The "Middle Ground" of Table Etiquette

For me, it really depends on the venue:

• Convenience Stores & Malls: Just clean up your own mess.
• Fast Food Restaurants: Stack everything neatly on the tray once finished. This makes it much easier for the cleaner to collect. Many fast-food chains  have heavily transitioned to digital self-ordering kiosks and mobile apps. While this technology cuts down lines at the counter, a major side effect is that management often uses it as an excuse to cut down on floor staff. When fewer workers are hired, there is nobody left to handle the dining area, leading to uncleaned tables, overflowing bins, and dirty handwashing stations.

• Full-Service Restaurants: Leave the dishes on the table, but don't scatter bones or tissues everywhere. Instead, put them neatly onto the plate. Most of these places include a service charge anyway. Even if they don't, it is ultimately the restaurant's responsibility to clean up. We shouldn't be expected to clear, wash the plates, and wipe the tables ourselves 

Furthermore, if every customer cleans up completely, will restaurants even hire cleaners anymore? Won't these workers lose their jobs? Leaving the final cleanup to the staff keeps the economic demand alive for low-skilled cleaning jobs. 

Bad Upbringing: Throwing bones on the table, spilling drinks purposefully, and leaving a chaotic, disgusting mess for a low-wage worker to scrub.

Good Upbringing: Bundling your trash tightly, nesting cups, and stacking the tray neatly so the worker can clear it instantly with zero stress. You respect their humanity by making their task as easy as possible, while still letting them do the job they are paid to do.

P.S. Personally, I usually just order Taobao anyway.