated with Shanghai Wenjiage Catering Co., Ltd., which was established in November 2025 with a registered capital of 500,000 yuan. The legal representative is Zhou Rui, and the company's business scope is catering services. According to a equity structure analysis, the company is wholly owned by Shanghai Piganhou Catering Management Co., Ltd., in which Wen Zhang holds a 59% stake.