A popular porridge restaurant in Guangzhou has been ordered to suspend operations after videos and eyewitness accounts allegedly showed kitchen staff washing cooking equipment with a broom.
The restaurant, known as Lu Zhou, recently came under fire after a customer claimed he witnessed employees using a broom to clean a wok shortly after cooking fried noodles.
According to the diner, the same broom was later used to sweep the floor around 15 minutes afterwards, leaving him feeling disgusted and uncomfortable.
The incident quickly sparked widespread discussion online after details of the alleged hygiene violations spread across Chinese social media platforms.
Authorities from the Yuexiu District Market Supervision Administration later confirmed that the customer’s complaint was genuine.
Officials stated that the restaurant is now under formal investigation for suspected violations of food safety operating standards.
The market regulators also revealed that inspections and testing have been arranged for the restaurant’s tableware and shared kitchen utensils as part of the investigation process.
Following the controversy, the restaurant has reportedly voluntarily suspended business operations to undergo rectification and corrective measures.
The case has reignited public concern in China over hygiene practices at popular restaurants and viral food outlets, with many netizens calling for stricter food safety enforcement and more transparent kitchen monitoring.
