The ultimate guide to all Haidilao hacks, deals & secret codes

If you’re a regular at Haidilao Hot Pot, here’s something you’ll definitely need — the ultimate guide to all Haidilao hacks, freebies, and deals, covering everything from soya milk soup bases to delicious food hacks like Wuhan spicy dry noodles, DIY desserts and even alcoholic fruit shakes!

Before you begin, be sure to hit up the self-service station for unlimited sauce (S$4 per person), order a tomato soup base, and leave at least one clear water soup base because these hacks will have you exploiting those to the max.

Ready to save money with these Haidilao hacks while bringing your hotpot experience to the next level?

Although Haidilao no longer offers the soya milk soup base, you can still create it on your own! Order a soya milk (S$3 per person) and pour two cups of it (unlimited refills per person) into a clear water soup base. Alternatively, you can request for an empty hotpot and ask your server to fill it up entirely with soya milk.

Add in:

The recipe can be adjusted to your taste, but the end result will be fragrant, creamy broth that will elevate the taste of your seafood and meat, giving them the perfect balance of richness and flavour.

Next up is the famous sukiyaki soup base that cannot go without being mentioned. You’ve probably heard of it, since it’s all over TikTok, but there’s no harm in revisiting this classic hack.

There are varying versions of the soup base — you can add or remove the ingredients to your taste.

I will never get sick of sukiyaki broth, especially as the umami flavour develops over time.

If you’re a fan of surprises, this soup base hack is for you. You can ask your server to provide their own favourite recipe for soup bases — but of course, every person has different preferences, so this can be a gamble.

There’s no stopping you from making special requests though, so if you are allergic to certain foods like peanuts, you should definitely speak up beforehand!

With this recipe, you no longer have to go out of your way to visit the specific outlets that offer tom yum soup base! As always, this recipe is only a rough guide and you can customise it to your palette.

Why stop at Japanese and Thai soup bases when you can create a Korean-inspired kimchi stew soup base as well? Kimchi is only offered at the sauce station at certain outlets, so if you spot it, it’ll be your lucky day!

Grab a full plate of kimchi and the following sauce mix:

You will need to start with a clear water soup base, before mixing in the kimchi and sauces. To enhance the flavour of the soup base, you can add in a few scoops of other soup bases such as tomato soup base or chicken soup base.

Even better, why not turn it into a Korean army stew by adding in ingredients such as luncheon meat (from S$5.50), mini sausages (from S$4.50) and instant noodles (S$2)?

Moving on to the main course of this guide — the food hacks! From the secrets of sauce mixing to the best combination of ingredients, we’ve got you covered.

This dish is placed first on the list because it requires some time for the eggs to fully absorb all the goodness of the marinade.

Order a plate of quail eggs (from S$6) and poke holes in them using a toothpick. The holes will allow the marinade to be absorbed within a shorter span of time.

Make the marinade using these ingredients:

Pour it over the eggs and let it marinate for 30 minutes or longer. While waiting for the eggs, here are some other hacks you can try!

This Thai-style hot and sour dipping sauce tops my list of Haidilao hacks. Not only is it suitable for seafood, it also goes well with almost all dishes. However, this universal sauce is absolutely delish when paired with the sweetness of prawns. You can choose any shrimp or prawns of your choice: fresh prawn (S$9), Haidilao signature prawn paste (from S$12.50) and more.

Prepare the sauce:

Cook your prawns in the tomato broth (or any other broth you prefer). Drench them in the sauce while still hot so that the tangy yet spicy sauce really shines through.

Steamed egg is not available on the menu and is usually only offered to children as part of the children’s set menu. However, you can still order this hidden dish from the staff and turn it into an authentic Chinese-style steamed egg dish topped with beef cubes.

Once you have your bowl of steamed egg, bring it to the sauce counter and add:

Feel free to leave out the coriander and spring onions if they are not to your taste!

Having gone viral on Douyin and RED, these Wuhan spicy dry noodles is an underrated dish that every Singaporean should try. Although Singapore’s Haidilao doesn’t offer the same type of lo mein in China, there are several substitutes that will faithfully recreate the authentic taste of the noodles.

Fine dried noodles, Haidilao’s signature hand-pulled noodles (S$4), or even tofu skin can be substitutes for lo mien. Take care not to overcook your noodles if you want them to be nice and springy.

Cook your noodles and mix in the following ingredients:

Making its rounds on RED is the Sichuan bobo chicken, a traditional Sichuan dish similar to lok lok and chuan chuan xiang. Although the Sichuan bobo chicken is supposed to be a cold dish, no one will be patient enough to wait for the ingredients to cool, so just eat away!

Using the toothpicks provided, skewer your favourite ingredients such as fishballs (from S$5), fortune bags (from S$10), mini cheese sausages (from S$6.50) and boil them in a clear pot of water. You can request for a hotpot sieve basket that will prevent your ingredients from sinking to the bottom of the pot.

Mix the Sichuan dipping sauce accordingly:

Once your ingredients are cooked through, dip the skewers into the sauce, and enjoy!

Among the viral Haidilao hacks circulating on social media, this popular one has even garnered recognition from the official Haidilao team. I’ve included the official tutorial from their Instagram here, so no more arguing over which version is the best!

Cook sweet potato noodles (from S$4) for five minutes in any broth, then create a sauce with following ingredients:

This dish will be a definite hit with scallion pancake fans. You can customise the ingredients of your scallion pancake roll, but before you start, here is an idea of what you can put in to achieve that authentic Taiwanese taste.

With your crispy pancake (S$6) on your plate, spread the following sauces and seasonings on it:

Then lay your beef (from S$10) on top of the pancake and roll it up tightly! You can also let your creative juices flow and switch up the ingredients of the wrap however you like.

Another one of the viral Haidilao hacks you may have come across on TikTok is the stuffed beancurd roll. Prawn paste is spread across the beancurd roll (from S$6.50), followed by a layer of beef, before the beancurd skin is rolled up.

There have been many complaints that the beancurd roll falls apart in the hot soup and is no longer as satisfying to eat. Here are some tips on how to keep your beancurd roll in shape:

Why stop at beancurd skins? There’s another tasty alternative popular at Korean BBQ — using vegetables! Request for chinese cabbage (from S$4) to be served whole, and then you can wrap whatever you like within.

The cabbage leaves can endure being cooked in the soup for much longer periods of time (unlike the beancurd skins), especially if you prefer softer rolls. Remember to also use toothpicks for extra security!

Even better, forgo the veggies and just use the meat itself as the roll! You can wrap the fish balls with fish roe (from S$5.50) using the meat for an extra burst of flavour. Beef tripe (from S$9) is also another popular option.

Sambal sotong is an easy yet appetising side dish to make. Although Haidilao doesn’t offer real sambal, you can still expect this recipe to taste somewhat similar. With your squid (S$15) at the ready, pour this sauce mixture over it:

Sprinkle some spring onions or coriander on top and your sambal sotong is done!

This refreshing cucumber salad is an indispensable side dish, comprising of refreshing cucumber and zesty vinegar that will cleanse your palette and revitalise your appetite for round two!

Take some cucumber from the sauce station, and ask for a ziploc bag from your server. Place the cucumber into the ziploc bag and smash it so it will be able to absorb more of the sauce. You can skip this step if you prefer a crunchier texture.

Transfer your smashed cucumber to a plate and pour this sauce over to complete it:

You can always adjust this recipe to your liking.

If we’re talking about Haidilao hacks that need no introduction, the tomato egg drop soup hack is definitely one. This hack has received rave reviews all across the internet and has become a staple way of eating hotpot for many.

You only require a strainer ladle and two eggs (S$1). Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat it well. You can add seasonings beforehand if you like.

Then, hover your strainer ladle over the tomato hotpot, and pour the beaten eggs into the ladle. Let the eggs drip down into the soup slowly, and there you have it, delicious tomato eggs!

The tomato egg can also be used to complete other Haidilao hacks, such as this scrumptious combination of eggs, beef, and fried rice!

Instead of using the strainer ladle, use a regular one (without holes) so that your egg will be cooked in one piece. Beat your egg with some soy sauce and pepper if you like, and transfer it into the ladle before lowering it into the soup to cook. Be careful to not let your egg run off into the soup.

Plain rice (S$1) is recommended if you want to DIY your own seasonings, or use the following combination of ingredients:

If you would rather skip the hassle of going to the sauce station, you can just order fried rice with egg (S$3) for your base.

You can cook pieces of your preferred meat or just use the beef cubes available at the sauce station. Once the egg has reached your desired level of doneness, you can serve it atop your rice together with the seasonings and meat. Mix well and enjoy!

P.S. Drizzle your rice with some of the tomato soup base to enhance the umami flavour.

Craving for noodles instead of rice? This dish combines the tomato egg hack with juicy meat and a fragrant sauce best enjoyed with noodles. You can get any kind of noodles you prefer for this hack, including instant noodles or hand-pulled noodles.

While your noodles are cooking in the tomato hotpot, prepare a plate and add the following:

Although you can use the same tomato egg hack for this noodle dish, I recommend making a soft-boiled egg instead. Place the egg gently into the hotpot with a ladle to prevent cracking and boil for six minutes.

Once the eggs and noodles are done, heap them onto the plate of seasonings and pour a ladle of hot tomato soup over the ingredients to activate those delectable flavours.

This hot and sour noodle recipe is a constant feature in TikTok Haidilao hacks.

You will need the mala hotpot soup base for this. Order a bowl of thin vermicelli (from S$3), and put it in the mala hotpot. But if you are not a fan of too much spice, you can totally opt for a non-spicy broth like tomato or mushroom.

Here’s a recipe for hot and sour sauce:

Feel free to mix in more chilli if you don’t find it spicy enough.

Once the vermicelli is done, transfer it into the bowl of seasonings with a ladle of mala soup and mix well!

Here’s another one of China’s viral Haidilao hacks: Volcano mashed potatoes! The creamy texture of the potatoes and savoury taste of the sauce may have you making another in an instant.

Boil your plate of potatoes (from S$3) in the tomato soup base or plain water till soft. Mash them in a bowl with your spoon and then shape the mashed potatoes into a mountain.

Pour this yummy sauce over it:

Chinese social media has many Haidilao hacks undiscovered by Singaporeans, such as this sesame wakame salad. This dish is meant to whet your appetite and cleanse your palette if you feel a little heavy from the meat and sauces.

Help yourself to the wakame seaweed at the sauce station and enjoy it with following sauces:

For even more texture, you can add in Low-Fat-Low-Cal Konjac Slices (from S$4.50) and enjoy the satisfying crunch that comes with every bite.

There may be century egg congee offered at the sauce station, but what if I told you that you can make tomato congee or even abalone seafood congee?

You can also start off with a clear water soup base to make the congee from scratch, or mix a bowl of plain rice (S$1) into your favourite soup base. Consistently mix the soup to get the thick congee texture as the cooked rice gets broken up into softer grains.

However, do take note that your soup base will have turned into congee at this point, so if you don’t want to keep drinking rice bits for the rest of the meal, you should leave this hack for the last part of your meal.

Here are some recipes you might want to try if you’re feeling uninspired:

Top your bowl of congee with crispy fried shallots, beef cubes, spring onions and other condiments of your choice to complete your dish!

Moving on to the section for those with a sweet tooth, you can look forward to indulging in sugary delights like ice cream sandwiches, cheese peanut mochis, and more.

This DIY taro paste (orh nee) will test your arm strength — the longer and harder you can mash those taro sticks, the creamier and smoother your taro paste will become.

But to make things easier for yourself, cook the taro (from S$4.50) in the clear water soup base till it (almost) falls apart when you pick it up with your chopsticks. Transfer the taro to a bowl and mash them with your spoon. Add condensed milk to taste, sprinkle some crushed peanuts over it and tada!

The condensed milk is completely free, so you don’t need to hold back if you have a sweet tooth.

Prepare extra portions as this taro paste can be used to make other Haidilao hacks like the deep-fried taro mini bun and taro soya milk drink.

Combine your taro paste with the deep-fried mini bun (S$6) for a delightful fusion of flavours and textures that will leave you wanting more. Split your deep-fried bun in half, slather on generous amounts of your taro paste, and sprinkle some crushed peanuts for added fragrance before biting down!

The sea coconut dessert available at the counters is already excellent, but did you know that adding a few more fruits can take experience to the next level? Regardless of what fruits you add, do remember to remove the skins before adding them to your dessert for easier consumption.

You can also add lime juice for a bit of tang.

Muah chee taken to the next level with the addition of cheese that oozes out with every bite— it’s something no one will be able to resist!

Cook your plate of rice cake with cheese (from S$4) in a clear water hotpot. While you’re waiting for it to soften, fill a plate with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and a scoop of sugar. Mix well and then add the rice cakes to the plate of peanuts.

Roll the rice cake around and add condensed milk to help the crunchy peanuts stick. Your cheese peanut muah chee dessert will be complete when every inch of the rice cake is covered with peanuts!

The ice cream sandwich has always been a crowd favourite — it is unbeatable in terms of sweetness and texture!

Ice cream is served free of charge as part of your meal. Although you can request for flavours including vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and lime, I highly recommend getting vanilla ice cream for the sandwich.

You may have seen creators on TikTok place the whole tub of ice cream between two halves of the deep-fried mini buns, but if you don’t want a messy situation and a less than optimal experience of freezing your teeth off, just scoop out your desired amount onto the buns.

Dip your ice cream sandwich in the provided condensed milk, and you can sprinkle sugar, crushed peanuts or sesame seeds according to your preference. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even try dipping it into sesame sauce for a slight savoury edge.

Did you know you can bring your own drinks — both of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety — into Haidilao without getting charged? Now you do.

This DIY drink has been a smash on Douyin and RED and there is no doubt Singaporeans will love it too.

Take three pieces of watermelon from the sauce station and remove the rind. Smash them into pulp in a glass with a spoon, and then request for some ice to fill your cup with from your server. Pour in some sprite (S$3) and yakult (self-provided) to the brim, and garnish with a slice of lemon.

Since you can bring your own drinks in without any additional charges, there is no stopping you from spicing up the drink with some alcohol. Personally, I like to add a small 50ml bottle of Bacardi Superior, but you can add vodka, gin or anything you prefer.

Don’t be limited to this particular recipe! Haidilao hacks are all about creativity, and fruits offer incredible versatility to make tons of different drinks. Start off with any combination of fruits and add one of the following:

You can also experiment with Haidilao’s new drinks, the Fizzy Sour Plum Pop (S$4), Fizzy Strawberry Pop (S$4) and Orange You Lucky (S$4).

This is one of the easiest Haidilao hacks — it only requires the free ice cream that is part of your meal and any cold fizzy drink. Simply add ice cream to your drink of choice, be it a regular glass of sprite, the Fizzy Strawberry Pop, or one of your own creative concoctions.

Taro Soya Milk is exactly as it sounds — it puts a spin on the taro paste dessert hack, but with the addition of soya milk. Line one-third of your cup with your DIY taro paste, and fill the cup to the brim with soya milk. You can add sugar or condensed milk to taste, before giving it a good mix.

This may be one of the more unconventional Haidilao hacks. Have you ever thought about making your drink in the hotpot itself? Well, you can read on to find out how to make a hot, soothing fruit tea that will wash away the feeling of greasiness!

Order an empty hotpot without any water in it. Add oranges, lemon slices, apples and any of your favourite fruits to the hotpot. You can use your own black or red tea bags or request for tea bags from your server (some may charge you, but it’s worth trying your luck).

Throw the tea bags into the pot and add water. You can add sugar to taste when it begins to boil. Let it boil for a few minutes or so before serving. You can also ask your server to turn down the heat of the hotpot and let the tea simmer for longer.

For a touch of alcohol, add it in just before the tea finishes boiling; too early and the alcohol to evaporate.

P.S. If you’re afraid of other soup bases affecting your tea hotpot, simply cut a slit halfway down the centre of the cucumber pieces and slot them onto the edges of the tea hotpot grid to form a cucumber barrier.

This hotpot fruit wine will require a whole bottle of red wine. You can order a bottle from Haidilao, but there are better priced options at supermarkets or online platforms.

Fill an empty hotpot with the entire bottle of red wine and put in any fruits you like, such as oranges. Turn down the heat of the hotpot until it is simmering (with small bubbles appearing) – do not let the wine boil!

Simmer for five to ten minutes, then add in sugar or honey to taste. Ladle the fruit wine into your glasses and let it cool before drinking or you might find the taste of alcohol a little too overpowering.

P.S. You can use the same cucumber barrier trick above to prevent contamination between the hotpot grids!

These freebies are subject to availability, so don’t be too disappointed if you can’t get what you want! Some newer staff may not be well-versed with them as well, so if they don’t understand the secret code, you can ask them directly if they have your desired product in stock.

Secret Code

How to pronounce

Meaning

What you will get

今天天气好热啊

jīn tiān tiān qì hǎo rè āh

The weather is so hot today

Free mini handheld portable fan

你们的___汤底好好喝

E.g. 你们的番茄汤好好喝

nǐ mén de ____ tāng dǐ hǎo hǎo hē

E.g. nǐ mén de fān qié tāng hǎo hǎo hē

Your ____ soup base is delicious

E.g. Your tomato soup base is delicious

Free HDL soup pack

E.g. Free HDL tomato soup pack

你们的___好甜啊!

E.g. 你们的西瓜好甜啊

nǐ mén de ___ hǎo tián āh

E.g. nǐ mén de xī guā hǎo tián āh

Your ____ is so sweet!

E.g. Your watermelon is so sweet

Free fruit slicesE.g. Free watermelon slices

你家零食好好吃呀

nǐ jiā líng shí hǎo hǎo chī yā

Your snacks are so delicious

Free snacks

小仙女来吃火锅了

xiǎo xiān nǚ ái chī huǒ guō le

Little fairy is here to eat hot pot

A magic fairy wand

兔兔那么可爱怎么可以吃兔兔呢

tù tù nà me kě ài zěn me kě yǐ chī tù tù ne

Rabbits are so cute, how could you eat them

Free rabbit-shaped pudding or free rabbit bag

我的头发很乱

wǒ de tóu fā hěn luàn

My hair is very messy

Free comb

今天是我 ___ 的生日

E.g. 今天是我朋友的生日

jīn tiān shì wǒ ___ de shēng rì

E.g. jīn tiān shì wǒ péng yǒu de shēng rì

Today is my ___’s birthday

E.g. Today is my friend’s birthday

Free cake, longevity noodles, fruit platter

你看我像小朋友吗

nǐ kàn wǒ xiàng xiǎo péng yǒu mā

Do I look like a kid to you

Free toys (assorted)

我们这桌都是小朋友

wǒ mén zhè zhuō dū shì xiǎo péng yǒu

We are all kids at this table

你们有盲盒吗

nǐ mén yǒu máng hé mā

Do you have blind boxes

Free HDL mascot figurine

我很冷

wǒ hěn lěng

I am very cold

Blanket (you can’t bring it home!)

我忘了带口红了

wǒ wàng liǎo dài kǒu hóng le

I forgot to bring my lipstick

Free lipstick samples

你们有可乐熊吗

nǐ mén yǒu kě lè xióng má

Do you have (a cup of) Cola Bear

Free cola bear float(the bear is subject to availability)

你们有玫瑰熊吗

or你们有玫瑰雪人吗

nǐ mén yǒu méi guī xióng mánǐ mén yǒu méi guī xuě rén má

Do you have (a cup of) rose bandung bear

Free rose bandung bear float (the bear is subject to availability)

你觉得我快乐吗

nǐ jué dé wǒ kuài lè mā

Do you think I look happy

Free extra-long bamboo chopsticks

Frequent customers of Haidilao would know of the hair ties, apron, ziploc bags for your phones, free snacks while queuing, free wifi and charging ports — but there are also other services and perks that you can take advantage of.

Don’t just stand there and wait while you’re in the queue! Get busy with these challenges so that you can redeem free side dishes worth S$6. Each outlet has their own unique challenges, but here are some you can expect:

As expected of Haidilao, their array of services extends to custom pre-orders for live premium seafood as well, making it one of the sought-after Haidilao hacks. The pre-orders are subject to seasonal pricing and stock availability. You’ll have to call in at least three days in advance before your meal, so if you’re looking to surprise someone, plan well ahead!

📍 Multiple outlets

This 20% discount on meat and vegetable dishes during late-night suppers is well-known amongst Haidilao regulars, but newer customers may not have heard of it.

Across the 17 participating outlets in Singapore, this discount is available from 10pm onwards on Sundays to Thursdays. Some outlets even open till 6am, so you can savour a leisurely supper in a tranquil setting, a delightful contrast to the usually bustling and noisy Haidilao experience.

📍 Multiple outlets

You can also choose to enjoy your late-night supper at Haidilao Downtown East with this limited-time promotion, available daily from 10pm to 2am. The offer is valid for dine-in only, featuring selected half-portion dishes that allow you to mix and match meat and vegetable options.

Choose one of these four dishes — Haidilao-flavoured beef, Sliced Fish, Beancurd Roll or Pork Jowl — and you’ll be able to get the second one half-off.

📍 1 Pasir Ris Cl, #02-344 to 348 E!Avenue, Singapore 519599🕒 10pm–2am (Daily)🗓️ From now till 30 Sep 2023

Drink the night away with this incredible long-running promotion at Marina Square Haidilao, where you can get 1-for-1 beer from 10pm onwards. This promotion is held daily and the outlet is open till 6am! However, do take note that the drinking session usually ends at 3am, while you can drink till 4am on Saturday and on eves of public holidays.

🕒 10pm–3am (Sun to Fri & PH), 10pm–4am (Sat & eve of PH)📍 6 Raffles Blvd, #01-19 to 25, Marina Square, Singapore 039594

The free manicure service is a popular service that only resumed in 2022. However, not all outlets offer it, and it also depends on when the manicurists are available.

You can call ahead to check if the service is available that day, but you won’t be able to make phone reservations for a spot ahead of time. Walk-in requests are also not accepted.

In fact, the service is only available for dine-in customers who have taken a queue number from their order iPad. Be sure to come with bare nails as removal services are not available.

It’s time to put these Haidilao hacks to the test, so head down to your nearest outlet for hotpot now!

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