The Chinese film Dragon Restaurant (also known as Welcome to Dragon Restaurant) has accumulated more than 2.1 billion yuan (approximately $290 million) at the box office, placing it third on the 2026 annual chart, according to a report from 中华网.
The movie has expanded beyond mainland China. Reports from 新浪网 indicate the film has opened in Malaysian cinemas, while Sohu covered a premiere event held in Australia. These overseas rollouts suggest a deliberate push into international markets, though neither outlet provided detailed audience figures or release dates.
The film's real-world inspiration has drawn attention as well. In an interview published by 观察者, the person who served as the prototype for the story described working in Iraq and earning $3.08 million from the U.S. military over a one-year period. The connection between that experience and the film's plot was not elaborated in the available material.
Separately, 中国网 highlighted how the production used the industrial heritage site of Shijianjing as a filming location, framing the choice as part of a broader "culture + tourism" model that repurposes former industrial zones for film and media projects.
With box office momentum still building and overseas screenings underway, the next milestone to watch is whether Dragon Restaurant can close the gap with the top two films on the 2026 chart, a position that would likely depend on continued performance in both domestic and international theaters.
