A SHANGHAI court has ordered two teenagers and their parents to pay more than 2.2 million yuan (around $309,000) in damages after filming themselves urinating into a soup pot at a Haidilao hotpot branch earlier this year.

The February incident, which the 17-year-olds shared online, triggered outrage across China and forced the popular restaurant chain to compensate thousands of diners, replace equipment, and carry out extensive cleaning.

Although no contaminated food was served, the stunt damaged the brand’s reputation and led to operational losses, a report by BBC stated.

In its ruling, the court found the teenagers guilty of infringing on the restaurant’s property rights and reputation, saying their actions amounted to “acts of insult” that caused public disgust. It also held their parents liable, citing their failure to exercise proper guardianship.

The ordered compensation covers reputational harm, cleaning expenses, and legal costs. However, the court rejected Haidilao’s claim for over 23 million yuan, ruling that the company’s decision to refund and overcompensate more than 4,000 customers was voluntary and not the perpetrators’ responsibility.

Haidilao, which operates over 1,000 outlets worldwide and is known for its customer-centric service, said the case underscored its commitment to protecting diners and upholding food safety standards.(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)

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• #parental liability
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• #food safety
• #brand reputation
• #damages payment
• #legal costs
• #public outrage
• #customer refun