Two 17-year-old males have been detained by police in Shanghai, China, for allegedly urinating into a hotpot at a Haidilao restaurant and posting the video online, reports Global Times.
Two boys have been detained by Shanghai police for allegedly urinating into a hotpot at an outlet of famous restaurant #Haidilao, police officers announced on Saturday.
In the video, the man also laughed and said that the restaurant, Haidilao, China’s hotpot chain, had launched a… pic.twitter.com/WeT0QSliDH
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) March 8, 2025
The worrying incident dates back to last month. On February 24, 2025, two intoxicated 17-year-old boys, surnamed Tang and Wu, dined in a private room at Haidilao’s Shanghai Bund branch, reports China Daily HK. During their meal, they stood on the table and urinated into the boiling hotpot. Wu recorded the act and posted the video online, leading to widespread public outrage.
Explaining the row, a BBC report described Haidilao as China’s biggest hotpot chain, and noted that diners “in Haidilao use their own personal hotpot equipment to cook their food, and broths are not re-used again for other customers”. “However, it is unclear in this case if the hotpot in question was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before it was used by the next customer,” it added.
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Haidilao Response
Upon discovering the incident on February 28, Haidilao initiated an internal investigation but initially struggled to identify the specific location due to its extensive network of over 1,400 restaurants, reports Reuters. The company confirmed the incident’s location on March 6. Haidilao has announced it will provide full refunds and additional compensation — amounting to ten times the original bill — to 4,109 customers who dined at the affected location between February 24 and March 8. The company also expressed regret over the distress caused, and acknowledged shortcomings in staff training and detection protocols.
Legal Action Against Accused
Haidilao reported the incident to local authorities, resulting in the administrative detention of Tang and Wu by Shanghai police, reports China Daily. The company has also filed a civil lawsuit against the two individuals in court.
The incident has sparked significant public concern regarding food safety and hygiene standards. On its part, Haidilao has replaced all hotpot equipment and dining utensils at the affected restaurant and conducted thorough cleaning and disinfection processes, reports the Global Times. The company has also pledged to enhance staff training and improve monitoring systems to prevent future occurrences.
The writer is a senior independent journalist.
