Really? This super-popular hotpot spot lets you bring your own ingredients — for free?

Most restaurants prohibit outside food, and even if they allow it, they usually charge a cleaning fee or corkage fee. But now, one business has broken the mold — they welcome you to bring in pretty much anything to eat, and won’t charge you a penny.

This generous spot is Hai Di Lao, the wildly popular hotpot chain from mainland China that has expanded to Taiwan. Famous for its “over-the-top service,” Hai Di Lao not only takes impeccable care of its guests but also offers a unique service where customers can book nail treatments. Recently, the brand posted on its Facebook fan page: “All our Taiwan branches now fully support bringing your favorite ‘ingredients’ to ‘add your own special touch.’ What’s your unique way of enjoying hotpot? ‘Feel free to bring any food or drinks!’” This move breaks the usual “no outside food” rule, and the post even includes a cheeky Q&A explaining that you can even bring items that are already sold on their menu.

After the announcement, netizens flooded the comments: “So I just have to order the broth?” “It’s true — I brought half a chicken today and just bought a Qingxin drink.” However, many also noted that getting a table is incredibly hard, so it seems you’ll need a bit of patience to enjoy Hai Di Lao’s ultra-thoughtful service.