BEIJING — China's catering sector warms up as the country celebrates the first extended holiday since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, data showed.

According to data from Meituan, a major e-commerce platform for services, online restaurant reservations for the national holiday, an eight-day holiday that began on Oct 1, surged by 37 percent year-on-year, and hotpot, barbecue and Western food were among the most popular choices.

In the two weeks before the holiday, dine-in orders nationwide already saw an over 40-percent year-on-year increase, data from the platform showed.

Meituan estimated that reservations for family dinners will rise 129 percent year-on-year during the holiday, as this year's National Day coincides with Mid-Autumn Festival, the latter being an important traditional Chinese festival for family reunions.

Sales of food delivery platforms in the city also reported marked expansion, and businesses in the sector introduced new dishes and services to cater to consumers' demand.