[Table Notes](https://taiwantable.com/news/weekly) October 19, 2026 ================== Published October 19, 2026 Table Notes rounds up the week's Taiwan food and travel news from Chinese- and English-language sources. Dates, prices, and promotions change quickly; check the linked source before planning around one. Typhoon Champi may bring warnings Thursday and heavy rain Friday and Saturday. Also this week: Starbucks has discount food items after 7pm, McDonald's black burgers and two free-to-attend events. This week in brief ------------------ - — [Typhoon Champi: sea warning possible Thursday 22 October; heavy rain likely in the north and east on 23–24 October.](#news-openings) - — [Starbucks Taiwan sells a second drink at half price when you drink in, no app needed.](#deals-promos) - — [Starbucks marks down leftover pastries, cakes and sandwiches 30% after 7pm daily.](#deals-promos) - — [McDonald's squid-ink black burgers go on sale 21 October, from NT$109.](#news-openings) - — [Kaohsiung's salted crispy chicken carnival brings 88 food brands together on 24 and 25 October.](#festivals-events) News & Openings --------------------- ### Typhoon Champi: sea warning possible Thursday 氣象署估強颱薔琵從台灣東部海面北上機率高 最快周四發海警 Warnings expected October 21–23; closest approach October 23–24 The Central Weather Administration says a sea warning could be issued early Thursday 22 October, with a land warning possible Thursday night or early Friday. The most likely track takes Champi north through the sea off eastern Taiwan without landfall, but the storm circle may clip New Taipei and Yilan on Friday and the track is still unsettled. Anyone in northern Taiwan, Yilan, Hualien or the central mountains on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October should expect heavy to extremely heavy rain; Champi is expected to stay a severe typhoon through Friday morning and weaken by Saturday. Long swells are forecast on eastern coasts including Lanyu, Lyudao and the Hengchun Peninsula from 20 October, and on the Keelung north coast and Matsu from 21 October. [ via 中央社 CNA (Chinese) ](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202610180141.aspx) ![McDonald's](https://taiwan-table.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/1196/conversions/mcdonalds-chip.webp)### McDonald's launches squid-ink black burgers on 21 October 麥當勞松露黑堡10月21日開賣！海苔搖搖薯條、巧克力三角派回歸 October 21 – November 24, 2026 · Burgers with hash brown NT$119 / NT$189 set; without hash brown NT$109 / NT$179 set; salad NT$149 / NT$219 set McDonald's across Taiwan puts five new mains on a bun made with natural squid ink on sale from 10:30 on 21 October, until 24 November or while supplies last. There is a four-ounce Angus beef burger and a crispy chicken-thigh burger, each with a hash brown and truffle sauce, at NT$119 alone or NT$189 as a set. Both are also sold without the hash brown at NT$109 alone or NT$179 as a set. A salad with black crispy chicken thigh, lettuce and quinoa is NT$149, or NT$219 as a set. [ via 經濟日報 Economic Daily News (Chinese) ](https://money.udn.com/money/story/5612/9823607) ### Taiwan eases eligibility rules for tour guide exams 導遊領隊應考資格放寬 觀光署盼增人力 Published October 18, 2026 The Tourism Administration has dropped the high-school diploma requirement for tour guides and tour leaders. Current and former students at public and private tertiary institutions, and students in year four or above of five-year junior colleges, may now sit the assessment. Chinese translations of foreign diplomas no longer need to be separately verified or notarised. As of September 2026 Taiwan had 49,345 registered tour guides and 74,724 tour leaders. [ via 中央社 CNA (Chinese) ](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202610180024.aspx) Deals & Promos -------------------- ![Starbucks](https://taiwan-table.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/1195/conversions/starbucks-chip.webp)### Starbucks Taiwan: half-price second drink when you sit in 內用飲料續杯5折優惠 Standing offer since February 12, 2025, no end date · 50% off the second drink; first drink must be full price Buy a full-price drink at a Starbucks in Taiwan and drink it in, and you can buy a second, different drink at half price at the same store on the same day. No app or membership is needed, just the receipt or order slip. Use your own cup or the store's in-house cup for both drinks, order them separately, and collect the second before you leave. It does not apply at drive-throughs, on delivery or pre-orders, or at one named Taipei store. Bottled drinks, the coffee trio, ice-cream drinks and alcoholic drinks are excluded, and swapping to oat or almond milk voids the discount. [ via Starbucks Taiwan official (Chinese) ](https://www.starbucks.com.tw/stores/allevent/show.jspx?n=4353) ![Starbucks](https://taiwan-table.sfo3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/media/1195/conversions/starbucks-chip.webp)### Starbucks Taiwan: 30% off leftover food after 7pm 星巴克珍食計畫｜晚間7點後指定糕點七折 Daily after 7pm; standing offer since January 1, 2023 · 30% off designated items Every day after 7pm, Starbucks stores in Taiwan sell designated food that expires at midnight at 30% off, including bread, sandwiches, cakes and freshly baked items. No app or membership is needed; you buy from the shelf, and stock is limited to what each store has left. It does not apply at stores that close before 7pm, and cannot be used with electronic vouchers, delivery, phone orders, mobile pre-order or other discounts. [ via Starbucks Taiwan official (Chinese) ](https://www.starbucks.com.tw/stores/allevent/show.jspx?n=2313) Festivals & Events ------------------------ ### Kaohsiung salted crispy chicken carnival, 88 brands 高雄秋季觀光活動 單車遊、鹹酥雞嘉年華陸續登場 Carnival October 24–25, 2026; Weiwuying event November 7–8 Kaohsiung's Tourism Bureau holds a salted crispy chicken carnival at the Kaohsiung Far Eastern Department Store on 24 and 25 October, with 88 food brands from across Taiwan. The bureau also runs an outdoor-living event at Weiwuying on 7 and 8 November, with styled camping, chef-led cooking and family activities. No admission prices are published for either; enquiries go through the city's travel site and the bureau's app. [ via 中央社 CNA (Chinese) ](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aloc/202610180098.aspx) ### Taroko National Park's 40th anniversary concert series 太魯閣峽谷藝術音樂季「迴聲40」 優人神鼓12/5主場演出 October 24–25, November 14–15, December 5, 2026 · 5 December finale free to attend Taroko National Park's "Echo 40" music and arts season opened on 18 October with percussion group U-Theatre. Four cultural performances follow on 24 and 25 October and 14 and 15 November, before the main event on 5 December in morning and afternoon sessions. The 5 December finale at Taroko Terrace is free and adds local food and craft stalls, food trucks and a drumming booth where visitors can try the troupe's drums. The line-up includes U-Theatre, the Little Greenery, a Hualien vocational high school indigenous dance team and three further acts. No ticketing information has been published for the performances. [ via 中央社 CNA (Chinese) ](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aloc/202610190031.aspx) [ ← October 12, 2026 ](https://taiwantable.com/news/weekly/2026-10-12) [ All editions ](https://taiwantable.com/news/weekly)