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All-day gatherings that cost around 100 yuan (about 20,000 won) are gaining popularity among older adults in China. The packages bundle meals, singing, card games and even commemorative photo sessions into a single product, tapping demand from retirees who want to spend time with friends, former colleagues and neighbors. They are drawing attention as a new form of senior consumption.
Chinese outlets including China.com reported on the 29th that "100-yuan all-day gatherings" are spreading across the country, offering two meals and a range of entertainment for roughly 100 yuan per person. Such products have appeared in Shanghai and other areas, establishing themselves as a new leisure culture for older adults.
The defining feature is the bundling of dining and leisure into one package. Participants eat together with friends, former co-workers or neighbors, then sing or play card and board games. Some operators set aside space for commemorative photographs.
The price is not a heavy burden. According to local reports, some packages provide both lunch and dinner for about 100 yuan, with karaoke, games and other activities between the two meals.
For consumers, another advantage is not having to hunt down and book restaurants and entertainment venues one by one. They can spend the day on a set schedule without deciding what to eat or where to go.
Operators also find the format useful, because it puts restaurants and entertainment venues to work during slow hours such as weekday afternoons. Bundling multiple services into a single package cuts costs and helps offset off-season revenue, according to the operators.
"I Want to Meet People and Have Fun" — Changing Consumption Among China's Seniors
Analysts say these products emerged on the back of demand among older Chinese for leisure and social interaction.
The number of older adults who want to stay active after retirement is rising, but there have been relatively few affordable consumer products that let them meet friends and pass the time. All-day gatherings matched that demand by handling meals, entertainment and social contact all at once.
Services are also growing more varied. Rather than stopping at a shared meal, operators combine singing, games and photo sessions. In some regions, the offerings are expanding beyond dining and entertainment into "one-day trips" that add sightseeing, and even multi-day travel packages.
Still, some point out that as the market grows, products may look increasingly alike and price competition could intensify. Keeping prices low also risks eroding the quality of food and service.
Local media and experts say operators should disclose prices transparently and provide careful service tailored to older customers, rather than simply leading with low prices. Some analysts add that the silver economy will grow only when products emerge that combine culture, entertainment, health and medical services with dining and leisure.
Korea Enters Super-Aged Society as Senior Leisure Spending Grows
China's shift is worth noting in Korea as well. South Korea has already become a super-aged society, with people aged 65 and over accounting for more than 20% of the population.
According to the "2025 Statistics on the Elderly" released by Statistics Korea, people aged 65 and over made up 20.3% of the population as of 2025. With older adults forming a substantial share of the population, the consumer market targeting them is bound to expand.
The way older adults spend their time is also changing. Statistics Korea data show that 24.8% of those aged 65 to 79 took part in lifelong education in 2024, while the internet usage rate among people aged 65 and over reached 76.9%. Their use of instant messengers stood at 92.6%.
In Korea, education, hobby, leisure, health and social participation programs are run through senior welfare centers, community senior centers and senior classrooms. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of December 2024 there were 435 senior welfare centers, 69,287 community senior centers and 1,204 senior classrooms nationwide.
