Get out, Taiwan shopowner tells impatient mainland tourists

A video clip on Facebook showing impatient mainland Chinese tourists being told to leave by an owner of an eatery in Taiwan has gone viral.

A Facebook user who was dining at the well-known Zhou Jia Steamed Dumplings restaurant in Hualien, on the island's east coast, captured the incident Monday on video.

A mainland Chinese woman, who was waiting for traditional steamed dumplings at a table with fellow tourists from the mainland, lost her patience and yelled at the restaurant staff: “I want my money back!

"I don’t want to eat now. What’s the big deal with your shop?"

The staff apologized, saying other patrons had to wait even longer.

But the woman said: “I don’t understand what you said. I can’t understand Taiwanese Mandarin.”

At that point, a fourth-generation member of the family that owns the restaurant told his staff: “Give her a refund."

Turning to the woman, the 15-year-old said in a loud voice: "You need to understand that you are in Taiwan.

"There is nothing special about being 'strong-country people'.

"Get out! Get out!”

Arrogant mainlanders who flash their cash, throw their weight around and expect obsequious service from employees of stores and restaurants are nicknamed "strong-country people" in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The teenager's 70-year-old grandmother was quoted in an Apple Daily report as saying her grandson didn’t mean to be rude, but it is impossible to speed up the production of the hand-made dumplings.

Asked whether she felt mainland tourists are relatively impolite, she replied that the restaurant tries to accommodate its customers.

Many Taiwanese and Hong Kong social media users commented that they appreciated the firm stance the young boss took and said they would pay a visit to the restaurant because of what he did.

(Mandarin only)

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