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In a landmark ruling highlighting parental accountability, a Shanghai court has ordered the parents of two 17-year-old boys to pay 2.2 million yuan in damages after their intoxicated sons urinated into a hotpot at a Haidilao restaurant in March, forcing the chain to refund thousands of customers.
In March 2025, a viral video showing two teenagers urinating into a hotpot at a Haidilao restaurant in Shanghai’s Bund area sparked widespread public outrage.
The two 17-year-old boys, identified as Tang and Wu, were administratively detained by Shanghai police shortly after the incident.
On September 12, the Huangpu District Court ordered the parents of the two teens to pay 2.2 million yuan in compensation to the restaurant chain.
The incident, which involved the teens treating the hotpot as a urinal while intoxicated, led Haidilao to replace all cookware and tableware at its Bund location.
The company also offered full refunds and tenfold compensation to customers who dined at the restaurant in the 13 days following the incident.
Haidilao filed a lawsuit, claiming losses as high as 20 million yuan due to the damage to its reputation and operations.
The court ruled that the parents of Tang and Wu failed in their supervisory duties, making them liable for their sons’ actions.
The six defendants—Tang, Wu, and their respective parents—were ordered to issue public apologies in a designated newspaper while protecting the minors’ privacy.
Additionally, the parents were held responsible for compensating Haidilao for economic losses, including 130,000 yuan for damaged cookware and cleaning costs, 2 million yuan for business and reputational losses, and 70,000 yuan for legal expenses, totaling 2.2 million yuan.
This ruling underscores the legal and financial consequences of failing to supervise minors, as well as the significant impact of public misconduct on businesses.
Source: TheStandard
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