China’s popular hotpot chain Haidilao has once again become the center of controversy after a shocking “urine incident” was reported at one of its outlets in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, according to Nanguo Morning News.
A diner surnamed Wang said he was eating when a child at the next table shouted that he needed to urinate. To everyone’s horror, the child’s mother picked him up and used a paper bowl to catch the urine—right at the table, ignoring nearby customers.
Witnesses said the mother then placed the bowl of urine on the restaurant’s food cart and even used a restaurant hand towel to wipe the floor, filling the air with a strong stench that disgusted diners.
Wang complained to staff, but said he only received a fruit platter as compensation. “How can something like this happen in a restaurant? Who would dare eat here again?” he fumed.
Haidilao later issued a statement saying the restaurant had completed full cleaning and disinfection within 15 minutes under supervision from its quality and safety department. All contaminated items were discarded, and staff were assigned to communicate with affected customers.
Despite the response, the incident quickly went viral online, sparking outrage among netizens who blasted both the restaurant and the parents.
This is not the first time Haidilao has faced such backlash. In February 2024, two teenagers in Shanghai were caught urinating into a hotpot at another outlet, triggering nationwide outrage. The company destroyed all utensils, sanitized the premises, and refunded all 4,109 customers involved, offering ten times their bill in compensation.
A court later ordered the two 17-year-olds and their parents to pay 2.2 million yuan (about RM1.3 million) in damages.
Now, with yet another “urine scandal,” Haidilao is once again battling to clean up not just its restaurants—but its public image.
