A restaurant in eastern China has come under fire after being caught using tap water meant for washing mops to make its famous orange juice.
Caught in the act: A customer filmed the staff at Tianye Restaurant in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, placing a bucket of orange juice into a mop sink and filling it with tap water. In the now-viral video, mops, plastic brooms and a dustpan containing some food scraps are seen hanging on the same sink.
In the video, upon realizing that she is on camera, the staff member quickly removes the bucket from the sink. Meanwhile, other employees try to stop the customer from filming, but to no avail.
The aftermath: Furious, the customer emerges from the kitchen and announces to other diners that the restaurant has been using tap water to make orange juice. The enraged patron also points out that the juice being made is powdered, revealing the packet he took from the kitchen.
Reactions: The Aug. 26 incident sparked outrage on Chinese social media, with Weibo users condemning the restaurant chain for its poor hygiene and sanitation.
“This deserves fines in the millions,” wrote one Weibo user.
“The staff should be banned from serving for life,” said another.
“The [powdered] orange juice is normal; the real scum is the mop tap water,” commented one.
Restaurant responds: Amid the chorus of angry comments, Tianye released a statement later that day to apologize for the incident. The restaurant’s manager was reportedly dismissed, while the staff workers involved were suspended and ordered to undergo food hygiene training.
