Night markets are known for the variety of food they offer, but one particular item stands out from the rest and was chosen by the respondents of a recent survey to be their all-time favorite — stinky tofu.
The poll, conducted by 1111 Job bank between May 6 and Tuesday, found that 35.7 percent of the respondents listed stinky tofu as their favorite night market food, followed by fried chicken fillet and Taiwanese-style fried chicken at 31.6 percent, while oyster omelettes came in at 28.9 percent.
Asked about beverages and desserts, 34 percent ranked papaya milk as their top choice, while 28.7 percent said they preferred bubble milk tea and 28.2 percent said they always opted for soybean pudding.
On average, the respondents went to a night market about 16 times a year. Ninety-four percent of them cited “hunting for food” as one of their reasons for going, while others said they went there to shop (45.8 percent) or to relieve stress (35.7 percent).
Asked why they chose night markets over restaurants and other establishments, 58.8 percent said it was because the foods there tasted better, followed by a convenient location at 45.8 percent and reasonable prices at 28.2 percent.
“Wherever they are, night markets offer various kinds of local specialty foods. In addition, late opening hours and affordable prices are particularly appealing to office workers who have long working hours and meager salaries,” 1111 Job bank vice president Daniel Lee (李大華) said.
Lee said night markets are also a popular choice for people seeking to relieve stress by eating or relaxing.
The growing popularity of night markets among locals and tourists alike has lured many people into the business, with 26.35 percent of respondents saying that they were considering setting up their own stall at a night market.
The survey collected 1,108 valid samples with a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of 2.94 percent.
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