Chinese restaurant praised for sharing US$74,000 Lunar New Year profit with staff

A hotpot restaurant in southwestern China has been lauded for distributing the 532,000 yuan (US$74,000) in profits it made over three days of the Chinese Spring Festival among its staff.

On January 31, the Qilichuan Hotpot Restaurant in Suining, Sichuan province, made headlines with its generous move.

The restaurant’s owner, Huang Houming, insisted that it was a long-running tradition, not a “publicity stunt”.

Huang said the chain has eight branches, which together made sales of more than one million yuan (US$140,000) over a three-day period.

The company has more than 200 employees, and while some took time off during the holiday, around 140 people qualified for the cash handout.

“We just wanted to let the employees have a lively and happy Lunar New Year. It is also for those who have worked hard throughout the year,” said Huang.