The Service

5/13/11 – 11:00 am (From Taipei)

The restaurant service here is very different to what we are use to. It is the same when a traditional 10 or 12 course meal is served (large portions are brought out one at a time and everyone digs in), but not the same when everyone orders individually. In America we walk into a restaurant, sit down, and immediately someone comes over to take drink orders. Drinks are brought within a couple of minutes and everyone drinks and talks while they look through the food menu. Not here. They give you some time to look through the menu, then take your food order. If you don’t tell them you want something to drink at that time they will come back later for a drink order. Sometimes your drink will come after your food. We have been frustrated because we would order a beer and it would come 15 to 20 minutes later. This seems to be acceptable here. Not sure if it is related, but there is a 10% service charge added to every food bill. No tipping at all, for anything in this country. Another thing that is odd is how/when the food is served. As the dishes are ready they serve them, individually and not all at once. So my plate may come and I have to start eating without you because your plate may not come for another 15 minutes, even though we placed our order at the same time. It is not uncommon for some people to be done eating before the food arrives for others at the same table. I’m not sure if the Taiwanese realize how much they are loosing in sales by making people wait to get their booze. The servers are very nice and polite, but I am spoiled in America and look forward to American service again.