Li Junyong, affectionately known online as “Chicken Cutlet Brother,” has become the Chinese internet’s flavor of the month since late September.
The 48-year-old street vendor from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, sells 6-yuan (US$0.84) fried chicken cutlets at his stall, and wins customers’ hearts with his humor, warmth and efficiency.
On September 21, a customer posted a Douyin video showing Li skillfully juggling multiple orders with lightning speed and good cheer. The video went viral, garnering over 2.16 million likes and 55,000 comments. His sudden fame led him to be named “Cultural Tourism Promotion Ambassador” on September 28 by his hometown of Jingdezhen, which is world famous for its porcelain.
Li has been selling homemade snacks in Jingdezhen since 1996, offering everything from pork pancakes and cold noodles to kebabs and meat pies, though his fried chicken cutlets remain the most popular. Five years ago, he moved his stall near a local middle school, serving mostly students.
Li adheres to a few principles: He always gives priority to students, serves only students from 4 pm on weekdays and charges them 1 yuan (US$0.14) less than other customers. His sincerity and optimism have resonated deeply online.
In his short videos, Li often chats warmly with customers, sharing simple life wisdom such as: “It’s not about what we eat, but about being happy,” “I hope you’ll give me a chance to serve you. You can refuse me, but don’t refuse delicious food.” As one popular comment put it: “A 6-yuan chicken cutlet delivers 600 yuan (US$84) worth of emotional value.”
During the National Day holiday from October 1-8, Li’s fame drew crowds of tourists to Jingdezhen just to taste his crispy cutlets. As of October 11, he had over 990,000 followers on Douyin.
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