Amid the wave of digitalization, 24-hour self-service tea rooms shine warmly, unattended study rooms are packed, and beef noodle shops on street corners are steaming hot—from the Chengguan business district to Jiuzhou residential areas, from Qilihe office buildings to Yuzhong townships, the "unmanned economy" and round-the-clock service have penetrated the urban fabric like capillaries. In recent days, reporters have visited multiple 24-hour self-service outlets in Lanzhou, engaging in dialogues between operators and consumers, in an attempt to restore a real, passionate, and heartfelt "Sleepless Golden City."
From "making do" to "being meticulous":
A micro-convenience revolution in the community
For many, night means rest, but for students' parents, night is often a battle over "homework."
Mr. Yu, who lives in the Jiuzhou Development Zone, once worried late into the night over a test paper. High school students return from self-study at nearly 10 a.m., and the homework sent by teachers in the group chat is nowhere to be printed. "If we don't have a printer at home, the print shop will close early." Until the self-service printer at the community entrance became a "savior"—scanning, uploading, and paying cost 0.6 yuan per page, 0.4 yuan cheaper than physical stores.
Reporters found that these self-service printing points have become widely established, mostly operated in cooperation with convenience stores and small shops. Mr. Zhang, the operations manager, revealed that over a thousand units have been deployed in urban areas. Mr. Liu of "Hongjinjia Convenience Store" did the math: in the past, it closed at 11 p.m., and even if you stayed there, there was no business; Now, with third-party custody and 24-hour unattended service, "you can check the backend in the morning and earn four or five hundred in one night," making it worry-free and increasing income.
Bihejia convenience store at Qilihe Zhongtianjian Plaza is similar, with automatic door-to-door reception and real-time remote customer service guidance. Occasionally, some are careless and pay less, but owner Zhuang Rui doesn't mind: "You have to trust the consumer. What we earn isn't the hard-earned money from the store, but from convenience service fees." ”
The transformation of car wash technicians:
"Car cleaner" upgraded to "Equipment Manager."
If printing and shopping solve "immediate urgency," then for most car owners, 24-hour self-service car wash solves "exhaustion."
"This set of equipment is considered high-end in Lanzhou." Near Dongfanghong Square, Qin Wei, the manager of "Xixi Fully Automatic Car Wash," was touching his massive fully automatic car wash robotic arm, his gaze fixed on a beast obedient. He has been involved in smart car washing for several years, facing doubts and pitfalls, but now he has found the trick.
Without the labor costs of manual cleaning and reception, he spent the money he saved on equipment and car wash liquid. Exterior cleaning takes only 6 minutes, and the interior can be thoroughly cleaned for just 15 yuan. Even engine bay cleaning and waxing and polishing are clearly priced, making the prices so affordable they're jaw-dropping.
At a self-service car wash plaza near the convention center, the reporter saw another approach—DIY work. Taxi driver Zhao is a regular here. "Traditional stores have long lines, and we night shift drivers simply don't have time. The hall is open 24 hours a day, with washing available on demand. "Master Zhao skillfully scans the code and picks up the high-pressure water gun; the 9 yuan purchase amount makes it easy for him."
Say goodbye to "Welcome."
Returning freedom to consumers
24-hour self-service formats are flourishing everywhere in Lanzhou, and the most surprising aspect is the creation of a "third space"—shared tea rooms and shared study rooms.
In Building 9 of Zhongtianjian Plaza in Qilihe District, although the 6 Tea Shared Tea Room is hidden within an office building, it maintains a stable customer base. Opening the door that required a password felt like entering another world. There was no constant "welcome" in the lobby, only a few private rooms of various styles, so quiet you could hear the sound of water boiling.
"We opened in 2019 and were among the first 24-hour shared tea rooms in Lanzhou. At first, many people said it was unrealistic—who would come for tea in the middle of the night? Yu Yang, the person in charge of the shared tea room, smiled and pointed to the late-night orders in the system backend, "On the contrary, many business professionals are busy during the day and need a quiet place to discuss matters at night; There are also some young people who want to find a place to party at night but don't want to go to bars. Starting at 38 yuan per hour, with shared small meeting rooms available, making it the best choice for business, office, and leisure. ”
Yu Yang did the math for the reporter: street-facing shops have high rent, and since they're office buildings, costs have dropped; No need to hire waiters to keep watch overnight, and labor costs have dropped again. "We implement a 'one customer, one cleaner' system; when a customer leaves, the system sends a message to the cleaner. We used the money we saved on good tea and good water, using tea brewed from the source of the Yellow River. This 'no staff' is not 'no service,' but rather the service hidden within the system, returning freedom to consumers.
The "24-Hour Study Room No. 1" in Building 3, Zhongtianjian Plaza, Qilihe District, is warmly and elegantly decorated, with an elegant and clean environment. It offers free snacks and snacks, and borrowable items include staplers, gel pens, seat cushions, blankets, etc. Kindly reminds users to return them promptly after use. In the self-service study room, the reporter saw that after students scanned a code to enter, they chose seats to read and study in peace. The environment was very quiet, with no noise. Ms. Ma, the person in charge, told reporters: "We've only been in business for a little over three months, and this self-service learning model is especially good. The price is very affordable, only a few yuan per hour, and there are also monthly and annual passes, which are even more affordable." The study room is almost fully booked every day. ”
Though the post station is small,
it is actually a "refueling station" for rural revitalization
This "non-stop" transformation has not stopped at the core urban areas. With the flow of logistics and people, it extends to the countryside and transportation hubs.
In Qingcheng Town, Yuzhong County, a newly upgraded smart express delivery station has completely transformed the lives of villagers. In the past, villagers picked up packages like going to war, rushing to pick up piles of goods like small mountains before the post office closed off. Now, the smart parcel lockers here are on standby 24 hours a day.
Mr. Zhang, the person in charge of the station, explained that the station implements an integrated model of "smart devices + manual attendance." Intelligence solves efficiency issues, while manual labor addresses the "digital divide." For elderly residents in the village who are not skilled with smartphones, staff proactively check and collect the phone on their behalf.
What's even more heartwarming is that this small station prioritizes employment for people with disabilities in the area. The person in charge said. Though small, the station is a "refueling station" for rural revitalization, allowing industrial products to reach rural areas faster and making it easier for agricultural products to leave villages.
The Way of Management:
Not over price, but on practicality
During the interview, the reporter noticed an interesting phenomenon: operators of these 24-hour businesses are exceptionally grounded. They don't make empty promises, but honestly show us ledgers and discuss ideas.
Liu Yan, owner of Hongjinjia convenience store in Chengguan District, deeply understands this. "We outsource the night monitoring to a third party. Although we have to pay a monthly service fee, the money is well spent. In case of disputes or underpayments, third-party backing ensures peace of mind. In business, you can't just hold everything in your hands; you need to learn to delegate professional matters to professionals. ”
Qin Wei, the head of a fully automated car wash, got straight to the point: "Many people ask me why it's so cheap." Because I added the gatekeeper's salary and the salesperson's commission I saved all into that layer of wax. Consumers aren't stupid; once the car is cleaned, it's naturally a living advertisement. What people want is practicality, not empty service. ”
Ms. Zeng, the self-service dance studio manager, is cleaning a classroom that has just closed its reservation. "Lanzhou Doll is straightforward by nature and doesn't like being followed and sold around. This self-service model suits the temperament of Lanzhou people. Although we don't interact face-to-face with customers, through backend data and evaluation systems, we can better understand what they want. This sense of distance actually brings us closer. ”
Late at night, at Jin Qiang's 24-hour beef noodle shop at Wuquanxia Plaza, Master Ma was making noodles. "Night shift taxi drivers, designated drivers, emergency room doctors—they are all the night watchmen of this city." Master Ma threw the noodles into the pot with force. "We open the door not just to make money, but also to give these people who are still busy late at night a bowl of steaming hot beef to fill their stomachs." Even if only 100 bowls are sold in one night, the lights still have to stay. ”
Reporter's note
Lanzhou under the lights is not just about beef noodles
From self-service printing on Jiuzhou Avenue to smart car washes by the Yellow River; From the quiet tea rooms in office buildings, to 24-hour self-service study rooms, and then to parcel lockers at rural stations...... the phrase "Open Doors" has evolved beyond mere commercial space in Lanzhou into a city spirit.
For operators, this is a game of "efficiency" versus "trust"—removing expensive rent and redundant manpower, and winning hearts with exceptional cost-effectiveness and service quality. For consumers, this is a celebration of "freedom" and "dignity"—convenience anytime, anywhere, undisturbed spaces, and the security of being "backed by machines."
When the city fades from the daytime noise in the city at night, the shops with lights on, machines running, and the food delivery workers and noodle chefs still on the move together form another captivating scene in Lanzhou.
This is not only a gentle transformation from an industrial city to a service-oriented city, but also the rebirth of the "authenticity" deeply rooted in the Yellow River people in the new business era. Lanzhou, with its unique rhythm, is telling a brand-new story about "never closing." (Reporter Sun Jianrong, text/photos)