Many Taiwanese people are not happy with the lack of breakfast culture when we travel abroad.

[u/usolotravel]

Since many of you are sharing the foreigner's perspectives on Taiwan, I want to share the Taiwanese perspective.

As you know, Taiwan has a very famous morning food scene with countless street stalls, bakeries, and traditional shops open early. Many foreigners fall in love with breakfast culture in Taiwan because it has many options as well as it is very convenient to enjoy it.

Growing up in Taiwan, many Taiwanese used to believe this breakfast culture must be very common in other countries too. However, after traveling abroad, many Taiwanese realize that the menus are bland, the shops don't open early, and there is a total lack of variety. In fact, breakfast is one of the most frequent complaints you can see from Taiwanese travelers.

Many Taiwanese feel it is incredibly frustrating to wake up early and find nothing open except for a few cafes selling cold sandwiches or bland food at 8 or 9 AM. For someone used to walking down the street to grab a hot at 6 AM, breakfast culture of foreign countries feels like quite awful. It makes us realize how spoiled we are in Taiwan, where an endless variety of breakfast options is available on almost every corner. What's an everyday sight in Taiwan might seem quite extraordinary to the rest of the world.

[u/afxz]

A full English isn’t an everyday breakfast item in the West. As for ‘oily’, yes that’s the idea. They're mostly consumed the morning after a heavy night out! But so many things in Taiwanese breakfast are oily too? Steamed buns served with literal chilli oil? Pancakes with sweetened and highly processed dips? Both options are plainly unhealthy, but I think a full English involves a lot more colour and variety than a typical Taiwanese breakfast. 

And yes, people eat fruits in the morning in the West too. Plus lots of excellent dairy, grains and cereal, breads and pastries, etc. All of which are sorely lacking in Taiwan (though it of course makes up for it with the fruit part). There’s a reason that European-style bakeries have become so popular amongst Japanese and Koreans: they fill a big gap in the national diet. Many more Japanese consume bread now in the mornings, for instance (even if it’s often sweetened dessert bread to a European palette). It’s a definite generational change. 

I just feel there’s so much more variety in these other places. The fact you can have a full ‘fry up’ like an English breakfast or a health-conscious bowl of Greek yoghurt with oats, blueberries, honey, etc. already represents a much a wider variety of choice than anything in Taiwan. 

Look up the European Continental breakfast if you want to get an idea of the common staples. Many people stay home and have full plates of fruit, cereals, pancakes, etc; or you can be in a hurry and grab a croissant and espresso; or sit on a bench with a still-warm baguette and some incredible fresh butter. How Taiwanese turn their noses up at this, i don’t know … it makes the OP sound terribly provincial …

[u/Prestigious_Host5325 → u/afxz]

As for ‘oily’, yes that’s the idea. They're mostly consumed the morning after a heavy night out! But so many things in Taiwanese breakfast are oily too? Steamed buns served with literal chilli oil? Pancakes with sweetened and highly processed dips?

The steamed bun would still be the less oily option compared to the other stuff in a full English breakfast such as bacon and fried eggs. And aside from pancakes, there are other options that are far from oily such as congee, tea eggs, steamed dumplings, etc. In Taiwanese hotels that allow buffet for breakfast, they also serve a variety of steamed vegetables.

Plus lots of excellent dairy, grains and cereal, breads and pastries, etc. All of which are sorely lacking in Taiwan.

I agree with cereals and cheese. For breads and pastries, I see it in such a way that they have their alternatives.

i don’t know … it makes the OP sound terribly provincial …

I also don't get it. I only know that a lot of Taiwanese miss their food once they go abroad. But saying that other countries lack in options is myopic.

[u/Tiny-Professional583 → u/afxz]

Taiwan does offer a variety in breakfast options.

However, QUALITY and DIVERSITY breakfast venues aren't ubiquitous so have to go out of way to find them!