Child throws diaper into hotpot at Haidilao outlet in China

By Phan Anh January 9, 2026 | 04:09 pm PT

A customer walks past a hotpot restaurant of Haidilao in Hangzhou city, east China's Zhejiang province, Sept. 26, 2018. Photo by AFP

A video circulating online shows a two-year-old child throwing a used diaper into a hotpot at a Haidilao outlet in China, leading the restaurant to discard the cookware and report the incident to police.

The footage shows the child’s guardians changing the diaper inside a private booth before the toddler tosses it into the pot being used at the table, Mothership reported.

Responding on Jan. 8, Haidilao said the incident occurred on Dec. 31, 2025, at one of its outlets in Xuzhou, as cited by Jiemian News. The company said staff immediately disposed of all affected equipment and reported the matter to local authorities.

"Local police subsequently handled the child's guardians who were present at the scene in accordance with the law," the restaurant said.

According to Global Times, one of the guardians later issued a public apology, expressing regret to the businesses involved and pledging to reflect on the incident and correct his behavior.