Recently, Meituan-Dianping Data Research Institute released the 2016 China Foodie Happiness Index Report, which shows that Nanjing is the best city in China for foodies, followed by Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Xiamen.

The report studied seven aspects of dining out in different cities, including public praise, dining demand, wait times and taste. According to the analysis, foodies in Nanjing enjoy a more relaxed dining environment and reasonable prices. For foodies in first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, there are more choices when dining out, but the time cost was higher than for foodies in other cities. Different regions have different strength and weaknesses. Restaurants in southeastern cities generally have good dining environments. The dishes and beverages in restaurants in central and western cities are more traditional and feature more limited choices. Nationwide, online restaurant services have greatly improved the happiness index of foodies and made consumption more equal. 

Among first-tier cities, foodies in Guangzhou spend the least on dining. Shenzhen has the highest restaurant density, and foodies there have the widest choice of cooking styles.