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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Taiwanese snack shop owner shaves beard at prep station, sparks outrage

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A Taiwanese snack shop owner was filmed shaving his beard at his food preparation station, sparking public outrage over food safety concerns.
  • Customers who complained about the owner's hygiene practices were reportedly told to leave if they were unhappy.
  • The incident gained further attention when netizens discovered the owner's close ties to a local legislator, leading to accusations of political protection.

A video circulating online shows a Taiwanese snack shop owner appearing to shave his beard at his food preparation station, igniting a firestorm of criticism regarding food safety standards. The footage, shared on Threads, depicts the owner using an electric razor near where ingredients are prepared.

Don't come if you're not happy!

— Shop owner's wifeThe alleged response from the shop owner's wife to a customer complaining about hygiene practices.

Adding to the public's dismay, customers who raised concerns about the owner's hygiene practices, including smoking at the shop's entrance during operating hours, were allegedly met with a dismissive response: "Don't come if you're not happy." This alleged retort has fueled widespread condemnation, with many netizens expressing disgust and vowing to boycott the establishment.

This is what Taiwanese snacks taste like, full of beard dander?

— NetizenA sarcastic comment on social media reacting to the video of the owner shaving.

The controversy escalated as social media users delved into the owner's background. It was revealed that the owner's daughter previously served as a director in the office of Kuomintang legislator Wan Mei-ling. Furthermore, Wan Mei-ling had publicly endorsed the shop as a favorite in a 2021 social media post, and the shop's Facebook page shows interactions celebrating her birthday in 2016. This connection has led to accusations that the owner's defiant attitude stems from political protection, with some questioning if this "backing" emboldens such unsanitary practices.

Is this sprinkling pepper? It's disgusting! Smoking at the entrance of a restaurant is also very bad.

— NetizenA comment expressing disgust at the owner's actions and smoking habit.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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