As the "diaper incident" gains traction, Haidilao finds itself once again at the center of public scrutiny. A review of incidents shows that, starting from the "utensil used for urination" event at its Harbin branch in October 2025, Haidilao has failed to maintain front-of-house hygiene controls on at least three separate occasions over the past year. While many of these controversies stem from customer behavior in open dining areas and do not involve critical back-of-house violations, the recurring nature of these events forces investors and consumers to question why the heavily invested compliance system repeatedly falls short, and whether the service premium associated with Haidilao is due for a reassessment.
On the morning of January 9, a former Haidilao employee stated plainly that this series of incidents is not accidental but an inevitable outcome of changes in corporate performance evaluation and strategy. The former employee revealed that prior to 2025, store managers were primarily accountable for revenue, with bonuses tied to turnover; afterward, however, store managers became responsible for profitability. He further explained that once evaluations shift focus to "profit," managerial behavior becomes distorted. To secure bonuses, managers target the largest controllable expense—labor costs. "Previously, there was extensive use of part-time shifts, but now that has been cut back. The consequence is that the number of tables each full-time employee must oversee has increased," he admitted. Where one staff member previously managed a few tables, they now must handle more tables and private rooms simultaneously, leaving them "completely overwhelmed."
This account finds support on social media platforms. Observations indicate that since the second half of 2025, complaints about Haidilao's "service downgrade" have noticeably risen. Under a popular post titled "Decline in Haidilao Service Quality," one consumer documented their experience: "After ordering, no one attended to us until it was time to clear empty plates; the tomato broth nearly boiled dry without a refill; we had to ask multiple times just to get a bone plate changed." In the comments, a user claiming to be a Haidilao employee wrote: "Before, one server looked after two tables; now they cover an entire section. It's exhausting, people can't stay, and naturally the experience isn't as good as before." This aligns with the former employee's remarks about reduced staffing density.
Financial reports also reflect this trend. In the first half of 2025, Haidilao's revenue decreased by 3.7% year-on-year, with net profit attributable to shareholders dropping by 13.7%. Although the reports indicate an "optimization" in the proportion of employee costs, this also implies fewer service staff per store. Servers, busy running orders and clearing tables while driven by system-monitored "table turnover rates," naturally struggle to monitor customer behavior for irregularities.
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