Haidilao

In 1994, restaurateur Zhang Yong and three partners opened the first Haidilao hot pot restaurant in Jianyang, Sichuan with startup capital of 8,000 yuan. Haidilao grew competitively with an emphasis on customer service. The company expanded beyond Sichuan during the late 1990s and early 2000s, opening restaurants in other Chinese provinces including Shaanxi.

Haidilao became known for its emphasis on customer service and dining experience, helping it become one of China's largest hot pot chains.

The company opened its first overseas restaurant in Singapore at Clarke Quay in 2012. This was followed by expansion into the United States, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia and other international markets.

In 2018, Haidilao Hot Pot served more than 160 million customers, with an average daily table turnover rate (i.e. the number of parties hosted per table per day) of 5.0. Haidilao Hot Pot has more than 36 million VIP members and 60,000+ employees. In the same year, Haidilao raised nearly US$1 billion through an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

In 2019, Haidilao opened one of its first robot-assisted restaurants in Beijing, incorporating automation and smart kitchen systems developed in partnership with Panasonic.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Haidilao closed all stores in mainland China on January 26, 2020, to decrease the spread of the virus. As a result, Haidilao recorded significant losses. A similar hotpot chain restaurant called Xiabu Xiabu also closed around 20% of its total stores as a response to the decreased consumer demand during COVID. On March 12, 2020, with cases decreasing in China, Haidilao began reopening stores.

However, even after reopening, business was slow. Haidilao also faced backlash for increasing prices to offset pandemic losses, and the number of people restaurants could serve was limited by government pandemic restrictions.

In 2021, as part of an expansion plan, Haidilao opened 421 new restaurants, but it also closed 276 in an effort to improve the operations and profitability of existing stores.

Operations

Haidilao enforces strict rules when selecting food suppliers. There are more than 20 dipping sauces on Haidilao's self-service condiment table. Side dishes like peanuts, cucumbers, and fresh food are always provided. Customers can select up to four different soup bases in one pot.

"Hi to send" service

Haidilao created the "Hi to send" delivery service in 2003. Once a customer orders food to be delivered, staff will send an electromagnetic pan, an induction cooker, and a wiring board to customers' home, where they will also help the customers divide their food. They wait outside until customers finish their food, after which they will take away the kitchenware. Since 2013, Haidilao is open for 24 hours a day and offers service of delivery food.