| I think it's a GREAT idea to have Chinese signs as well. We're in China, after all! For example, in Japan there are also lots of "authentic" Irish pubs, American bars, etc etc, but because many Japanese people do not read English, it makes practical sense and so it's common to display menus, signs, in both languages. Same principle, in NY or London the Chinese restaurants (in both Chinatowns and downtown areas) will have menus in both languages usually. Also, as a matter of business - does Xintiandi wants ALL its customers to be foreigners or Chinese who read English? Why exclude the majority of the local population? Customers are customers because they pay for products/ services. Language ability and nationality definitely isn't important at all. The shop/ restaurant has to satisfy the customer, not the other way round. Well, if I go to an Italian or Mexican restaurant I would surely appreciate the business owner's effort in describing some particular items on the menus. If not knowing Italian gets in the way of understanding what I'm eating (ie paying for), then there are tons of other choices out there. The customer is king. Anyways, truth be told, these "authentic" places will never be totally real, they're recreations. Cultural exchange works both ways. So excluding anyone on something of language ability is simply ridiculous, a big NO-NO! |
Foreign Language Only Signs?