Two teenage boys in China have been fined more than $500,000 after urinating into a pot of broth at a hotpot restaurant earlier this year.
The 17-year-olds were drunk when they urinated into the pot at international hotpot chain Haidilao’s Shanghai branch on February 24.
A video of the pair taking turns committing the act was posted online by one of the boys days later, where it quickly went viral.
While there was nothing to suggest the soup was consumed, Haidilao offered full refunds and compensation to more than 4000 diners who were at the restaurant between the day of the incident and March 8.
All the tableware was replaced, and the restaurant was cleaned and disinfected.
A lawsuit was filed by the company in March seeking more than 23 million yuan (NZ$5.4 million) in compensation for the losses.
Last week, the Huangpu District People's Court of Shanghai fined the teenagers 2.2 million yuan (NZ$518,079) after finding the pair had damaged its reputation through "acts of insult” and "caused strong discomfort among the public".
The teenagers’ parents were also found to have “failed to fulfil their duty of guardianship" and ordered that they shoulder the compensation, according to state media.
But the court declined to fine the teenagers further, ruling that additional compensation offered by Haidilao to its customers was a "voluntary business decision".
The teenagers and their parents were also ordered to issue formal apologies.
Haidilao operated more than 1300 stores worldwide since 1994.
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