Yangmingyu Braised Chicken and Rice, a famous Chinese fast-food chain, shut down multiple stores in Henan province after a media report exposed serious food safety violations, including the reuse of leftovers and sale of spoiled beef offered as fresh meat.

Jinan Yangmingyu Catering Management Co, the franchise's parent company based in Jinan, Shandong province, issued a statement on Wednesday apologizing for not ensuring food safety and announcing the immediate and permanent closure of three affected outlets in Henan province — the Zhengzhou Erqi Wanda Store, the Zhengzhou Kangfu Qianjie Store and the Shangqiu Wanding Plaza Store.

Regulators in Shangqiu, Henan, said in a statement that officials had sealed the implicated restaurants and taken food samples for testing. They vowed strict legal action following the investigation's findings.

The probe was triggered by an undercover report from Beijing News, which found several Yangmingyu franchise locations using expired ingredients, recycling leftovers and adding coloring agents to blackened beef to make it appear fresh. The report also said many stores employed workers without required health certifications.

Braised chicken and rice, or huangmenji mifan, is a popular and comforting Chinese dish that is generally believed to have originated in Shandong. The delicacy is particularly known for its quick and easy preparation, and the chicken, the rice and the sauce go well together. Many netizens dubbed it as one of the three "national snacks", along with Lanzhou beef noodles and Shaxian snacks.

According to its website, the Yangmingyu company, which began operations in 2011, has branches in over 200 cities. As of September last year, the company has 2,703 stores nationwide, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

Legal expert Tan Mintao told Beijing News that the violations contravened China's Food Safety Law, which allows authorities to confiscate illicit earnings and impose fines. Consumers who suffered harm from unsafe food could also seek compensation from the businesses involved.

In response to public outcry, the State Council's Food Safety Office ordered supervisory agencies in Shandong and Henan to oversee the investigation and ensure compliance.