A Shanghai court has ordered two 17-year-olds to pay 2.2 million yuan ($309,000) to catering companies after they urinated in soup at a Haidilao hotpot restaurant in February. The teenagers posted a video of their drunken act online, sparking widespread criticism. No one consumed the contaminated broth, but Haidilao compensated over 4,000 customers who visited the Shanghai branch, offering full refunds plus cash payments worth 10 times their bills. The court ruled Friday that the teens violated property rights and reputation through “acts of insult” that “caused strong discomfort among the public.” Their parents were deemed to have “failed to fulfil their duty of guardianship” and must pay compensation including 2 million yuan for operational and reputational damage, 130,000 yuan for tableware losses and cleaning costs, plus 70,000 yuan in legal fees. Haidilao operates over 1,000 restaurants worldwide. (Story URL)
