By the last years of the Qing, giving roast duck for a relative’s birthday had become the thing to do. It also had a problem: carrying a greasy bird to a party is awkward, and a duck left to sit loses what made it worth giving. Quanjude’s answer was a piece of paper.
What a duck ticket was
The ticket was printed on xuan paper dyed red, headed “Quanjude old oven-shop duck ticket”, and recorded what had been paid for — two large roast ducks, in the example kept today, with the silver paid — over the house’s bright-red seal. The guest brought it in a red paper sleeve; the host could present it at the shop whenever he wished and eat a duck straight from the oven.
A voucher that also raised money
Quanjude issued duck tickets under the Tongzhi, Guangxu and Xuantong emperors. Beyond the convenience, tickets also helped the business — widening its trade, raising money and turning its capital over faster. When Quanjude built its two-storey house in 1901, it sold them in large numbers to cover the cost.
To a modern reader a duck ticket looks like a gift voucher, and that is a fair comparison — we might even call it Quanjude’s first piece of “merchandise”.
Sources: 全聚德集团官网 — 历史故事 · 全聚德集团官网