Shanghai has become the most preferred location for restaurants and catering groups to unveil new brands and eateries as investors remain upbeat about the city's consumption scene.

Twenty-seven catering chain operators have their headquarters in Shanghai, topping every other place in the country for five consecutive years, according to a joint study by the Shanghai Commerce Commission and Shanghai Business Information Center.

The latest favorable factors include the integration of global food resources, the preference of famous chefs to set up shop in Shanghai, rich capital investment opportunities, and upbeat consumption sentiment, all of which have promoted the vigorous development of the city's catering industry.

The rebound of the catering industry signals a strong rebound of the consumption market.

In the first three quarters of the year, the retail sales of Shanghai's accommodation and catering industries reached 112.9 billion yuan (US$15.9 billion), an annual increase of 39.6 percent.

Shanghai is home to more than 13,000 foreign restaurants serving a variety of exotic flavors, again topping other cities in the country.

Stylish and chill catering experiences, new dining locations close to community neighbourhoods, and fusion cuisines have become the latest trends.

Xinjiang cuisine has been especially popular among mid- and high-end diners with new ways of cooking and innovative styles catering for young consumers.

Meanwhile, leading catering groups have taken early steps in developing sub-brands to cater for a range of dining occasions, price levels, and tastes.

In 2022, as much as 70 percent of the overall 1000-plus debut stores in Shanghai were new restaurants and eateries.