Many old shops have gone belly up over the years, such as Tai-chung Bah Oan, Chang-hua Oyster Thin Noodles and one of the first spicy hot-pot shops, because to survive here, food needs to be both tasty and cheap.
江湖氣濃厚的張世仁直言，之前很多老店來這裡都「死翹翹」，如台中肉圓、彰化蚵仔麵線、麻辣火鍋創始店等，因為在這裡除了東西好吃，還要加上「賣相」和「便宜」。