A shocking and deeply disturbing incident recently rocked Haidilao, one of China's most well-known hotpot chains. On February 24, two intoxicated 17-year-old customers were caught on video urinating directly into the hotpot at a Shanghai Haidilao restaurant. The footage quickly spread across the internet, sparking widespread outrage.
The local police launched an investigation and confirmed the suspects’ actions. Both individuals have since been placed under administrative detention for their behavior.
Haidilao’s response, however, came days later, as they struggled to verify details of the incident. By March 6, the company finally confirmed that the act had taken place at their Bund location in Shanghai. To regain customer trust, Haidilao announced a drastic compensation measure, offering full refunds to all customers who dined at the store from February 24 to March 8, along with a 10x cash compensation.
The restaurant chain admitted that their internal management failed to detect and prevent such an incident in real-time. They have since vowed to implement stricter monitoring systems and improve staff training to prevent future occurrences.
The controversy has reignited debates over public hygiene, food safety, and restaurant accountability in China. While Haidilao’s crisis response was swift, some experts argue that delayed action may have already caused irreversible damage to consumer confidence.
This scandal brings attention to a broader issue—should stricter regulations and real-time surveillance be mandated for restaurant chains to ensure food safety?。