Shanghai: Haidilao, one of China's popular restaurant chains, will compensate over 4,000 customers after two men allegedly urinated in the broth at one of its hot pot outlet in Shanghai.
The Chinese hot pot chain made the decision after a video showing the two men urinating in the broth in a private dining room, surfaced on social media. Although the act took place on February 24, Haidilao only learned about it four days later and initially struggled to verify the details.
On March 6, the company confirmed the restaurant's location in downtown Shanghai and admitted that gaps in staff training prevented employees from detecting and addressing the situation promptly.
Have a look at the viral video here:
Haidilao Releases Statement
In a public statement, Haidilao acknowledged that no compensation could fully undo the distress caused to customers but vowed to take full responsibility.
"We fully understand that the distress caused to our customers by this incident cannot be fully compensated for by any means. We are willing to do our utmost to take responsibility," the statement read, as per a report by Independent UK.
However, the company has not disclosed the compensation amount yet.
It also reported the incident to the police in Jianyang, Sichuan, and other locations where its headquarters are situated. Shanghai Police later detained two 17-year-old suspects in the case. Additionally, the company also filed a civil lawsuit against the them.
More About Haidilao
Founded in a small Sichuan town in 1994, Haidilao has grown into a globally renowned Chinese cuisine brand. By June 2023, it had 1,360 restaurants in China and over 1,400 worldwide. Super Hi International operates 122 Haidilao outlets across 14 countries, including Singapore, the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia.
Hot pot dining features a communal pan of spiced boiling broth where diners cook ingredients like thinly sliced meat at the table.
