XINING - Pizza Hut, an American restaurant chain and international franchise, opened a branch canteen on Monday in Xining, capital of Northwest China's plateau province of Qinghai.

Spanning 330 square meters, the canteen can cater for 98 customers at one time. Long queues have been seen each night since its trial run on April 21, said Ma Tao, Pizza Hut's market manager for Northwest China.

Pizza Hut has opened restaurants in the relatively underdeveloped western China since 2000 as rapid development there has been prompting huge demand for its products, Ma said.

Pizza Hut is a subsidiary of YUM! Brand, Inc, the world's largest restaurant company. It opened its first restaurant in Beijing in 1990. It has more than 600 chain canteens so for in over 130 Chinese cities.