Jingdezhen's 'Chicken Cutlet Brother' rocks social media with humor, sincerity and emotional value

Netizens are hailing a chicken cutlet vendor in Jingdezhen, east China's Jiangxi Province, for delivering "a 6-yuan cutlet with 60-yuan emotional value," as his talk show–style sales pitches transform a modest food stall into a viral sensation.

His stall, which operates at fixed times and offers stable prices – 5 yuan (US$0.7) for students and 6 yuan for others – has built a loyal customer base. Many students and local customers have become regulars, lining up at the stall every day to make their purchases.

The man behind the moniker is Li Junyong, a 48-year-old native of Nanchang, Jiangxi. Having lived in Jingdezhen, the famed porcelain city, for 42 years, Li has been selling chicken cutlets and chicken strips near a local middle school for several years.

His unique sales pitches have been widely shared online, such as "The chicken cutlet is free, but the plastic bag costs 6 yuan. If your bag blows away, I won't admit I took your money," "You can reject me, but please don't reject the delicious food," "You can treat yourself poorly, but not your stomach," and "I hope you give me a chance to serve you."

With his enthusiastic service and distinctive business methods, "Chicken Cutlet Brother" has amassed a huge following on social media platforms. Netizens jokingly claim that his 6-yuan chicken cutlets offer the emotional value of a 60-yuan experience.

Many netizens have started quoting "Chicken Cutlet Brother's" famous lines to describe their daily work routines, combining his passionate phrases with the intense moments of high-pressure work. This expression has struck a chord with online users, generating strong resonance.

Also, numerous memes featuring his quotes and scenes of him meticulously serving each customer have been created to poke fun at the fast-paced and demanding nature of work and study life.

Recently, Li opened an account on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and within just a few days, he had garnered over 360,000 followers, with his eight published works receiving a total of 1.81 million likes.

"My dream is for customers to have a pleasant consumption experience," Li said in an interview with Jimu News. He emphasized that regardless of his popularity, he remains consistent in his approach. Despite only sleeping three to four hours a day for several consecutive days, Li remains enthusiastic about his work. "I love my career. I'm tired, but I'm still happy," he said. "I can't let them (the queuing customers) down."

Previously, officials revealed that the local urban management department has established a working group of two to four people to maintain order at the stall and guide customers during their purchases. The number of staff in this dedicated team may increase during the National Day holiday, which runs from October 1 to 8, including the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.