China is home to diverse regional cuisines and a growing foreign food scene, but nothing tops the hotpot ritual of placing fresh ingredients into a boiling broth, according to a new survey.

中国有着多种不同菜系，近年来异域美食热也开始日益上升，然而，根据一项最新调查，它们都不能超越火锅这种美食——将多种新鲜的食材涮到滚烫的汤里。

The survey, published by consulting firm OC&C this week, found that hotpot is China’s favorite meal.

欧晰析企业管理咨询公司本周发布的报告称，火锅是中国人气最高的餐食。

A total of 2,600 people the firm surveyed in 21 Chinese cities in February also placed domestic hotpot chain Haidilao at the top of the list of the country’s 10 favorite restaurants.

该公司2月份对中国21个城市2600个消费者的调查报告也显示，国内的火锅连锁海底捞最受国人欢迎的TOP10餐厅中排名榜首。

Others that made the top 10 included foreign fast food chains KFC and McDonald’s as well as casual dining spots Pizza Hut and TGI Friday’s.

其他进入前10的餐厅包括外国快餐连锁肯德基和麦当劳，以及休闲餐厅必胜客和星期五餐厅。

Hotpot was originally eaten to stave off the winter cold, but has become a favorite year-round food in China. Famous hotpot chains often have long lines of people waiting hours to get a table, even on scorching summer days.

吃火锅原本是为了在冬天御寒，现在却成了一种四季皆宜的非常受欢迎的食物。知名的火锅连锁店，食客经常得排队等候数小时，即便在炎炎夏日也是如此。

Data from Euromonitor International showed that seven of China’s top 15 full-service restaurant chains specialize in hotpot.

欧睿国际数据显示，中国TOP15的全方位服务连锁餐厅中，有7家都专营火锅。

Stephen Dutton, an analyst with Euromonitor International, wrote in a recent research note that hotpot restaurants have become omnipresent nationwide, serving as go-to spots for social events and adapted for regional preferences.

欧睿国际的分析师Stephen Dutton在最近的一份研究报告中写道，火锅餐厅作为一个社交活动的好去处，在国内到处都是，同时它也根据区域饮食偏好进行了改善。

Much of hotpot’s popularity, Dutton said, comes from the participatory nature of the cooking process and time available for socializing. Friends and family sit around a pot of boiling broth, dropping meat, vegetables and other ingredients in to cook and absorb the flavors. While the food cooks, diners chat and socialize.

Dutton表示，火锅的高人气，主要来源于它整个烹饪过程的参与性，以及社交活动的时效性。亲朋好友围坐在一锅沸腾的汤前，将肉、蔬菜和其他食材下进去，吸收香味，与此同时，食客们聊天，社交两不误。

OC&C added that hotpot’s success also lies in the customer service at leading chains.

欧晰析补充说，火锅的成功还源于这些领先连锁店的客户服务。

Restaurant chains such as Haidilao provide attentive service to customers, including entertainment, such as a dance performance in which waiters fling dough to make noodles.

像海底捞这样的连锁餐厅还给食客们提供贴心的服务，包括娱乐。比如，在服务员将面团制作成面条的过程中伴随的舞蹈表演。

According to Euromonitor, full service restaurants accounted for 75 percent of China’s food service sector by value. While many high-end restaurants have seen business shrink amid the government’s austerity campaign, hotpot has largely remained unscathed.

据欧睿国际数据，全方位服务的餐厅占中国餐饮市场75%的份额。受政府推行节俭之风的影响，许多高档餐厅业务缩水，火锅却一直毫发无损。