Perhaps by sheer coincidence, on January 9, HAIDILAO issued a public response regarding an incident where "a toddler threw a diaper into a hot pot." Just the day before, on January 8, the People's Court Daily published an apology statement on page 3 from Tang, the individual involved in the HAIDILAO "urination incident," and his parents.
Here is a brief recap of the two incidents. On December 31, 2025, at the HAIDILAO Xuzhou Yunlong Wanda Plaza branch, a two-year-old child from a group of customers threw a diaper into the dining pot at their table. The outlet promptly disposed of the pot and reported the matter to the police; the local authorities have since taken appropriate legal action against the guardians present that day. In the early hours of February 24, 2025, Tang and Wu, individuals from another city visiting Shanghai, were dining in a private room at the HAIDILAO Shanghai Waitan branch. While intoxicated, Tang stood on the dining table and urinated into a four-compartment hot pot. Wu recorded a video of the act and posted it on their social media feed, leading to widespread online dissemination. On September 12, 2025, the Huangpu District Court in Shanghai issued a first-instance ruling, ordering Tang, Wu, and their parents to compensate HAIDILAO 2.2 million yuan. This sum includes 130,000 yuan for tableware damage and cleaning costs, 2 million yuan for damage to business reputation, and 70,000 yuan for legal expenses. The court also mandated a public apology in designated newspapers, with measures to protect the privacy of any minors involved.
Some netizens have quipped that this wasn't just urine, but liquid gold, given the hefty 2.2 million yuan penalty. Why has HAIDILAO been subjected to both of these "urination" incidents? Have other restaurants never experienced similar issues? Or perhaps such incidents occurred elsewhere but failed to attract significant attention? These two events inevitably bring to mind the "Broken Windows Theory." When you see a broken window, you might feel compelled to throw a stone at it. Similarly, could the widespread publicity of these urination incidents inspire some individuals to feel a sudden "urge" upon visiting a HAIDILAO restaurant?
As a legendary figure in the catering industry, HAIDILAO founder Zhang Yong has consistently emphasized that in the fiercely competitive hot pot market, success cannot rely on flavor alone. He introduced and implemented a "service-first" business philosophy, offering customers unexpected service experiences such as complimentary shoe shining and manicures. However, for any food and beverage enterprise, food safety remains the paramount service.
Behind these two "urination" incidents lies a collective "broken window" of multi-dimensional responsibilities. First, there is the "broken window" of family guardianship. Second, there is the "broken window" in the on-site management and emergency response capabilities of the enterprise. Although the individuals involved in the two incidents are of different ages, they both transgressed the baseline of public decorum—the former case involved a failure of guardianship duty, while the latter showcased a disregard for social order and morality; fundamentally, both reflect a disrespect for the rights of others and public space. More notably, the branch involved had a readily available mother-and-child room, yet the parent chose to handle the soiled diaper in the public dining area, highlighting a clear deficiency in guardianship responsibility.
Above the dining table lies not just the warmth of a shared meal, but also rules and boundaries. Catering establishments can provide mother-and-child rooms, change tableware, and perform deep cleaning, but they cannot replace an individual's commitment to civility. Whether it's a child's unintentional act or a deliberate provocation by a teenager, guardians bear an inescapable educational responsibility. The 2.2 million yuan compensation ruling has already sounded a clear alarm: civility cannot rely solely on moral appeals; it requires the foundation of rules and the safeguard of penalties. Only by making transgressions bear due consequences can we protect the cleanliness and dignity of public dining spaces, ensuring that every conscientious consumer can dine with peace of mind. A boiling hot pot should embody the vibrant warmth of human connection and gathering; it must never become a "container" for testing the limits of civility. From urination to diapers, what we witness should not be mere sensationalism and outrage, but a stern warning to all participants in society: only by collectively defending that unbreakable "window of civilization" can we ensure that our shared spaces remain safe, clean, and trustworthy.
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