Meituan is a Chinese e-commerce group specializing in everyday services. Based in Beijing and accessible notably through meituan.com and its mobile apps, the company connects consumers, merchants and delivery riders. Its scope extends beyond selling products online: it also facilitates access to restaurants, accommodation and various local services, with delivery as a major entry point.
From group buying to a services platform
Meituan was founded in 2010 by Wang Xing and his co-founders, in a Chinese market then marked by the rise of group-buying websites. The service initially offered promotional deals from local businesses. It subsequently expanded its scope, notably into food delivery, which became one of the drivers of its growth.
In 2015, the merger with Dianping, a platform known for its reviews and recommendations of local establishments, brought together two complementary approaches: transactions and business discovery. The group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018. That same year, the acquisition of Mobike added bike sharing to its portfolio, illustrating its ambition to create more points of contact with urban users.
Connecting search, ordering and delivery
Food delivery is a core business for Meituan. The platform allows users to browse menus, place orders and track deliveries. For restaurant operators, it provides a sales channel and management tools, but also entails commissions and, depending on the services selected, spending on visibility or logistics.
Meituan also operates in hotel bookings, leisure deals and purchases from local businesses. Its expansion into instant commerce extends rapid delivery to categories such as groceries, everyday items and pharmacy products. The aim is to use locally available stock rather than relying solely on distant warehouses.
This model combines transaction revenue, delivery services and advertising aimed at merchants. It relies on systems for recommendations, demand forecasting and delivery assignment. Order density in a given area plays a major role in the model’s economic viability.
What next?
Meituan must balance the expansion of its services with cost control in a competitive environment that includes Alibaba, JD.com and Douyin. Delivery riders’ working conditions, consumer protection and commercial relationships with restaurants also represent significant regulatory and operational challenges.
Internationally, the Keeta brand, launched in Hong Kong in 2023 and then in Saudi Arabia in 2024, opens up another avenue for growth. The ability to adapt logistics and offerings to local habits will be decisive. In China and abroad alike, the challenge remains to turn frequent use into sustainable profitability without relying excessively on promotions.