For more than two weeks Mo’s Chicken Hotpot in Shunde District of Foshan has been packed with customers lining up for hours to get seats. The owner, known locally as Lao Mo, 60, said he has only been able to get around three hours of sleep a day.
He said the shop would be closed for three days during the upcoming Labor Day holidays and also every Monday from now on.
Crowds overwhelming the restaurant have also left his family exhausted for over two weeks. Staff said 100 lunch covers are booked before 9 a.m. every day.
Crowds waiting outside Mo’s Chicken Hotpot restaurant in Foshan, Guangdong, China, April 2026. Photos from Douyin |
In an interview with Jimu NewsMo said his birthday wish this year was to retire early and live happily. Unlike most restaurateurs, he longs for quieter days when he serves only around 10 tables and spends his free time singing karaoke or practicing tai chi.
“On Labor Day, everyone gets to rest; so I should too,” he said.
He said he does not care about fame or making money, and only his health matters. Asked why he does not close when he is tired, he explained he could not turn away customers who traveled thousands of kilometers to visit.
Even on weekdays the restaurant is crowded by morning. By around 10:30 a.m. its parking areas are full, with vehicles arriving from across the region.
The narrow lanes leading to the eatery are lined with street vendors, bloggers and livestreamers.
To cope with the rush, the restaurant now caps the number at 200 customers a day, split between lunch and dinner, using a numbered ticket system, according to the Global Times.
Mo’s children, relatives, even neighbors amd college students studying culinary arts and hospitality have joined in to help.
According to local media reports, the hotpot features locally raised free-range chicken paired with wild medicinal herbs, which include five-fingered peach root, tuckahoe, dried tangerine peel and coix seeds, items widely used in southern China’s food-medicine tradition.
A chicken hotpot costs 258 yuan (US$38), while herbal soup is priced at 38 yuan ($6).
Mo was almost dismissive about his dish, saying: “It’s the same chicken and the same vegetables you can find anywhere. Don’t exaggerate how delicious it is. There’s no special secret.”
But his skepticism notwithstanding, he has single-handedly brought changes to the area: Local authorities have cleared 2,000 square meters of land for a parking lot, upgraded electricity supply, improved drainage, and paved access roads.
Nearby businesses have begun benefiting from his popularity, and the town itself is seizing the moment to promote local foods and specialties.
Mo’s eatery first gained attention in early April after food blogger and former TV host Liu Yuxin with 16.3 million followers posted a video of her visit to multiple domestic streaming platforms. In it, Mo can be heard joking: “Don’t make me too famous, or I won’t be able to manage the business.”
At one point, overwhelmed by the crowds, he even tried to discourage visitors by calling his food “not very good,” but the tactic backfired and more people showed up, as reported by Sixth Tone.
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