Chinese teens who urinated in soup ordered to pay $309,000
What's the story
Two teenagers in China have been ordered to pay 2.2 million yuan ($309,000) to two catering companies after they urinated into a pot of broth at a Haidilao hotpot restaurant in Shanghai. The incident occurred in February and was filmed by the teens, who later posted the video online. Although no one is believed to have consumed the contaminated broth, Haidilao offered compensation to over 4,000 diners who visited between February 24 and March 8.
Legal verdict
Parents also held responsible
Last Friday, a Shanghai court ruled that the teenagers violated the companies' property rights and reputation through their actions. The court also held their parents responsible for not fulfilling their duty of guardianship. The compensation includes 2 million yuan for operational and reputational damage, 130,000 yuan for tableware losses and cleaning expenses to one caterer, and 70,000 yuan in legal costs.
Company profile
Haidilao hotpot chain
The court ruled that any extra compensation offered by Haidilao to its customers, beyond what was billed, was considered a "voluntary business decision," and therefore should not be the responsibility of the teenagers. Haidilao, which opened its first restaurant in Jianyang, Sichuan province, has now expanded to over 1,000 restaurants worldwide. The company is known for its customer service and family-friendly atmosphere. Ladies can get manicures while they wait for a table, and kids are treated to candy floss.