Fri Feb 07 14:59:23 UTC 2025: ## Chinese Restaurant Owner Showers Staff with Rs 64 Lakh Lunar New Year Bonus
**Chongqing, China:** A Chinese hotpot restaurant chain is winning hearts online after distributing over Rs 64 lakh (US$74,000) in profits to its employees as a Lunar New Year bonus. Huang Houming, owner of the Qilichuan Hotpot Restaurant, which boasts eight branches nationwide, shared the profits following a highly successful three-day Chinese Spring Festival period, during which the chain earned over Rs 1.2 crore.
The bonus, calculated after deducting ingredient and labor costs but before rent and utilities, was distributed proportionally based on each branch’s earnings. Managers received the largest payouts, with the highest earner receiving Rs 2.18 lakh, while the lowest-paid employees received between Rs 7,200 and Rs 8,400. Around 140 of the restaurant’s 200 employees qualified for the bonus.
Huang stated that profit-sharing is a long-standing tradition at Qilichuan, emphasizing that it was not a publicity stunt, but rather a gesture to reward employees’ hard work and ensure a joyous Lunar New Year celebration. The company also provides a “filial piety allowance” for employees’ parents as part of its benefits package.
The generous act has sparked widespread praise online, with many commending Huang’s conscientious leadership and the employees’ dedication. One user commented, “This is a conscientious boss, and the employees are also working hard. It is a win-win situation.”
The news comes as millions across China celebrated the Lunar New Year, a 15-day festival marking the start of the new year according to the lunisolar calendar, steeped in ancient traditions and family gatherings.
First Piper 