This photo shows ROMOMO stuffed toys in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingbo)

　　XI'AN, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese street-food snack called “roujiamo“ -- often referred to as the “Chinese hamburger“ -- is made by baking flatbread to a slight crisp and inserting a filling, usually succulent pork that has been drenched in aromatic sauce. However, this mouth-watering food is no longer limited to restaurants, but is also emerging in toy stores.

　　It is a common street-food item in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Now, a palm-sized stuffed toy ROMOMO, modeled on the Chinese hamburger, with a smiley face and small limbs, has gone viral in Xi'an, igniting a buying frenzy since its debut this past summer.

　　Young locals and tourists sometimes wait in line for over an hour to snag their ROMOMO toys, drawn by the product's creative design and its link to the culinary experience.

　　The retail process of the ROMOMO toys has been designed to mimic the preparation of the real-life snack. A “chef“ dressed in traditional Hanfu robes uses a plastic knife to mime the chopping of the toy's meat element, and then inserts it into the bread element, simulating the completion of the cooking process.

　　During the process, the “chef“ usually interacts with customers to learn their preferences, asking questions like: “Would you like lean meat or fatty meat?“ or “Shall I add some more juice?“

　　Young people are eager to share their shopping experiences on social media, such as the lifestyle-focused platform Xiaohongshu. Meanwhile, ROMOMO employees broadcast the interactions on livestream platforms, generating over 50,000 daily views recently.