Chinese restaurant closed after videos showed male waiters feeding women mouth to mouth

The restaurant came under the scrutiny of the authorities earlier this month, when videos depicting the events inside the restaurant started circulating online.

A controversial restaurant in China, known for its daringly dressed male waiters, has caused a stir and drawn the attention of the authorities, resulting in its closure, The South China Morning Post reported. The self-styled ‘Macho Restaurant’ was in operation from April to July in the well-visited tourist spot of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, located in Yunnan province in the southwestern region of China.

A picture of a restaurant. (AFP File)

However, the restaurant came under the scrutiny of the authorities earlier this month, when videos depicting the events inside the restaurant started circulating online. The restaurant promoted the Siamese theme, as evidenced by its name ‘Thai Drum Thai Drum Thai Cuisine’ and a sign saying ‘Macho Restaurant upstairs’ was also placed at its entrance.

It featured tall and muscular men, some wearing tank tops and others going shirtless, who engaged in seductive dance routines to entertain the predominantly female audience, the report said.

The more daring dance routines at the restaurant involved acts like "rod licking," similar to pole dancing, along with suggestive dancing. Some of the "macho men" went as far as feeding female customers directly from their mouths, then wiping their mouths afterward, and even offering shoulder massages as part of the provocative experience, it added.

However, on Wednesday, the local authorities took action against the restaurant, stating that the performances had breached social ethics and disrespected the region's cultural traditions. As a consequence, the restaurant was ordered to halt its operations, and an amount of 10,664 yuan (approximately Rs. 1,22,639) earned through illegal means was confiscated. Moreover, the establishment was issued an additional fine equivalent to ten times the confiscated illegal income.

“Initially, there were just six actors offering relatively normal dance performances. When customers filmed at the restaurant and shared the videos online, the restaurant owner saw it as a promotional opportunity,” The South China Morning Post quoted a staff of the restaurant.