China hotpot eatery owner in hot water for telling people earning US$680 a month not to dine out


A Chinese eatery owner was criticised for telling people earning US$680 a month not to dine out. - Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

BEIJING: The owner of a high-end hotpot restaurant chain in China has ignited public outrage for suggesting that individuals earning less than 5,000 yuan (US$680) per month should refrain from dining at his establishment.

The controversial comment from Du Zhongbing, founder of Banu Hotpot, occurred during a hotpot industry symposium in Sichuan province, southwestern China, and has since gone viral on social media, as reported by China Business News.

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