Gzhou College Street Allows Halal Meat and Noodles but Prohibits Rice Sales: School Authorities Claim to Avoid Competing with Cafeteria Business

At a college street in Gzhou, vendors were allowed to sell halal meat and noodles but prohibited from selling rice. Merchants who had completed renovations after being told they could not sell rice found that other vendors were able to do so without issues. School authorities claimed this was to avoid competition with the cafeteria, but the vendors and the operator argued that the school should have clearly informed them beforehand.

GGuiyang Vocational College's canteen has become the center of controversy over a food sales restriction. According to a local media report by 'Common People's Focus' on October 23, Cheng, a vendor within the campus food street, learned that he could sell braised meat but not rice after completing the renovation of his stall. The 30-meter-long food street was leased by the school to a fast-food and drink company, which then subleased to multiple vendors. Cheng had prepared for two months to open a stall selling braised meat rice on September 1, only to be informed that the area bars the sale of rice dishes to avoid competition with the school canteen.

When Cheng inquired about the ability to sell rice, many shops still operating rice dishes were not affected, indicating a differentiated enforcement. The school's后勤 manager explained that the street focuses on Western-style fine dining, light food items like noodles, and prohibiting rice sales to prevent competition with the school canteen. A few special franchises that are selling rice are permitted due to approval by school authorities. However, this classification sparks criticism of double standards, with some netizens questioning why it's considered a special franchise to sell rice while others are not.

The vendor and company are currently negotiating with the school to find a compromise, with the school offering to refund rental and deposits if the vendor chooses to leave. Meanwhile, netizens mock potential solutions like including a free rice promotion with braised meat sales. The incident highlights the complexities of managing campus dining spaces, where stringent but inconsistently enforced rules can cause frustration among vendors and customers alike.