Video of diners attempting to take home raw ingredients from Hong Kong hotpot restaurant goes viral

HONG KONG: A video of two diners caught attempting to take raw ingredients home from an all-you-can-eat hotpot restaurant in Hong Kong went viral on social media over the weekend.

The video, which was uploaded on Facebook on Sept 27, has garnered more than 2.4 million views, nearly 10,000 reactions and more than 2,700 comments as of the morning of Sept 29.

It shows a restaurant employee approaching a man and a woman seated at a table, then asking them if they had put food items in their bag.

The employee explains that raw food should be consumed on site due to hygiene concerns, and adds that the pair had plenty of time to dine.

The male diner, who initially denied the accusation, is then seen taking out food items – including raw meat and shellfish – from inside a tote bag with his bare hands.

He later surrenders the bag to the employee, who takes it aside and unpacks the contents. Inside the tote bag are packets of instant noodles, as well as more raw meat and seafood packed in a plastic container.

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the establishment is the Aquatic Market restaurant in Tsuen Wan.

The news outlet added that internet users also identified the man, with some users posting photos of him wearing an Auxiliary Medical Service uniform.

In a statement quoted by SCMP, the volunteer service said the man had received training but is no longer with them.

The Hong Kong St John Ambulance charity also told SCMP that the man was part of the organisation but had already left the service.

Online users criticised the pair for their actions, with many saying it amounts to theft. Others commented that handling the food with bare hands and putting them inside the bag without proper containers was unsanitary.

There were also comments on whether posting the video online breaches the diners’ privacy and could lead to cyberbullying.

On Sept 29, the restaurant apologised for the video, saying it was intended for company training purposes and was accidentally leaked.

A company spokesman told SCMP that the video was meant to be used to help staff improve service quality, as well as show them how to professionally handle unexpected scenarios.

There was “absolutely no intention” to release the footage publicly, it added.

The spokesman also said the company had promptly initiated an internal investigation and reviewed internal data security management measures to prevent such incidents in the future. – The Straits Times/ANN