A restaurant had to compensate 4,000 customers after two teenagers were caught on video urinating into a hotpot broth.
When you visit a restaurant, you expect a clean and safe dining experience.
Food hygiene, ingredient quality, and respectful behavior from other diners are usually expected.
But what happens when something goes wrong, and no one finds out until a video spreads online?
This incident took place last month in a private dining room at a Shanghai branch of China’s largest hotpot chain, Haidilao.
A viral video showed two 17-year-old boys standing on a table and urinating into a hotpot broth. The video quickly gained attention, leading to public backlash and forcing the restaurant to respond.
Haidilao, known for its spicy broth, usually lists ingredients like soybean oil, chili, bean sauce, salt, garlic, and other spices. However, urine was never supposed to be part of the mix, and this raised serious hygiene concerns.
The restaurant chain quickly apologized and confirmed that all hotpots and dining utensils were replaced after the incident was reported.
They addressed the issue on social media:
“In the early hours of February 24, two individuals urinated into a hotpot while dining in a private room at our Shanghai Bund location.
“Our staff had not been trained to handle such an event, which is why they failed to detect the issue at the time and ensure a safe dining environment.”
The restaurant also stated:
“We understand that no amount of compensation can fully make up for this incident, but we take full responsibility and will do everything we can.”
To make up for the situation, Haidilao offered full refunds to all customers who dined at that location between February 24 and March 8.
Additionally, affected diners received compensation worth ten times the amount they originally paid for their meals.
Shanghai police later reported that the teenagers had been drinking at the time of the incident. They were arrested for their actions.
It is unclear whether the hotpot was properly cleaned after the event, but consuming urine can pose health risks due to the waste products it contains.
Haidilao has not released further comments regarding the situation.