How generous of them！He brought his own Costco meat for hotpot, and the staff even helped plate and serve it.

Winter is peak season for hotpot, and a spicy hotpot restaurant known for its “over-the-top” service recently broke the usual no-outside-food policy by allowing customers to bring their own ingredients and drinks. The news sparked interest, with some diners testing it out by bringing their own Costco meat and seafood. To their surprise, not only were the staff sincere and welcoming, they also proactively helped arrange the food, chill it, and clean up — all without extra charges. This unique marketing move has won praise online for its generosity.

A netizen posted in the Facebook group “Costco Honest Reviews” that on the evening of the 14th, a group of eight made a reservation at Haidilao and informed the staff about bringing their own ingredients. Upon arrival, they first asked if plates were available to hold their own food, but the staff went further, not only helping to arrange the food neatly but also offering to chill and clean it — all with top-notch service.

If you order pulled noodles for 110 TWD, there’s a live noodle-pulling performance. (Provided by Banqiao Big City Department Store)

The restaurant features five face-changing performances daily, a major highlight. (Provided by Banqiao Big City Department Store)

The original poster mentioned that this time they brought their own Costco beef slices, scallops, mushrooms, baby corn, and more, costing a total of 3,322 TWD. Coupled with 3,413 TWD spent in-store, the average cost per person was less than 850 TWD. They left full and satisfied, praising the restaurant’s genuine hospitality and expressing their willingness to return.

The “over-the-top” service has been well received, winning over customers. Netizens commented, “Not just eating and drinking, there’s also a show,” “Taiwanese restaurants can’t compete with this,” and “This is truly amazing.” However, some expressed concerns about food safety and possible misuse by difficult customers, with comments like “Given the issue with Taiwan tilapia, they might cancel this,” and “This might encourage more difficult customer behavior.”