On April 11th, an employee claiming to have worked for HAIDILAO for six years published a detailed account alleging long-term exposure to irregular management practices at one of the company's Beijing outlets. The employee stated that whenever a customer complaint was received, staff were forced, regardless of the circumstances, to personally pay 500 yuan to purchase a gift as a penalty. This practice of imposing fines for multiple violations was conducted without any formal regulatory basis.

Furthermore, the employee accused the HAIDILAO outlet of employing harsh management tactics, including verbal abuse, wage deductions, privacy violations, and intentionally obstructing internal transfers to pressure employees into resigning.

On April 11th, HAIDILAO released an official statement regarding the incident involving a staff member being compelled to pay for gifts due to customer complaints. The company stated that it conducted an investigation into the issues raised by the employee on April 8th and 9th, confirming by the 9th that the allegations were largely accurate. On April 10th, the company engaged in discussions with the employee concerning compensation.

HAIDILAO affirmed its commitment to providing compensation to the employee in accordance with the law and to offering a sincere apology, either in person or through another channel as preferred by the individual. Concerned that similar situations might exist at other locations, the company notified over a thousand of its outlets on the morning of April 10th to initiate an internal review. This comprehensive internal investigation is ongoing, with a pledge from HAIDILAO to address any similar findings lawfully and appropriately.