Last week, the Innovative Hub team, as a Meituan-Dianping partner, had the pleasure of attending a special evening in Kuala Lumpur celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Dianping (大众点评)’s “必吃榜”, alongside the first-ever overseas edition of the “必玩榜” ceremony, held on 26 August 2026.
The event brought together Meituan-Dianping partners, businesses, and platform teams from across Southeast Asia and beyond to mark a decade of “必吃榜” and celebrate the growing influence of Meituan-Dianping’s consumer recommendations in international markets.
Celebrating a Decade of “必吃榜”
Over the past 10 years, Meituan-Dianping’s “必吃榜” has grown into one of the platform’s most recognised consumer guides, highlighting restaurants that have earned strong recognition from real users.
This year’s overseas “必吃榜” selection covers 48 cities and 489 restaurants, while the “必玩榜” features 474 entertainment venues across 33 cities in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and international markets.
What makes these lists particularly meaningful is how this recognition is earned.
Rather than simply being based on paid placements, the selections reflect real user reviews and consumer behaviour on Dianping, giving businesses recognition based on genuine customer experiences.
For businesses, making the list is therefore more than a marketing opportunity. It represents recognition from the customers who have visited, experienced, reviewed and recommended them.
Understanding How Chinese Tourists Discover Experiences
The introduction of the overseas “必玩榜” also reflects an important shift in how Chinese travellers discover destinations and decide where to spend their time.
From a three-generation Bak Kut Teh institution in Kuala Lumpur to an 80-year-old Muay Thai stadium in Bangkok, this year’s recognised businesses represent the diverse experiences Chinese travellers are looking for across Southeast Asia.
These are not simply places to visit. They are businesses that have built their reputations through consistency, authenticity and positive customer experiences — eventually earning recognition from the travellers who discover and recommend them.
For destination businesses, this highlights the growing importance of being discoverable on the platforms where Chinese travellers are already researching, exploring and making decisions.
Is Meituan-Dianping worth it for a Singapore Business?
For Innovative Hub, the event was also an opportunity to learn from businesses and destinations that are already successfully engaging Chinese travellers through Dianping.
As a Dianping Official Partner working with F&B and hospitality businesses across Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, we see growing value in helping local businesses understand how Chinese consumers discover, evaluate and choose places before and during their travels.
A strong presence on Dianping goes beyond simply having a business listing. Accurate information, updated operating hours, menus, photos, reviews and responses all play a role in how a business is presented to potential customers.
As Chinese outbound travel across Southeast Asia continues to grow, being visible on the platforms travellers already use to research, discover and make decisions can become an increasingly important part of a business’s international customer strategy.
Looking Ahead
Innovative Hub was honoured to be part of this milestone celebration in Kuala Lumpur and to see the Dianping ecosystem continue to grow across Southeast Asia and international markets.
Congratulations to all the 2026 “必吃榜” and “必玩榜” winners. Your recognition reflects the experiences, trust and connections built with real customers.
A big thank you to the Dianping team for the warm welcome and for bringing this special celebration to Kuala Lumpur.
We’re excited to bring the insights from this event back to our work with F&B and hospitality businesses across the region — and to see more Singapore businesses connect with Chinese travellers through Dianping.
Interested in growing your business on Dianping?
Get in touch → enquiry@innovativehub.com.sg