Too hot to handle: 'Macho restaurant' in China gets shut down over waiters' racy dance routines

There were more than food on the menu at this 'Macho restaurant' in China — and it was recently shut down due to the staff's racy performances.

The Thai restaurant in Xishuangbanna became a tourist hotspot in recent months as videos of its hunky waiters' interactions with female diners went viral on social media.

In various Douyin videos, the men were seen feeding female guests mouth-to-mouth, ripping open their tops so the women could touch their abs, and also offering diners shoulder massages.

According to South China Morning Post, the waiters were hired to perform provocative dance routines akin to pole dancing to tease diners. 

This appeared to be a tactic to attract customers, as the "business was not doing well", a restaurant staff told Beijing Youth Daily.

Not only were the male waiters praised for their "impressive physique", but many viewers also likened their performance to London's famous Magic Mike live show.

While the restaurant was well-received online, it didn't get the nod of approval from local authorities.

These risque performances violated the social ethics in Xishuangbanna, said the Enforcement Bureau of Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism on July 26 as they ordered the eatery to suspend operations.

"Such performances should be firmly cracked down from the early stage," a staff member from the enforcement bureau explained.

Besides having over 10,000 yuan (S$2,000) worth of illegal income confiscated, the restaurant was also slapped with a fine of more than 100,000 yuan.

News of the eatery's closure had mixed reactions.

One netizen said: "The restaurant should simply restrict entry for minors. There's nothing wrong with adults watching this."

Another agreed, saying: "I want to go. It sounds like paradise!"

Investigations into the case are ongoing and further action may be taken, China Daily reported.

Thai Hot Guys event in Malaysia cancelled after uproar

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In March, a similarly-themed performance by Thai Hot Guys in Malaysia was cancelled shortly after it was announced.

The event, which was supposed to take place during Ramadan, was slammed for being "insensitive" and "inappropriate".

These lingerie-clad waiters earned a reputation for their loud and often bawdy performances while serving diners their meals.

Following criticisms from the public and politicians, the club's management apologised, stating that it respected the religious sensitivities in the country and "will not violate the laws that have been set".

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ashwini.balan@asiaone.com