- By Shivangi Sharma
- Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A restaurant in China’s northern Shanxi province is under fire after offering customers the chance to cuddle with lion cubs while enjoying a luxurious four-course tea. The establishment, Wanhui Restaurant in Taiyuan city, launched the animal-themed dining experience in June and has since drawn widespread criticism from animal welfare groups and netizens alike.
Wanhui advertises the service as a premium, exclusive attraction. For 1,078 yuan (around $150), guests can purchase one of only 20 daily tickets to enjoy afternoon tea while snuggling with lion cubs. Photos and videos of diners cradling the cubs like infants have gone viral on Chinese social media platforms WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin (China's version of TikTok).
Despite the online backlash, Wanhui maintains that the cubs are well cared for. The restaurant features several other animals as part of its experiential dining atmosphere, including turtles, llamas, and deer. According to posts on Douyin, the encounters are billed as “limited-time” offers meant to appeal to a select clientele.
Animal Rights Groups Condemn Practice
Animal welfare advocates and experts have strongly condemned the stunt, calling it exploitative and unethical. “Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment,” said Jason Baker, Senior Vice President at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), in a statement to Reuters.
“These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys,” Baker added, emphasising that the cubs are being treated as nothing more than props for social media content.
Peter Li, a China policy specialist for Humane World for Animals, also criticised the trend. “Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers,” he said.
Public Backlash And Legal Concerns
Online reaction has been swift and fierce. One user on Weibo commented, “This is for the rich to play,” while another lamented, “Ordinary people can’t even afford to drink.” A third demanded, “The relevant departments should take care of it.”
State-run Shanghai Daily noted on its official WeChat page that the restaurant’s offering “has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare.” So far, there has been no official government action or investigation announced.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar controversy last month involving a hotel in Chongqing that allowed red pandas to enter guests’ rooms as part of a “wake-up service.” That case also sparked public outrage and was subject to a government probe.