On the streets of many Chinese cities you can find plenty of fast food chains, with western stalwarts like McDonald’s and KFCs a common sight. Burger Kings are fewer in number, and Pizza Hut is considered more of a premium experience than it is in the US. But it’s a home-grown restaurant chain that could be the hottest dining business in China right now, catering to the Chinese love of sitting down for a leisurely hot pot experience.
Haidilao is China’s biggest hot pot chain with 600 restaurants in 10 countries, including Singapore, the US, Japan and South Korea, with plans to expand further in countries such as the UK, Australia and Canada.
The brand has come a long way since starting out in 1994 in Jianying, Sichuan province with a restaurant with four tables. Its growth has been aided by a co-founder who has drawn attention for his unusually focused approach to the Chinese dining industry.
Chinese-style hot pot involves a continuously cooking flavoured soup or broth, which diners place thinly sliced pieces of beef or mutton and vegetables into, cooking for themselves. This “DIY” approach to dining is very popular in China, with hot pot, and especially the spicy Sichuan style in which Haidilao specialises, an increasingly ubiquitous feature of the Chinese restaurant scene. Haidilao has been at the forefront of this, battling rivals such as Xiabu Xiabu and Xiaolongkan, the second- and third-biggest competitors in the category.
In September 2018, Haidilao raised almost $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) via an initial public offering on the Hong Kong stock exchange, giving it a valuation of about $12bn. The shares were priced at the top of its expected range at HK$17.80 (Dh8.42) per share, showing optimism among investors about its growth prospects.
The company sought funds to continue its expansion, especially into international markets. In 2019, Haidilao opened 130 restaurants and increased its stock value by 80 per cent.
Michael Norris, a Shanghai-based researcher specialising in market trends in China, believes that Haidilao will likely target international cities with significant Chinese migration which are also education hubs. “I think the overseas Chinese diaspora gives Haidilao fertile ground for overseas expansion,” he says, adding that the company will look to capitalise on its domestic brand recognition.
Sitting in a restaurant in east Beijing in late December, with the temperatures outside in the low single-digits, families and friends crowded around the several dozen tables.
Katy Guo, 27, a marketing manager in Beijing, was eating at one with friends. Guo said she would dine at Haidilao every month if she could afford it. Asked why it was popular, she thought it was because of the taste and service: “The [hot pot] soup, vegetables, meat, and dishes are good. Service is good — I think service is the key to its success,” she said.
Lydia Jia, 35, a senior manager for an education company, was another diner who commented on the service: “I find the taste good and other value-added products — fruit, salad, drinks. If you need to compare it to other hot pot [restaurants], service is better, though service quality of other hot pots are catching up.”
Norris says there are three factors that have contributed to Haidilao’s success, the first of which is the scalability of the hotpot format: “That is to say, you’re not constrained by leading chef availability. Instead, you can focus on scaling the supply chain and customer experience.
The second factor is its corporate culture, with a staff incentivisation system that has been featured in the Harvard Business Review. This includes only hiring managers from within the company's ranks, attractive pay schemes and rewards for store managers that equate to roughly 3 per cent of a restaurant's profits. Rewards are based on how managers adhere to the company's core values, as opposed to revenue earned.
The third, and possibly the most important factor Norris attributes to the firm's success, is the customer experience.
People who have to wait in line for tables if restaurants are full are offered free snacks (fruit and crackers) and even a free manicure or shoeshine.
Other incentives include providing plastic bags and hair ties to make sure customers’ valuables and hair don’t get splashed by the hot pot soup. For solo diners, Haidilao provides a big teddy bear to sit with to make the experience less (or perhaps more) awkward. And its most famous speciality is a complex noodle dance that servers perform preparing noodles in front of customers who order Chinese ramen.
The company is also rolling out ”smart” restaurants, of which only three currently exist in Beijing, with robotic food preparers.
One of these in Shi Mao Tian Jie, a shopping mall known as The Place in downtown Beijing, is decorated with large screens featuring projections of changing scenes. It has multifunctional toilets, and a row of robotic arms, lit by blue light, that prepare food behind a glass that waiting customers can view while seated as if in a theatre.
“There are 600 plus Haidilao in China’s mainland, 50 plus in overseas market, and five in Japan. All are growing at rapid speed,” explains Jun Yamashita, the Japanese managing director of Ying Hai Holding — a joint venture company between Haidilao and Panasonic running the smart restaurants.
“Just two years ago there were only 200, now it’s growing at a rate of 60 Haidilaos per year. With robotics, it’s easier to avoid people touching food [and to] monitor food quality,” Yamashita said.
Asked whether robots will be entirely replacing human staff, Yamashita said not.
“Only the kitchen will see robots replacing human intervention. We still need people in the dining area to provide service, and better-quality service is the key to success.”
The hot pot giant came under fire for food safety scandals in two of its Beijing restaurants in 2017. An inspection of its restaurants discovered a rat-infested kitchen, a dishwasher caked in oil, and a worker trying to fix a blocked drain with a food ladle, in videos taken by hidden cameras, according to news agency Xinhua.
Haidilao's co-founder and chairman, Zhang Yong, then responded in an interview with Beijing-based publication Caixin a month after the incident came to light: "I can't stop rats from running into our place. So I was thinking, if there is nobody in the kitchen, will this also get rid of rats? I've been committed to automating the kitchen and the catering process."
Mr Zhang, a Sichuan-born former factory worker who didn’t even eat in a restaurant until he was 19, also emphasises employee responsibility.
"The catering industry is difficult to control," said Zhang in a 2011 interview with China's Economic Observer. "At that time, we had no information system and had to rely on individuals, mainly waiters and waitresses, to run the whole company. If you doubt them, then you will fail. You have to give them room to perform, then they will treat their job seriously. It's important to give them responsibility."
Mr Zhang, along with his wife and fellow Haidilao co-owner Shu Ping, became a naturalised Singaporean citizen and topped Forbes's Singapore Rich List with a net worth of $13.8 billion in 2019. The company he built, as China-focused analysts have pointed out, is one of China's most prominent home-grown success stories, but time will tell how much of a truly international success it can become.
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Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
Griselda
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Scorline
Iraq 1-0 UAE
Iraq Hussein 28’
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
Read more about the coronavirus
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
MATCH INFO
Fulham 0
Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Company%20profile
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If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
