Unattended Shop Where Customers Pay Themselves – Grandpa Han’s “Honesty Twist”

Photos and text byAni Smile

Located on a rural road in Fenglin,
“Honesty” isn’t just the name of the shop, but also its way of doing business,
With twists, Liangxianghao, steamed buns, stuffed buns, and tea eggs—all the prices clearly displayed on the wall,
Just pick what you want, drop the money in the coin slot at the counter, and you’re done!
So next time you see this unattended shop, don’t think it’s not open!

 

I used to visit Fenglin a lot as a kid, but after Fenglin Park was abandoned, I rarely went back.
On my recent few passes through the small town of Fenglin, I’ve come to realize it’s a place full of stories and nostalgic charm.
There’s rarely heavy traffic, and you seldom see crowds of tourists.
You can really feel the laid-back pace of life of the locals.

 

Grandpa Han’s Honest Twist is located right by such a “big” country road—it’s actually quite easy to find...
It’s a simple little shop with lots of old-time charm.
If you see this unattended shop, don’t just walk away thinking it’s closed.
Though it might feel a bit like stealing from someone’s home,
Don’t worry—just bravely walk on in!

 

There are also quite a few newspaper reports posted on the walls.
Paying honestly by dropping coins for your twist in this simple town of Fenglin makes the whole experience feel even more heartwarming.

 

The prices are all posted on the metal grating at the back.
Twists, one pack for 25 NT dollars.
They also have steamed buns, Liangxianghao, tea eggs, and black tea.
The prices are really cheap!

 

At first, when I saw the business hours, I thought we’d come during a break.
I peeked around cautiously for a while—the shop didn’t have much left.
Then I noticed a note on the wooden board that said: “For any inquiries, please call the owner...”
So I decided to disturb Grandpa Han’s nap time and gave him a call.
When kind-hearted Grandpa Han answered and heard that the twists were all gone,
He was surprised and said, “No? I just restocked 20 packs, wait a sec～”
Business is really booming here huh? How do you all find these hidden gems?
It didn’t take long before we saw Grandpa Han slowly walking out from a nearby little house,
After greeting us,
he slowly pulled open the screen door displaying the business hours and started restocking with bundles of twisted dough sticks,
And the door wasn’t even locked either—this is truly a “trust-based” little shop.

 

Grandpa Han is a very kind-hearted elderly man from Shandong,
who retreated to Taiwan with the military after the August 23rd Artillery Bombardment and settled in Fenglin.
To supplement his family’s income, he started making twisted dough sticks and “Two-Love-Good” snacks.
In the past, he used to deliver them by bike early in the morning, but now that he’s older,
he opened this honesty shop, letting customers pay what they feel is right.
These little bundles of dough sticks not only come in mini packaging—the sticks themselves are also small,
and the more you eat, the more delicious they get. Finishing a whole pack at once is definitely no problem at all.

 

Calculate the amount you need to pay and don’t forget to drop your money into the shop’s coin slot.
Even while Grandpa Han was right next to us continuing to restock steamed buns and Two-Love-Good snacks,
he didn’t even glance at us to check how much we put in.
This… is not just talk about trust—it’s total nonchalance.

 

After finishing the restocking, Grandpa Han also packed the leftover Two-Love-Good snacks from the previous batch into a bag,
and generously said in his Shandong accent, “Here, take these for free~” What a nice guy.
Usually when you come to buy and Grandpa Han isn’t around, you might not be able to get change,
unless you call out for him,
but since a pack of dough sticks is just 25 NT dollars and four packs are 100 NT dollars,
it’s easy to just pay with a 100-dollar bill—no need to bother the old man.

 

I originally just wanted to buy one pack to try it out,
but because this shop left such a deep impression on me,
and the dough sticks tasted so crispy—not too hard or sticky to the point of being sickly,
plus the portions are small, which makes them great for gifts,
I quickly turned back and bought several more packs.
Grandpa Han is restocking again... ^O^

 

Next time you’re in Fenglin, make sure to swing by and grab a few packs of these little dough sticks.
With its signature dough sticks, paired with the shop’s simple and honest vibe, plus Grandpa Han’s warmth and friendliness,
A bite of the twisted cruller reveals a medley of distinctive flavors that linger on the palate.
Grandpa Han’s Honest Twisted Cruller

Address: No. 61, Zhonghe Road, Fenglin Township, Hualien County
Phone: 03-876-2911
Business Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–00:00

Written by Lin A’ni, all articles are published on “Ani Smile.” Welcome everyone to join the “Fan Page ” to show your support and encouragement.