外出用膳Eating out

26th June 2016 0 By livinguktaiwan

抵達台灣後,我們經常都出外用餐,因為我比較懶做飯。加上這裏有無盡的美食,若不去品嘗好像有點不太给臉子.但最主要原因是在家做飯的費用跟出外吃的分别不大. 在英國,一頓兩人基本晚飯约£20(NTD930),但你只要£5(NTD230)就可以在家煮一頓豐富的晚餐,這是一個很大的推動力令你在家吃飯.然而,在台中不用NTD200(£4.30)就可以吃到一碗很美味的牛肉麵。當你考慮到要在超級炎熱的天氣下用不少的時間和精力外出買菜,還要烹煮和清理等工作,倒不如外出用膳更化算。

我在台中這短短喫客經驗裡,有一點見解和發現了一些趣事:

  • 一個食市的質量是用經濟學上的CP值 Cost Performance value來評估
  • 吃到飽及火鍋餐一般非常受歡迎
  • 這裡不用给小費,如果你留下小費店員以為你遺留零錢會還給你
  • 顧客離開後,工作人員就算有空也不一定連忙收拾餐具和清理桌子
  • 店内即使有座位,店主往往要求顧客在外等候,好讓外間覺得他們很受歡迎
  • 最後,亦是我覺得最有趣 – 即使在店外的顧客看到店內有座位,他們還是耐心地排隊等候

我不知道這些現象是否在整個台灣都是一樣,或是我剛好在台中遇然碰見?

Since arriving Taiwan we have eaten out a lot more than before.  The major reason for this is my sheer laziness to cook.  Second, there is a great range of dining options to explore. And thirdly the cost of eating out compared to cooking at home is not that great.   In UK, fast food aside, the cost of a basic sit down meal for two would set you back around £20 (NTD930),  whereas you can easily cook a hearty dinner for £5 (NTD230).  This gives a massive incentive for home cooking.  However, in Taichung  a tasty bowl of good beef noodles only costs less than NTD200 (£4.30).  Once you take into account of the time and effort to buy, prepare, cook and wash up in the hot weather, the incentive for home cooking quickly diminishes in Taiwan.

I thought I’d share with you some of my insights and observations in my foodie experience here so far :

  • the economic term  CP(cost performance) value is used to assess the quality of a restaurant
  • all you can eat and hot pot meals are very popular
  • no tipping is necessary, if you leave a tip they will give it back to you thinking you forgot to pick up the loose change
  • even if staff aren’t busy, they don’t necessarily clear away the table promptly after the customers have left
  • even if there are vacant tables, restaurants often like to keep a queue waiting outside to create an impression they’re very popular
  • and my best one –  even if the people in the queue can see the vacant tables, they still queue patiently outside

I wonder if this is true across the whole of Taiwan, or whether its just limited to my short dining experience here in Taichung?