Siheyuan: Starting as a Chef Apprentice

The brochure is beautifully produced, and details the restaurant's cuisine features, such as "Our fusion cuisine cleverly combines the delicious fresh seafood from Weishan Lake with unique flavors from around the world. Each dish is a wonderful journey for your taste buds", as well as special offers for the new store opening, "In the first week of opening, all items will be 20% off, and there will be buy one get one free surprises", and it also showcases the unique concept of fusion cuisine with pictures and texts.

In a busy square, a young mother passed by with her child. The staff immediately came up to her and handed her a brochure: "Hello, this is the brochure of our Wang's full-line restaurant. Our new store will open soon. There are many preferential activities. The dishes are also very special. It is especially suitable for the whole family to taste.

There is also a children's menu here, the kids will definitely like it.”

The young mother took the brochure and flipped through it with interest.

In order to attract more customers, Wang Jianye also decided to launch a "buy one get one free" promotion during the opening of the new store, that is, customers can get a special snack or drink for free when they buy a main course.

Once this activity was launched, it was like a bombshell and attracted great attention locally.

On the opening day, a long line formed in front of the new store early in the morning.

The early morning sun shone on the people queuing, as they chatted and waited in anticipation.

A gray-haired old man stood in the line and said excitedly: "I've heard that the dishes of this restaurant are very special. Today is the opening day and there are such big discounts. I must come and try it."

From time to time, bursts of laughter and expectant words were heard in the team.

Customers flocked into the store to taste the freshly-made fusion cuisine.

Inside the store, waiters enthusiastically guided customers to their seats, handed them menus, and introduced the dishes in detail.

In the kitchen, the chefs were busy as delicious fusion dishes were served one after another, filling the entire restaurant with enticing aromas.

"Lake Fresh Feast" Seeing that the new Wang's restaurant stores were so popular when they opened, Zhou Dashan was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

He paced back and forth in the office, muttering to himself, "No, we can't let them continue to develop smoothly like this."

He decided to fight back again from the service side.

He invested a large amount of money and hired professional service trainers to provide comprehensive training for the service staff in the store.

In the training room, the service trainer stood on the podium and carefully explained the etiquette standards: "Smiling is the first step in service, it must come from the heart, and showing eight teeth is the best.

Stand tall with your feet slightly apart and your hands hanging naturally.

Walk with a light, steady step."

The waiters sat in the audience, listening carefully and taking notes from time to time.

The trainers also use simulated scenarios to teach waiters how to communicate effectively with customers and how to handle customer complaints.

At the same time, Zhou Dashan launched a "Customer Satisfaction Survey" campaign, placing questionnaires on each table and promising to give certain rewards to customers who put forward valuable opinions, such as coupons, small gifts, etc., in order to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Facing the counterattack from "Lake Fresh Feast", all Wang's restaurants were not willing to be outdone.

Wang Jianye personally came to the restaurant and mobilized the waiters: "Listen carefully, service is an important part of our hotel.

From the moment customers walk in, they should feel warm and cared for.

When customers come in, they should be greeted with a smile, guided to a seat, and handed menus and tea.

When customers are dining, we should always pay attention to their needs, add tea and clean the table in time.

Remember, the devil is in the details.”

Chen Yu established a customer feedback mechanism, set up a suggestion box in the restaurant, and arranged for special personnel to visit customers after they have finished their meals to collect their opinions and suggestions in a timely manner and adjust the dishes and services based on the feedback.

When a customer complained that a certain dish tasted bland, Chef Li immediately led the chef team to adjust the seasoning; when a customer suggested that the music volume in the restaurant was too loud and affected the conversation, Chen Yu immediately arranged for staff to optimize the music playback.

In this fierce business war for territory expansion, Wang's entire chain of restaurants and "Lake Fresh Feast" were fighting back and forth, neither side giving in.

……

With the grand opening of the new store of Wang's All-Series Restaurant Weishan Lake branch after intensive decoration, the lively scene made Zhou Dashan of the "Lake Fresh Feast" feel very uneasy.

In the mid-1990s when communications were not yet well developed, word-of-mouth became a key factor in competition in the catering market.

Zhou Dashan knew this very well, so he secretly arranged people to spread rumors that were unfavorable to all of Wang's restaurants in local vegetable markets, bazaars and other crowded places.

"Have you heard that the newly opened Wang's restaurant uses cheap ingredients that are not fresh?"

A thin man with twinkling eyes was standing in front of the fish stall in the vegetable market, speaking mysteriously to the people buying vegetables around him.

When the people around heard this, they all looked at him curiously, some looked puzzled, and some began to discuss in a low voice.

Over at Wang’s entire hotel chain, Wang Jianye also noticed something unusual.

Among the customers who come to dine, some occasionally ask questions such as the source and freshness of the ingredients.

Wang Jianye was keenly aware that this might be a competitor behind the scenes.

He summoned Chen Yu and Master Li and said seriously, "Something is not right recently. It must be Zhou Dashan who is behind this.

We can’t just sit there and wait for things to happen. We have to let our customers really feel the freshness and quality of our ingredients.”

Therefore, Chef Li personally led the chef team to the lakeside of Weishan Lake before dawn every morning to purchase the freshest lake seafood directly from the fishermen.

They also specially invited some customer representatives to go to the purchasing site together so that customers can see with their own eyes their strict control over the quality of the ingredients.

A gray-haired old man, as a customer representative, looked at the lively fish and shrimp just caught from the lake and couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Your ingredients look fresh and safe to eat."

Chef Li also put a lot of effort into the storage and processing of ingredients.

In the kitchen, the newly purchased freezer properly preserves the ingredients, and the chefs strictly follow the operating specifications to handle each ingredient to ensure the quality of the dishes.

At the same time, they set up a transparent food display area in the restaurant, where fresh ingredients are placed, and the source and purchase time of the ingredients are marked next to them so that customers can see it at a glance when dining.

Faced with malicious slander against the "Lake Fresh Feast", Wang Jianye and his team did not just limit their response to the ingredients.

Through his connections, Chen Yu contacted Lao Zhang, a well-known local food critic.

Lao Zhang often publishes food review articles in local newspapers and is quite influential in the local food circle.

Chen Yu personally visited Lao Zhang and sincerely invited him to come to Wang's full-line restaurants to taste the dishes, hoping that he could give an objective evaluation.

Lao Zhang came to Wang's Quanxi Restaurant and was full of praise after tasting the fusion food.

He was particularly impressed by a dish made with Weishan Lake carp and Korean kimchi: "This dish cleverly combines the freshness of lake fish with the sourness and spiciness of kimchi. The taste is rich and memorable. From the freshness of the ingredients to the cooking techniques, you can see the care put into this restaurant."

Not long after, Lao Zhang published a long review article on all Wang's restaurants in the newspaper, praising their innovative dishes, high-quality ingredients and thoughtful service.

Once this article was published, it immediately caused a sensation in the local area. Many customers who were originally skeptical came to try it, and the hotel's customer flow once again reached a peak.

Zhou Dashan became more and more anxious when he saw that the business of all Wang’s restaurants was getting better and better.

He paced back and forth in the office of "Lake Fresh Feast", frowning, and kept muttering: "This won't do. We can't let them take away our business like this."

After much thought, he decided to fight back with delivery services.

In the mid-1990s, food delivery services were not as popular as they are today, but "Lake Fresh Feast" took the lead in launching a simple food delivery service locally, relying on the connections and resources accumulated over the years.

Zhou Dashan gritted his teeth, took out his savings of many years, and bought several second-hand motorcycles.

Although these motorcycles look a bit shabby, they can still be driven on the road after simple repairs and maintenance.

He personally selected several strong waiters who were familiar with the local road conditions, and arranged for them to deliver meals to the surrounding office buildings and residential areas on motorcycles.

In order to attract more orders, Zhou Dashan also launched preferential activities for group meal orders.

He sent his marketing manager Liu Hai to various companies and organizations to promote the product with carefully prepared promotional materials.

Liu Hai walked into the office of a large company and said to the person in charge with a smile on his face: "Hello, our 'Lake Fresh Feast' has launched a group meal ordering promotion. As long as your company's one-time meal order reaches a certain amount, we can not only deliver the meal for free, but also give a substantial discount.

Our dishes are all made with the freshest seafood from Weishan Lake, and the taste is absolutely authentic. You can try our samples first.”

As he spoke, he took out several carefully prepared dish samples from the incubator and placed them on the table.

This move has indeed attracted orders from many companies and units.

For a while, the deliverymen of "Lake Fresh Feast" rode motorcycles through the streets and alleys, and the thermal boxes on the back seats were filled with delicious lake fresh dishes.

The hotel business seemed to be picking up again, and Zhou Dashan showed a smug smile on his face.

However, faced with this "lake fresh feast" initiative, Wang Jianye and his team fell into deep thought.

In the meeting room of Wang's Hotel, the atmosphere was solemn.

Chen Yu sat at the conference table, crossed his arms over his chest, and after thinking for a moment, he said: "We can also provide meal delivery services, but we need to make them differentiated.

We can provide a wider range of delivery and guarantee the speed and temperature of the food.”

Wang Jianye nodded slightly, and said with a firm look in his eyes: "Yes, we want customers to enjoy the food as deliciously as if they were eating in the restaurant.

This is our goal and the key to our success in this competition.”

As a result, all Wang’s hotels took quick action.

Wang Jianye took out a sum of money without hesitation and bought a batch of brand new bicycles.

The bodies of these bicycles are uniformly painted with the logos and promotional slogans of all Wang's hotels, making them particularly eye-catching in the sun.

At the same time, he also equipped the deliverymen with special insulated boxes, which used advanced insulation materials at the time and could effectively maintain the temperature of the dishes.

In order to ensure that the deliverymen can deliver meals to customers quickly and accurately, Chen Yu personally organized strict training.

In the backyard of the restaurant, the waiters stood in a neat row, listening carefully to Chen Yu's explanation.

“Everyone, please pay attention. When delivering food, you must be familiar with the surrounding roads and community distribution.

You must remember where the gate of each community is and which building is located.

If you encounter an unfamiliar road, you should ask passers-by in time and never delay the delivery time. "

As Chen Yu spoke, he spread out a huge map of the Weishan Lake area on the ground and marked the routes of each area in detail for the deliverymen.

After the training, the deliverymen began field drills.

They rode bicycles through the streets and alleys, simulating the food delivery process according to the route planning plan made by Chen Yu.

During a drill, a young delivery man named Xiao Wang accidentally took the wrong road, causing a delay in the delivery.

After Chen Yu learned about it, he did not blame him, but patiently helped him analyze the reasons and replan the route.

“Xiao Wang, although there was a small problem this time, it’s okay.

Our goal is to discover problems and solve them in a timely manner through drills.

Next time you encounter this situation, you can give the customer a call to explain the situation and then adjust the route as quickly as possible.

Remember, the quality of our service is directly related to the reputation of the hotel.”

In order to further improve the efficiency of food delivery, Chen Yu also developed a detailed food delivery route planning plan.

He arranges the deliverymen's itinerary reasonably according to the traffic conditions and order distribution in different time periods.

During the lunch rush, there were more orders near office buildings, so he arranged most of the deliverymen to deliver food in this area; and at dinner time, the number of orders from residential areas increased, so he adjusted the distribution of deliverymen in a timely manner.

At the same time, he also established a simple order scheduling system, keeping in touch with the delivery staff through walkie-talkies, keeping track of the delivery progress at all times, and adjusting the delivery tasks in a timely manner.

In terms of price, the two sides also launched a fierce competition.

In order to attract customers, "Lake Fresh Feast" has been continuously lowering the prices of its set meals, and has even launched some special price sets that are below cost price.

Zhou Dashan knew that although doing so could attract customers in the short term, it would have a great impact on the restaurant's profits in the long run.

But in order to gain an advantage in this competition, he couldn't care less.

All Wang's hotels have adopted a flexible pricing strategy.

After market research and cost accounting, Chen Yu launched exclusive meal delivery discounts for members.

As long as you become a member of Wang's entire restaurant chain, you can not only enjoy discounts on dishes, but also get a certain reduction in delivery fees. (End of this chapter)