Recently, the renowned international culinary giant Din Tai Fung has caused a stir by reportedly planning to completely remove its long-standing best-selling signature dish “Shanghai Rice Cakes” from the menu. This news has sparked panic among food enthusiasts across the United States, with some New York diners even launching a petition with thousands of signatures. However, this storm took a dramatic turn on Sunday (June 7) when Din Tai Fung officially stepped in to dispel the rumors, pledging not to stop selling the stir-fried rice cakes.
The controversy began with a report from the New York Post, where employees at the Din Tai Fung branch in Midtown Manhattan revealed to the media that due to inventory shortages at all stores across the U.S., this beloved Shanghai stir-fried rice cakes would gradually “fade into history” by the end of the year, with New Yorkers having until the end of June as their final tasting deadline.
Upon hearing this news, social media platforms in California and New York exploded with reactions, with Reddit users expressing widespread sorrow, and loyal customers initiating a petition on Change.org.
Facing the nationwide “rice cake panic,” a spokesperson for Din Tai Fung broke the silence today and issued an official clarification statement.
The company stated that there was never a plan to permanently remove Shanghai rice cakes from the menu in all U.S. stores. The widespread “rice cake shortage” this time was purely due to a severe delay in customs clearance for the specialty rice cake flour imported from the headquarters in Taiwan earlier this year, at a California port.
As the inventory of raw materials at the Midtown Manhattan store in New York and several California branches gradually depleted, frontline staff, unaware of the logistics from headquarters, mistakenly conveyed the incorrect message of “imminent permanent discontinuation” to the media and customers.
The restaurant’s PR representative emphasized that a new batch of Taiwanese raw materials has already arrived at the port and is undergoing expedited customs clearance. Once the ingredients are in place, this plate of tender, savory Shanghai rice cakes’ soul is expected to make a full comeback at all U.S. stores by mid-next month (mid-July).
Upon learning that this was not an “ultimate end” but a “temporary shortage,” loyal customers who initiated the online petition and numerous rice cake fans finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although during the period leading up to early July, the Din Tai Fung in Midtown Manhattan may still face a brief period of embarrassment where “no rice cakes are available,” the company’s assurance undoubtedly served as a reassurance for all connoisseurs. This misunderstanding caused by shipping delays ultimately ended as a “false alarm for food enthusiasts.”