Hot Pot Chain Compensates Thousands After 2 Teens Peed in the Broth

Haidilao is the biggest hot pot chain in China, with over 1,300 locations around the world, including a handful in North America. The chain recently offered its apologies, as well as compensation, to over 4,000 diners who visited one of its Shanghai locations after two teens were caught on video pissing straight into the hot pot broth.

For those unaware, hot pot is a delicious Chinese dish that dares to ask “what if fondue, but soup broth instead of cheeses?” It’s a communal dish where several people sit around a bubbling cauldron of broth in which they dip various meats and vegetables to give them a quick cook before devouring.

For those unaware, urine is your body’s way of disposing of liquid waste after you’ve absorbed all the nutrients your body needs. Urine isn’t usually a hot pot ingredient.

The two 17-year-olds were in a private dining room at a Shanghai Haidilao location when they decided that the already bold and flavorful broth needed a little extra kick and maybe even a personal touch to nudge the flavors closer to their liking. So, they pissed in it — much to management’s chagrin.

The incident occurred on February 24. Unfortunately, the chain said in a statement that it was not aware of the issue until four days later, and even then, they weren’t sure of the time and location it all went down.

There’s a video of it, too, in case you want to see someone pissing into a hot pot of broth. I don’t know. Maybe it unlocks something in you, some long-dormant soup-based kink. I won’t judge.

Just when you thought the world couldn’t get any crazier… someone stands up and pisses in the Haidilao hotpot. Blasphemy! Hotpot treason!

Anyway, Haidilao reported the guy to the police, and I’m pretty sure he won’t be welcome back anytime soon. pic.twitter.com/3ytLhGdYjX

— Manya Koetse (@manyapan) March 6, 2025

Haidilao said he would offer a refund to any customers representing the location’s 4,100 orders taken between February 24 and March 8. Those who qualify won’t just get a refund but will get a refund plus 10 times the refunded amount.

The incident was reported to the police, who detained the pair of teen hot pot pissers. The company has issued a civil lawsuit against them.