On Thursday afternoon, Seattle officially set a new Guinness World Record — the largest dim sum party. At the event, held in the city’s Chinatown — the International District, which emerged in the late 19th century as a hub for immigrant communities and was designated a historic district at the federal level in 1973 — 830 participants ate more than 3,000 dumplings and filled buns with pork and shrimp. That beat the previous mark set by Sydney, where in 2019, 764 people sat down at tables. A judge from New York announced the result at 3:30 p.m., and Seattle officially became the dim sum-eating champion.
To take part in the record, central streets in the International District were closed to traffic, and participants were seated in four rows right on the asphalt. Each received a cardboard box with four dim sums from Jade Garden, one of the city’s oldest and most respected dim sum restaurants, which has been open since the 1970s. Its owner, Eric Chan, said his father and the team of chefs made 3,600 pieces by hand specifically for the event. The restaurant is known for its traditional cart service and freshness of dishes such as har gow, siu mai, and zhu juan, making it a keeper of authentic Cantonese dim sum culture in Seattle. Some guests decided it was a speed contest and swallowed the buns whole, mimicking the famous hot dog-eating champion.
The event was timed to the 2026 World Cup: the next day, the United States and Australia would play in Seattle. Organizers intentionally moved the traditional summer block party to an earlier date to draw tourists and breathe new life into the International District — the city’s oldest commercial district, where business activity began as far back as the 1870s thanks to the construction of the railroad and the port. After the pandemic, many dim sum and noodle shops in the area, which preserves a unique mix of architecture, temples, and family associations, saw a sharp drop in foot traffic, and the record was meant to serve as a reminder of life in the heart of Seattle’s Asian diaspora.
Despite the fact that about 900 people took part, only 830 were officially counted: some left their seats before the final tally, and the rules required participants to stay until the end. Still, Eric Chan was pleased: “I’m happy with the turnout. And I’m especially happy we broke the record, because my father and the chefs made all the dim sums by hand.” He added that this format helped bring attention to Chinese cuisine and the neighborhood’s culture.
The festive block party, which started with dim sum and continued into the evening, included street food vendors and a dance party. Similar gatherings have taken place closer to autumn in the past, but this year they were moved to the middle of summer, syncing with the World Cup. For Seattle, it’s not just a record, but a step toward restoring the International District as a draw for both residents and tourists — and with a very tasty, fun start.
Based on: World record dim sum party: 830 in Seattle set mark