A seemingly lighthearted joke printed at the bottom of a bowl has sparked controversy in Kunming, China, after a diner accused a local restaurant of being disrespectful with its so-called “surprise” message.
Unexpected ‘surprise’ leaves bad taste
A woman recently posted on social media that she and her boyfriend were dining at a Caoshi Duck Neck chain outlet in Kunming’s Wuhua District when they noticed the words “碗底有惊喜” (“there’s a surprise at the bottom of the bowl”) printed along the rim of their spicy hotpot bowls.
Curious, the couple finished their food and poured out the remaining soup — only to find the phrase “你像猪一样能吃” (“you eat like a pig”) at the bottom of both bowls.
It’s not funny at all. It just feels disrespectful,” the woman wrote, expressing her offense at the message.
Mixed reactions from netizens
The post quickly went viral, landing on trending lists and prompting heated discussion. Some netizens sided with the diner, with one writing: “You paid to eat and still get insulted — where’s the sense of boundaries?”
Others suggested that the message could’ve been phrased more gently. “If it said something like ‘you eat like a cute little pig’ or included a blessing, people would probably accept it better.”
Meanwhile, some defended the bowl design, calling it a harmless joke. “I’d find it hilarious and would immediately try to buy one online,” one user joked.
Restaurant owner responds
According to The Paper, the restaurant owner Ms. Zeng confirmed that the bowls with the message were indeed used at her store.
She revealed that she had custom-ordered them in November last year after seeing similar content in a short video.
I thought it was funny, so I went out of my way to get them. I didn’t mean any harm.
She emphasised that the joke was meant to be playful, not insulting.
Ms. Zeng also clarified that other bowls in the same batch carried more neutral or positive messages such as “Well done!”, “Free meal”, “Get 2 yuan cashback”, and “Free drink”, adding, “If customers are uncomfortable with the phrase, they can inform staff when ordering, and we’ll avoid using that bowl.”
According to Ms. Zeng, this was the first complaint since the bowls were introduced six months ago. Still, she expressed regret for the unpleasant experience.
“We really didn’t expect it to upset anyone. It was just meant to be a lighthearted joke,” she said.
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