1A Folgen

Years ago, if you opened your kitchen drawer, you'd probably find a stack of takeout menus. There's a good chance one of those menus would've been for a Chinese restaurant. Despite the decline of these doorstep stuffers, Chinese food remains a popular dinnertime choice in the U.S. and around the world. According to a 2023 Pew Research study, Chinese restaurants were found in every U.S. state and in 70 percent of all U.S. counties. We discuss how Chinese food become so popular outside of China, and why the cuisine is so beloved and misunderstood.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's the holiday season which means bright lights and parties. It can also mean an unusually high credit card bill.From gift giving, to travel, to that item you just had to buy for yourself, end-of-year spending is up. Black Friday shoppers spent a record $9.8 billion dollars online this year. Shoppers spent a record $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday. But not everyone is putting cash upfront. Buy Now/Pay Later usage hit an all-time high in November, with an increase of over 42 percent from last year, according to Adobe Analytics. And half of Americans expect to take on debt to pay for the holidays, according to the personal finance company Achieve. We discuss the best way to deal with the rush of holiday expenditures. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Retail experts have long said that U.S. malls are dying out. But a recent market analysis paints a different picture.According to a report from Coresight Research published in June, foot-traffic in top-tier malls was up 12 percent in 2022 compared to before the pandemic. Last year, these same malls had more than 95 percent occupancy rates. Younger shoppers are in part driving this resurgence. Approximately 73 percent of Gen-Z shoppers said they visited a mall in the past month. We discuss why malls are making a comeback and how they're keeping up with online shopping. Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Find out how to connect with us by visiting our website.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy