Two teenagers in Shanghai were caught urinating in a hotpot broth, forcing a major restaurant chain to take action
A restaurant in China has been forced to compensate 4,000 customers after a shocking viral video showed two teenagers urinating into a hotpot broth.
Most people expect a restaurant to maintain hygiene and food safety, but this incident at a Shanghai branch of Haidilao, one of China's largest hotpot chains, completely shattered that trust.
Thousands of diners were unknowingly affected before the disturbing footage surfaced.
The act took place in a private dining room at the restaurant, and for weeks, no one knew it had happened.
The truth only came to light when a video of the incident started circulating online, showing two 17-year-old boys standing on a table and urinating into the hotpot broth.
The footage caused widespread outrage, leading the restaurant to take drastic steps to address the situation.
The restaurant was part of the Haidilao chain JADE GAO / Contributor / Getty
Haidilao, known for its high standards and customer service, quickly responded after public backlash intensified.
The company announced that 4,000 customers who dined at the restaurant between February 24 and March 8 would receive full refunds.
In addition to reimbursement, the restaurant promised to pay compensation equal to ten times the cost of each affected diner's meal.
The teens filmed themselves peeing in the hotpot X/@shanghaidaily
The restaurant released an official statement addressing the incident and apologizing to its customers.
They confirmed that all affected hotpots, dining utensils, and ingredients had been replaced as a precaution.
Haidilao wrote: "In the early hours of February 24, two men urinated into a hotpot after dining in a private room at a Haidilao branch on the Bund in Shanghai."
They continued: "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."
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the restaurant further stated: "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."
Beyond customer refunds, the company also pledged to improve staff training and implement stricter monitoring measures to prevent future incidents of this nature.
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.
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) March 8, 2025
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 police later confirmed that the two teenagers involved in the act were intoxicated at the time.
Both individuals have since been arrested and are facing legal consequences for their actions.
The police report did not specify whether restaurant staff had properly sanitized the hotpot equipment after the incident occurred.
The teens were arrested Zhang Peng / Contributor / Getty
If proper sanitation wasn’t carried out, this could have posed serious health risks to diners.
Urine contains waste products filtered by the kidneys, and while it is usually sterile when first excreted, it can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria.
While some cultures have historically used urine for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, modern science does not support its consumption as safe or beneficial.
Health experts warn that consuming urine can lead to dehydration due to its high sodium content, which makes the body lose more water.
