A Shanghai court has ordered two 17-year-olds to pay 2.2 million yuan (around $309,000) in damages after a viral video showed them urinating into a hotpot at one of China’s most popular restaurant chains.
The incident, which took place in February, drew outrage across the country after the teenagers, identified only as Tang and Wu, filmed themselves standing on a table and urinating into their hotpot before uploading the clip online. Although no diners consumed the tainted broth, the act severely damaged the restaurant’s reputation and forced mass compensation efforts.
The branch offered refunds and cash payments to more than 4,000 customers, replaced all hotpot equipment, and carried out intensive disinfection. While the company initially demanded over 23 million yuan in losses, the Huangpu District People’s Court ruled that voluntary refunds were not the boys’ responsibility. Instead, the court focused on deliberate property damage and harm to the restaurant’s image.
On September 12, the court ordered Tang, Wu, and their parents to cover operational and reputational losses worth 2 million yuan, 130,000 yuan for destroyed tableware and cleaning costs, and 70,000 yuan in legal fees. The parents were also found partly liable for failing in their guardianship duties.
Beyond the financial penalty, the court required all six defendants — the two teens and their parents — to issue public apologies in designated newspapers.
Local media described the case as a “wake-up call” for young people and their families, underscoring how reckless online stunts can lead to devastating financial and legal consequences.
