Thank you at a chinese restaurant?!

Thank you at a chinese restaurant?

I noticed that often times when I say thank you to the waiter at a chinese restaurant when they pour some tea or serve the dish, they dont respond with your welcome or any other way a lot of times even if they understand english (usually when the waiter is age 30+). Is there some way to say thank you so that they respond? Like my dad sed you tap on the table with 2 fingers (index) cuz he saw other ppl in a chinese restaurant we were eatin at do dat. But iono bout that

My aunt used to own a chinese restaurant. It is traditional that you tap to express thanks whille he pours your tea. Pouring the tea is the customary response to the patron that he has been honoured to serve you. If the waiter does not pour your tea, you either are quick to not notice that they are being respectful in not interrupting your eating. In some asian cultures, it is rude to bother someone while he/she is eating. Dining is sometimes seen as a ritual to people. A waiter or waitress or a servant is deemed to always not speak or say a word, unless spoken to in important matters. This dates back to a Chinese emperor during Qing Dynasty. A servant from a tea house took his turn to pouring the tea, the emperor was traveling incognito and thanked his servant by tapping for keeping his identity silent.

Make sure that when you go to your next Chinese restaurant, you leave the lid open for them to refill your empty pot.

The best way to say thanks to your server is to bow quickly.

It is not wise to speak or have them speak to you while you are eating/dining.
If you have a question about the menu or the dish, simply ask for the manager, never the waiter. Most waiters younger than 25 are apt to help and take upon themselves (if they're not too busy during dim sum time) Older waiters usually are not familiar w. American service rules. A better way: ask to keep the menu.