Tourism forecasts suggest that China is a growing tourism market to international destinations. It is likely that these tourists will encounter a range of service experiences and, at times, service failures or problems. Gaining an insight into how Chinese tourists interpret service failure events can help firms develop more effective service recovery strategies. This study aimed to explore the cultural values Chinese hold for service failure and service recovery, using means-end chain methodology. The analysis of 70 in-depth interviews found five key themes representing the values that were threatened in poor service situations. The attributes and consequences were analyzed, and then linked to the five values of "face", "equity", "value", "harmony" and "junzi" aspiration. Implications for hospitality service recovery with Chinese customers are discussed.