When you go out for a meal, you expect good food, a clean environment, and - at the very least - a dining experience free from human bodily fluids.
But for thousands of unsuspecting diners at a Shanghai Haidilao restaurant, that expectation was shattered after two teenagers recorded themselves urinating into a communal hotpot.
The shocking incident, which took place on February 24, only came to light days later when a video of the act surfaced online.
As reported by BBC News and CNN, the footage showed the 17-year-old boys — both allegedly intoxicated — standing on a table in a private dining room and peeing directly into the bubbling broth.
The viral video triggered public outrage, putting intense pressure on the famous hotpot chain to respond.
Haidilao Scrambles to Contain the Fallout
Haidilao, China’s largest hotpot chain, initially struggled to pinpoint the exact location of the incident due to its vast network of restaurants.
It took nearly a week to confirm that the affected branch was in downtown Shanghai.
"We fully understand that the distress caused to our customers by this incident cannot be fully compensated for by any means, but we will do our utmost to take responsibility," the company said in a statement, per BBC News.
The company has since taken swift action, offering full refunds to more than 4,000 customers who dined at the restaurant between February 24 and March 8.
But in an unprecedented move, Haidilao also promised an additional cash payout equal to ten times the amount of each customer’s original bill — a costly but necessary step to salvage its reputation.
Training Failures and Hygiene Concerns
The incident not only exposed a gross violation of hygiene standards but also revealed critical gaps in Haidilao’s staff training.
The company admitted that employees at the branch failed to detect or intervene in the situation, largely because they had never received training on how to handle such an event.
"As management had never made contingency plans or given training for dealing with this type of incident, staff at our branch were unable to detect any abnormalities at the scene or uphold the safety of the dining environment," Haidilao said in a statement.
In response, the company has replaced all hotpot equipment and dining utensils at the location and undertaken extensive sanitation measures.
However, it remains unclear whether the contaminated hotpot was properly cleaned before other diners used it.
Police Take Action as Teens Are Detained
As public backlash intensified, Haidilao filed a formal complaint with authorities, leading to the arrest of the two teenage culprits.
Shanghai police confirmed that both 17-year-olds were detained shortly after the video went viral.
Haidilao has since filed a civil lawsuit against them.
The Risks of Urine in Food
While no reports suggest that any customers unknowingly consumed the tainted broth, the situation raised concerns about potential health risks.
Urine contains waste products filtered by the kidneys, including high levels of sodium, which can lead to dehydration, per UPMC.
Though urine consumption — known as urophagia — was practiced in some ancient cultures for purported health benefits, it’s certainly not part of the traditional Haidilao experience.
Haidilao, known for its exceptional customer service and unique perks like complimentary manicures and candy floss for kids, is now facing one of its biggest PR crises.
The chain, which operates over 1,000 locations worldwide, has built a reputation as a family-friendly dining experience — but this incident threatens to leave a lasting stain.
With hefty compensation payouts and a commitment to improving staff training, Haidilao hopes to win back customer trust.