Chapter 196 – 197: Calling Numbers to Dine
The restaurant was bustling with business.
All the private rooms on the second floor were full, and every dining table on the first floor was also occupied. A temporary resting area had been set up at the entrance where many people gathered, waiting for a table. Chinese have a habit of flocking to lively places, so inevitably, more people squeezed in there.
Many passersby saw the queue outside the restaurant and naturally pressed towards it, wishing they could squeeze in and secure a spot. Whether the food at this restaurant was good or not was a different matter.
However, this was exactly the kind of effect that Xiao Han and the team were aiming for, as long as they could attract people, as long as there were custors willing to co in and spend. Xiao Han was confident about keeping their patronage. If they did not co the first ti, it was the custor’s fault. If they did not co a second ti, it was the restaurant’s fault.
“Director Yang, the business is too overwhelming, we can’t keep up,” a server hastily entered the private room.
“Is the resting area by the entrance also overfilled?” Yang Lu asked in a low voice.
“Yes, there was an altercation among the custors at the door, and they started fighting,” the server said anxiously, “What should we do?”
“Where’s Manager Liu?” asked Yang Lu.
“Manager Liu is busy,” the server replied helplessly, saying, “We can’t handle this situation right now, what should we do?”
“Don’t panic!” Yang Lu shook her head, then said, “Leave this matter to to handle.”
“Okay!” The server nodded.
Then, Yang Lu hurried out. Outside, two n had just been pulled apart, both accompanied by their girlfriends to dine. The taller man had cut in line, which the other clearly did not appreciate, and did not want to lose face in front of his girlfriend, so he chose to fight back. The two instantly ca to blows.
Fortunately, the restaurant staff quickly separated them, waiting for Yang Lu to deal with it.
“Gentlen, I’m really sorry!” Yang Lu said with an apologetic face, “I didn’t expect our restaurant’s opening to cause you such trouble.”
“Humph!” Both n snorted coldly, unwilling to back down from the other.
“How about this,” Yang Lu quickly said, “I’ll give both of you two 100-yuan cash vouchers for free. Whenever you co to dine, you can use these cash vouchers without conditions. How does that sound?”
Upon hearing this, both parties nodded in agreent. After all, the incident had nothing to do with the restaurant, it was their own doing. So, they could only accept the conditions, took the cash vouchers, and continued to stand in line.
Yang Lu glanced at the queuing crowd and quickly told the server, “Go call Manager Liu over.”
“Yes!” The server nodded.
Soon, Liu Xiaolei ca out, her face covered with sweat. She asked hastily, “Director Yang, what’s the matter?”
“Xiao Lei, there are too many people here, we can’t use the queuing thod anymore,” Yang Lu quickly said.
“Right!” Liu Xiaolei wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, “I was just thinking about discussing this with you. We can adopt a number-calling system. This way, custors don’t need to queue; they just wait for us to call their numbers.”
“That’s a good thod,” Yang Lu nodded and said, “Also, inform all consurs that for every minute they patiently wait outside, we’ll offer them a one-yuan discount.”
“What?” Liu Xiaolei was taken aback by this bold decision. There were so many people lined up outside; nobody knew how long the custors inside would take to leave. Liu Xiaolei looked at Yang Lu awkwardly and said, “Director Yang, isn’t this thod a bit too bold?”
“No problem!” Yang Lu shook her head and said, “If we don’t have even this bit of courage, then there’s no point in doing business.”
“Yes!” Liu Xiaolei imdiately nodded.
Afterward, Liu Xiaolei urgently gathered two servers to arrange for those waiting custors outside. One distributed numbers to them, and the other was responsible for calling out numbers. Every server in the restaurant was equipped with a walkie-talkie so that tables could be coordinated at any ti. The servers outside were ready to adapt on the fly.
“What? Wait for a minute, get a one-yuan discount?”
“That’s great? Now I can wait patiently.”
When the anxious custors outside heard this, their mood instantly eased. They almost wished they could wait a little longer because for every minute they waited, it ant one yuan less to pay. They seed very happy and quite excited.
“I’ve never heard of such a good deal.”
“Right, I’ve never heard of it before either.”
“Hehe, just don’t know how long the restaurant can keep this up. This policy is good, but it’s a losing business for the restaurant,” so people discussed. However, it seed they forgot that the restaurant had a large flow of people, with individuals continuously leaving, making it possible to imdiately arrange for new custors to enter.
As long as a continuous stream of custors kept coming in, the restaurant didn’t need to worry about losing money; they could definitely make a fortune. Yang Lu’s temporary strategy was not an impulsive decision, but a deeply considered idea.
Actually, Yang Lu had already thought of it when the first store was established. At that ti, Store No. 1 wasn’t as popular as this one. Now, with such a booming business here, Yang Lu imdiately threw out her idea.
More and more custors lined up outside the door.
This ti was just the peak for restaurants, and being in the city center, both shoppers and off-workers needed to eat, with plenty of ti on their hands. From twelve noon to two in the afternoon, a full two hours, they were patient enough to wait.
As the news spread, even more people joined the queue. The restaurant’s waitstaff were stunned, inadvertently handing out twenty to thirty numbers. And the restaurant was already at full capacity, without a single empty table.
Liu Xiaolei was both shocked and delighted when she saw this scene.
She was shocked by the sheer number of people, fearing that the kitchen and dining hall would be overwheld; but delighted that on the first day of opening, so many were lining up to eat. Of course, one reason was Yang Lu’s decision-making, and another was the renown Hann had already established.
In LJ city, Hann Catering had already ford a brand. It radiated out from Store No. 1, spreading across the entire Wangjiang District and the whole of LJ city.
The restaurant was busy until 2:10 pm when the queue at the door finally disappeared. The restaurant gradually quieted down after that.
From 10:30 in the morning, they were busy until 3:00 in the afternoon.
During this ti, the flas in the kitchen never died down. Liu Xiaolei was so tired that she slumped into a chair. Her white blouse was completely soaked through, and her work clothes were also drenched. Many of the waitstaff were running around so much their legs were close to cramping.
After finishing her al, Yang Lu also joined the busy crew. Xiao Han and Li Dapang were both so exhausted they could hardly catch their breath.
“Xiao Lei, are you okay?” Xiao Han asked.
“I’m fine,” Liu Xiaolei shook her head, her complexion a bit pale.
“Go and rest when you get back!” Xiao Han said urgently, “Look at you, so tired you’re dizzy and your face looks really bad.”
“It’s nothing, I’ll just sit for a bit,” Liu Xiaolei shook her head, “Everyone’s tired, and our colleagues in the kitchen are worn out too. However, it’s heartening that our business was so busy at lunch. I believe today’s turnover won’t be low.”
“But it won’t be much higher either,” Xiao Han said with a smile, “Today is promotional day with fifty percent discounts. Although business is good, the turnover shouldn’t be too high.”
“The results are in,” Yang Lu imdiately announced.
“How is it?” Liu Xiaolei asked eagerly.
“Twenty-eight thousand,” Yang Lu replied.
“Not bad,” Xiao Han nodded in satisfaction, “If it was a normal consumption day, that would have been fifty-six thousand. And that’s just for lunch. If the evening continues to be this busy, won’t we break a hundred thousand in turnover?”
“Not bad at all,” Yang Lu nodded.
“It seems our Hann Catering’s signboard is getting hotter and hotter,” Zhao Lizhong said with a chuckle, “In no ti, once the five restaurants open up, hey, who can compete with us? Before long, the entirety of LJ city will probably be under Hann Catering’s domain.”
“Brother Zhao, our sights are not just on LJ city,” Xiao Han said with a smile to Zhao Lizhong, “We need to look further ahead. Once the five restaurants in LJ city are up and running, we’ll move into the provincial city, and then spread Hann Catering across the entire Z province.”
“Exactly, exactly!” everyone nodded in agreent.
“Xiao Han, your ambition is not just that, right?” Zhao Lizhong asked, “You must want to expand Hann Catering across all of China, don’t you?”
“That’s the idea,” Xiao Han nodded, “But it’s a big challenge. And catering is just one aspect. In the future, our industries will only grow more diverse. Eventually, we will establish Hann Group.”
“Great!” Zhao Lizhong was overjoyed at hearing this, “I love young people with ambition like you. Although I’m old, I still have a fighting spirit. While my fighting spirit hasn’t been extinguished, I need to strive as much as I can.”
Everyone appeared spirited and eager.
Li Dapang, holding a cigarette to the side, had a look of smug satisfaction. He watched Xiao Han with a grin, and all of a sudden, Li Dapang felt as if he was in a different era. He never would have imagined that Xiao Han could have co this far.
Thinking back to the days when they opened the Hann Training Class, Li Dapang had taken out the few hundred yuan he had, and Xiao Han had turned that money into tens of thousands at the casino. Then, they used that money to start the Hann Training Class, advancing step by step to where they were today. It all felt like a dream, as if it could shatter at any mont.
Li Dapang was full of emotion, truly astonished at how greatly a person could change, leaving one to question the entirety of life.
That night, Hann Catering’s Second Store was as busy as ever. The news that waiting ti could be exchanged for money spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred. Many people ca to try sothing new. During dinner ti, the second-floor private rooms and the first-floor dining hall were packed to the brim. People sward the place.
At the entrance, the queue was so packed that staff had to use a gaphone to call out numbers.
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