Legendary Tube Station Pizza Founder on Serving Beijing's Biggest Pizza, and His Expanding Kingdom 

Ahead of the 2018 Beijing Pizza Festival, on Oct 13-14, 11am-8pm, we take a look at the giants, the classics and the movers and shakers of the pizza scene right here in the capital. 

The pizza game in Beijing is a game of thrones: the pioneers are battling for the crown while the newcomers try to survive to see off their rivals. But just as in a certain TV show, no one is ever truly safe. So we were intrigued to meet one of the kings of the scene, Yuan Jie (pictured above), founder of Tube Station, the hugely popular and successful pizza chain perhaps best known for its giant, 32-inch pizza, designed to feed (and beguile) at least 10 people. Having built an empire from scratch, the somewhat elusive Beijinger Yuan kindly agreed to speak to us about what it takes to have the biggest pizza in the capital.

That journey began in 1996 when Yuan opened a bar in Wudaokou with two friends from Japan and Bulgaria. He then launched Tube Station in 1999 near Beijing Normal University, serving sandwiches and pizza, “because there wasn’t much food choice for the expats and foreign students,” he tells us. “Since I’ve been to New York many times, I decided to serve real pizza.” The reason for the name Tube Station? “I wanted it to be a place for close friends and loved ones to assemble and to share memories and enjoy their time together,” Yuan explains. From these humble beginnings, Yuan never imagined Tube Station would one day become a 23-branch chain. With 19 outlets in Beijing alone, others are dotted around Hebei, Tianjin, and Xi’an and will be joined by four new restaurants in Shanghai later this year.

So what is it that makes Tube Station special? We’d say a decidedly casual and family-friendly atmosphere that mimics “a rustic American style” alongside its authentic New York-style pizzas, which are all made using imported cheese, sauce, and flour. Their signature Garbage Pail pie has every possible topping on the menu, except for salmon and barbecue chicken (that would just be wrong). This mammoth pizza came to life after staff mixed all the ingredients together on top of a thin crust at the end of a long day, and it just so happened to do the trick. Quality control is also essential for such a large production and relies on a state-of-the-art 3,000sqm central kitchen where Tube Station’s dough and sauces are prepared before being sent to its numerous outlets, making sure that “when every customer enters any of our chains, the experience and the taste is the same.”

Although they get many families through the door, Yuan has also made it a priority to cater to China’s youth, which doesn’t necessarily mean following every passing fad. “For example, durian is popular in the Beijing food scene but we will never put durian on a pizza,” Yuan says, considering this fetid and divisive topping a blasphemy against the pizza gods. How about the best drink to pair with pizza? “Beer, of course,” Yuan grins.

Aside from their core business in Beijing and a steady expansion across China, Tube Station also aspires to reach into international dining scenes, previously teaming up with Modern Sky to sell their hulking pizzas at the Chinese music promoter and label’s New York music festival. Of its universal appeal, Yuan says, “It’s not only about the taste, but also about making it affordable and down-to-earth, instead of making it fancy and expensive; and providing a nice experience for the customers.” During our visit, the diners we saw were young, energetic, and eager for pizza – an ideal representation of their target customers. With a growing fan base throughout Beijing, China, and further afield, it looks like Tube Station’s place on the local pizza throne for now remains unchallenged.

Click here for all of 2018 Beijing Pizza Fest coverage.

Tickets are now on sale and early bird ticket buyers will receive a complimentary vintage bandana, while group ticket buyers (three tickets and up) will receive a free picnic blanket. Tickets are RMB 20 for early birds or RMB 30 on the door and can be purchased by scanning the QR below via WeChat:

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos: Uni You