Costco has a store in Taiwan. In fact, it has three locations in Taipei. Stan and I like their boxed wine. No bottles to deal with, easy to carry, comes in good recyclable packaging, and it is a relatively cheap, quality wine. We also like their hot dogs. How can you beat a delicious quarter-pound hot dog and soda for $1.50?
Besides the good wine and cheap hot dog lunches, one of the most fun things at Costco is tasting the samples. Many of us enjoy getting a little something for free, but Taiwanese folk go crazy for anything free. Here, good samples at Costco inspire a line of twenty or more people for the “free” taste.
Costco’s food court here is a story in itself. First, it is huge, far bigger than the Costco food courts at home, and the area is always packed with value-minded hungry people. Plus, in addition to the usual items we see at home, a larger menu selection is offered here, like clam chowder, sushi, seafood bakes, and braised beef with rice, etc. And, like the stores at home, Costco provides a condiment station where patrons can pump mustard, catsup, pickle relish, and grind fresh chopped onion on their hot dog or maybe on their slice of pizza.
Here, though, here, the Costco diners have created a cultural phenomenon. Because it is “free,” people go nuts for the onion. We saw people grinding plates full of chopped onion, not for sprinkling it on their food, but for eating by the spoonful, like peas, along with their pizza, hot dog, or sushi meal. Some people we saw went back for second and third platefuls, and some filled plastic bags or soda cups full of chopped onion to take home.
It is an accepted practice here. Not just a few, but many people here do this. Stan and I were appalled! We thought, “What unadulterated pigs! Folks, it’s just onion!” I could not help myself from gawking. I wanted to get a photo as proof, but I feared getting caught.
It is not that Costco approves the abuse; they removed self-service fresh onions for a while, but their customers revolted; the complaints spewed in! Finally, the big, powerful store relented. Costco says it is a love-hate scenario. They hate giving away so much onion, but they love Taipei customers’ big-time demand for all their other stuff. Tons of onions for tons of goodwill.
This is hilarious! I just met a couple from the UK who said there are Costco’s in England as well! Wonder if they have bangers in their food court?? Just live to say “bangers”!!!!!
I like saying Bangers too!
Onions! Who would’ve imagined?! Are they sweet onions? What makes them such an attraction in the food court? Are they otherwise pricey? Very interesting phenomenon, indeed!
Onions! Who would’ve imagined?! Are they sweet onions? What makes them such an attraction in the food court . . . are they otherwise pricey? Very interesting phenomenon, indeed!
I knoooooow! Well, they are very good sweet onions but they are just the same as what you’d get at Costco in Atlanta. Onions here are not expensive, but what the people like about them here is that they are FREE at Costco food court!!! Some people take pickle relish too!
Costcos in Taiwan? Who would have thunk it! It was fun picturing onion hoarding and long tasting lines. Thank you as always, Janie, for this tour through Eastern Asia and your insights into it.
Isn’t that the craziest thing. the onions, Sharyl! Yes, the onions are good but nothing special except that they are free in Costco’s food court. These people simply love free stuff. We are surely enjoying our time here but the language is almost impossible for us . . the many syllables, the differences in pronunication of familiar letters and the tonation!!! We usually try to learn a few phrases that seems to open the door to friendships but no can do here. We do well to say hello and thanks you: “ni hoa” and “xiexie” — pronounced Shay-shay. But goodbye is bye-bye, and they love getting to say it. Next stop Cebu, Philippines
❤️😄🥰♥️
Thank you and happy birthday & happy monther’s day!
Wow! Onions! The amazing things you discover while traveling! Keep having fun! Ann
Yes, Ann, travel is eye-opening but as you cleaarly see, it is fun. That’s our plan, just keep having fun! See you in December!
I so enjoyed the description of Taiwan culture at Costco.
I love hearing that and hearing from you Margaret. We human beings are very curious creatures! Some people here hoard free chopped onion; some people in our country bag their dog’s poop and then leave the bag on the path. 🙂