Parents Held Liable for $300K After Teens’ Soup Prank at Restaurant

Two 17-year-olds in Shanghai have been ordered to pay over $309,000 after they urinated into a pot of broth at Haidilao, China’s largest hotpot restaurant chain. The incident, which occurred in February, was filmed and posted online, sparking public outrage and nationwide debate over hygiene, responsibility, and corporate reputation.

According to NBC News, the teenagers took turns urinating into a hotpot in a private dining room while intoxicated. Although no diners consumed the tainted broth, the video prompted a wave of backlash and forced Haidilao to take swift action.

The restaurant chain initially sought over $3 million in damages, claiming it had to compensate more than 4,000 customers with full refunds and cash payouts up to 10 times their bill amount. However, the court ruled that these customer payments were voluntary and could not be charged to the teens.

Still, the Shanghai court found the teenagers had violated Haidilao’s property rights and damaged its reputation. The final penalty includes approximately:

$276,000 for reputational and operational damages,
$18,000 for contaminated tableware and cleaning costs,
$9,800 in legal fees.

Additionally, the court held the teenagers’ parents partially responsible, stating they had failed in their duty of supervision and were therefore liable for the payment of damages.

In response, Haidilao replaced all hotpot equipment at the affected location and carried out deep cleaning measures. With more than 1,000 locations worldwide, the chain emphasized that its actions were taken to uphold its reputation for cleanliness and high-quality customer service.

original source