Residents pick up food in November at a dining hall operated by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.

At noontime, Jin Yujie got dressed and headed to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) office in Beijing. The 81-year-old was not going there on official business but rather for lunch.

Jin has been the most regular customer of SARFT's No 302 dining hall since the administration became the country's first ministerial-level office to open its cafeteria to the community.

"I don't cook very often because it's boring to make food and chow it down alone," she said.

"I can buy a cheap meal at the dining hall, eat half of it for lunch and take the rest home for supper."

Jin has lived alone since her husband passed away two years ago. She has since spent most of time by herself because her only daughter rarely visits.

The Yuetan subdistrict office has urged neighboring ministries to open their canteen doors to empty nesters like Jin.

SARFT opened its cafeteria to the 21 neighboring communities in June 2009, providing cheap food and takeaway at lunchtime from Monday to Friday. The National Development and Reform Commission also opened its dinning hall last year.