Recently, a controversy erupted at the “Lao Huo Ji Hand-pulled Noodle Restaurant” in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, which ultimately led to the closure of the restaurant after days of online ferment, and the topic was even trending on social media. The dispute sparked by a bowl of noodles has exposed the complexity of the internet era, turning both parties involved in the incident into victims of online violence.
The turmoil began with a short video released by the restaurant’s owner, Mr. Huo. In the video, he claimed that seven customers – three adults and four children – only ordered a bowl of hand-pulled noodles but requested refills twice. When he refused to refill the noodles for the third time, one of the customers immediately left a negative review. Mr. Huo described this behavior as “mooching off.”
This emotional video spread quickly online, eliciting sympathy and outrage from many netizens. Initially, public opinion overwhelmingly supported the restaurant owner, believing that these seven customers had ordered only a bowl of noodles but continuously asked for refills, which was seen as an exploitative behavior.
Subsequently, Ms. Ma, one of the involved customers, clarified in an interview with a local media that they did not only order a single bowl of noodles. They had also ordered lamb chops and lamb skewers totaling over 70 yuan through online group buying, along with over 60 yuan worth of side dishes at the restaurant, totaling more than 140 yuan. Moreover, the bowl of noodles was not shared by everyone but was consumed by a five-year-old boy.
Ms. Ma explained that due to the small portion of noodles, it was not sufficient for the boy and another girl to share. Therefore, they requested refills. However, during the second refill, they were reminded by the staff, and the third refill was rejected by the owner in a rude manner, which scared the child to tears. Ms. Ma stated that her negative review was not due to the refusal of a refill but rather the owner’s unpleasant attitude. Refusing the refill may involve an extra charge, but there was no need to shout at a child.
With the full disclosure of the facts, netizens discovered that Mr. Huo had deliberately concealed the total consumption amount in the initial video, emphasizing only “a bowl of noodles,” which was deemed as misleading the public opinion. Former supporters of the restaurant owner shifted their stance, criticizing Mr. Huo for lacking perspective and distorting the facts. They also condemned him for releasing the video without consent, violating the customers’ portrait rights.
In the video, Mr. Huo used derogatory terms like “seven wolves,” implying that even if the noodles were spilled, he wouldn’t let these “seven wolves” eat it. This further fueled the controversy. Many netizens went to the live broadcast room of the “Seven Wolves” brand to demand prosecution against the restaurant owner, accusing him of tarnishing the brand’s reputation.
Currently, the restaurant has accumulated over ten thousand negative reviews, and the legal department of the “Seven Wolves” company is getting involved.
Mr. Huo released another video, expressing remorse and apologizing to netizens. He admitted that he failed to control his emotions and acted excessively. He mentioned the challenges of running a business, such as paying electricity bills, rent, and staff salaries immediately. He earnestly asked netizens to forgive his mistakes.
Mr. Huo also promised that in the future, the restaurant will continue to offer free refills for a single bowl of noodles, unlimited eating until full, with children under eight eating for free. However, netizens remained unconvinced by Mr. Huo’s apology.
Recently, local residents gathered outside the restaurant, demanding its closure. Many “victims” also spoke out, claiming that the owner not only assaulted staff but also beat stray dogs passing by the door, showing a cruel nature.
Simultaneously, online revelations have delved deeper into the incident. Mr. Huo was exposed for owing three months of unpaid wages to employees.
Furthermore, surrounding businesses of Mr. Huo’s restaurant have been affected to varying degrees by this incident, with reports of a significant drop in customers from over a hundred to only forty to fifty, leading to poor business operations.
This incident has triggered heated discussions among internet users. Many lamented that “the internet is a double-edged sword.” Some expressed that Mr. Huo lacks business acumen, but acknowledged that running a small business is indeed challenging, urging understanding of his current circumstances.