TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Popular Taiwan restaurant Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), with more than 100 branches around the world, finally opened its first location on the U.S. East Coast, with a soft opening taking place last Thursday (July 11) in New York City.
Din Tai Fung is renowned for its xiaolongbao (小籠包) and basic fare such as dumplings, fried rice, chicken soup, and noodles. The official opening of the New York outlet will take place on Thursday (July 18).
Din Tai Fung Chair Warren Yang (楊國華) told CNA he rented the location at Broadway and 50th Street in October 2021 and started interior decorations. However, due to COVID, the project was delayed for six months.
Yang said the New York location is a milestone for the company, as it covers more than 700 square meters and is the largest Din Tai Fung branch in the world. It is also conveniently located between Times Square and Central Park, with a constant flow of people.
Yang estimated the restaurant can serve between 2,000 and 3,000 customers per day. He added that ordering and service, as well as quality, will be similar to operations at its Taipei branches.
"Due to COVID, all building materials and labor costs have increased very much, basically 30% more than our budget at the time. The Asian customer base in New York is very large. In the beginning, we only accept online reservations and no on-site reservations for the time being. In about a month or two, we should be able to accept on-site customers.”
Din Tai Fung's New York restaurant employs people from many different ethnic groups in the kitchen and preparation area, creating 500 jobs. Yang said that to ensure the smooth operation of the new restaurant, 30 senior employees have flown in from California and Seattle to educate and train staff.
Furthermore, staff at the restaurant earn a monthly salary between 10 and 20% higher than at other restaurants.
"Everyone can make xiaolongbao, but it requires some training. This is something new, and it’s not like a hamburger, as it takes more time to train. Generally speaking, it will take training for four to six months before mastering the perfect xiaolongbao,” said Yang.
