Video of Hong Kong hotpot diners trying to take home raw ingredients goes viral
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In a viral video, two diners were seen taking raw ingredients such as meat and seafood out of a bag at a Hong Kong hotpot restaurant.
PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK VIDEO
A video of two diners caught trying 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, uploaded on Facebook on Sept 27, has garnered more than 2.4 million views, nearly 10,000 reactions and over 2,700 comments as at the morning of Sept 29.
It shows a restaurant employee approaching a man and a woman seated at a table, asking 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 seen taking out food – 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, including packets of instant noodles and more raw meat and seafood in a plastic container.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the eatery was the Aquatic Market restaurant in Tsuen Wan.
The news outlet added that internet users had identified the man, with some users posting photos of him wearing an Auxiliary Medical Service uniform.
The volunteer service said the man had received training but was no longer with it, according to a statement quoted by SCMP.
The Hong Kong St John Ambulance charity also told SCMP that the man had been part of the organisation but had left the service.
Online users criticised the pair for their actions, with many saying it amounted to theft. Others commented that handling the food with bare hands and putting it inside the bag without proper containers was unsanitary.
There were also comments on whether posting the video online was a breach of the diners’ privacy and could lead to cyber bullying.
On Sept 29, the restaurant apologised for the video, saying it was intended for company training purposes and was leaked.
A company spokesman told SCMP that the video was meant to help staff improve service quality, and to show them how to handle unexpected scenarios professionally, adding that there was “absolutely no intention” to release the footage publicly.
The spokesman also said the company had started an investigation and reviewed its internal data security management measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
