Taiwanese hot pot chain Shikuo closes branch after customer finds cockroach laying eggs

A customer's dining experience at a popular Taiwanese hot pot chain took a disturbing turn when they discovered a live cockroach actively laying eggs in their food platter. The shocking find, shared online, quickly went viral, drawing widespread disgust and calls for action.

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It's truly disgusting. I don't know what kind of bug it is, but it looks like a cockroach, and it's alive, its antennae were moving.

The incident occurred at the Shikuo restaurant's Meicun South branch in Taichung. The customer posted a video on Threads showing the insect struggling beneath the vegetables, with many viewers noting it appeared to be depositing its eggs. The graphic nature of the discovery prompted immediate and strong reactions from netizens, with comments ranging from expressions of revulsion to dark humor about the cockroach using the food platter as a birthing ground.

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Look closely, it's a cockroach laying eggs.

In response to the public outcry and the severe blow to its reputation, the Wang Steak Group, which owns Shikuo, issued a swift apology. The Meicun South branch was immediately closed for three days, from July 1 to July 3, for a thorough deep cleaning by professional teams. The company stated that regular cleaning is conducted at all its branches, but this incident necessitated an immediate, more intensive sanitization process. They also committed to reviewing operational procedures and reinforcing employee training during the closure period.

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The mother cockroach realized it was about to die and was trying hard to lay its eggs.