TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign travel has only been available to Taiwanese for a few weeks due to an easing of COVID restrictions and yet reports are trickling back about misbehavior abroad by compatriots.
Recently, there was anger over a half-dozen Taiwanese in Fukuoka who shared three bowls of ramen amongst themselves. However, their actions ran afoul of Japanese dining etiquette.
According to CT Want report, the Taiwanese tourists split their entourage in half, with the first group (the men) entering the small ramen shop and taking up stools facing the counter. After eating about half of their ramen bowls, they exited the restaurant and motioned to their wives who were waiting outside in the light rain.
However, when it came time for the second shift to takeover their ramen, the proprietress of this mom-and-pop ramen restaurant screamed loudly "no sharing is allowed!" and sent the Taiwanese tourists scuttling to the door.
Despite having their meal disrupted, the Taiwanese group posted a negative review of the restaurant online, a 1-star rating. But instead of gaining sympathy for their predicament, the tourists found themselves in hot water once again.
Xiao-Guan (小罐), one of the Taiwan tourists visiting the ramen restaurant, remained unapologetic and defiant in her 1-star rating, clapping back via her online post by saying, "The ramen stunk just like the face of the owner."
1-star review by a Taiwanese tourist attempting to share ramen. (FoodPicksTW Facebook page photo)
Her post went on to add that the Taiwanese group didn’t think they were doing anything wrong as sharing is acceptable in their home country. Some netizens had her back, noting that sharing is acceptable in Taiwanese restaurants, so why not at this ramen restaurant?
Furthermore, the Taiwanese added a bit of back story saying they knew in advance the restaurant wouldn't accept anyone under the age of 20 from entering, with one woman volunteering to take care of a 3-year-old child outside while the others ate. Even so, social media has been mostly unforgiving and unsympathetic.
