For over ten years, the Chinese food delivery landscape has been defined by an intense and costly battle between two giants: Meituan and Ele.me. This(decade-long fierce rivalry) has reshaped consumer habits, revolutionized a traditional industry, and created one of the most gripping business stories of the internet era.
The conflict's origins trace back to distinct starting points. 饿了么 (Ele.me) was the pioneer, born in a Shanghai dorm room in 2008. It started as a simple solution to a common student problem: convenient food delivery. Meanwhile, 美团 (Meituan) entered the scene in 2013 with a different background. Having survived the brutal 千团大战 (the war of a thousand group-buying sites), Meituan was a disciplined and aggressive competitor, adept at ground-level sales and operational efficiency. Its entry marked the beginning of a nationwide clash.
The most memorable and wallet-draining chapter was undoubtedly the 补贴大战 (subsidy war). To capture market share and user loyalty, both platforms poured billions of dollars into aggressive promotions. For consumers, this meant heavily discounted meals and free delivery. For 骑手 (delivery riders), it translated into lucrative incentives. This period of fierce competition was essentially a battle of attrition, funded by deep-pocketed investors. While financially draining, it successfully educated the market and embedded food delivery into the fabric of urban Chinese life, eliminating countless smaller players in the process.
As the war evolved, so did the strategies. The competition shifted from pure subsidies to a more complex battle of 生态系统 (ecosystems). Meituan leveraged its strength as a 超级应用 (super-app), bundling food delivery with other services like hotel bookings, ticketing, and shared mobility. This created a powerful, self-reinforcing network where services cross-promoted each other. Ele.me, after being acquired by Alibaba, integrated deeply into its parent's 新零售 (new retail) vision. Its focus expanded beyond restaurant food to include instant delivery of groceries and fresh produce from partners like Hema, appealing to users seeking a broader solution for their daily needs.
Technology became the new frontline. Both companies invested heavily in 人工智能调度 (AI-powered dispatch systems) to optimize delivery routes, reduce costs, and improve efficiency for their millions of 骑手. The rise of 虚拟厨房 (virtual kitchens), which operate solely for delivery, was also accelerated by this war, allowing both platforms to offer a wider variety of food without the overhead of physical dining spaces.
A decade on, the landscape is a duopoly. The 外卖大战 (food delivery war) has fundamentally transformed commerce, creating a massive gig economy for riders and forcing the entire restaurant industry to adapt to the digital age. While the fierce subsidy battles have cooled, the competition continues through service quality, technological innovation, and deeper ecosystem integration. This prolonged conflict has not produced a single victor; instead, it has forged two highly sophisticated and resilient giants, whose rivalry continues to drive the entire industry forward.
