Zhou Yan hadn't expected that his initial intention was simply to use the two factory directors' invitation to promote the Twice-cooked Pork With Garlic Sprouts.
The twice-cooked pork was a successful promotion, but he hadn't anticipated that Zhou Momo's casual meal of a rice bowl would spark such great interest among the customers.
Zhou Momo is truly the restaurant's top salesperson!
Well deserved.
While the top salesperson focused in her meal, Zhou Yan pondered the questions raised by the customers.
Rice bowls are actually quite similar to noodles, emphasizing convenience and speed.
Because they eliminate the steps of making and cooking noodles, they are even faster to serve than noodles.
The biggest advantage of rice bowls is probably... whatever the restaurant has on hand.
Stir-fries and braised dishes can be topped with them, requiring no additional ingredients or costs; they are essentially derivative products.
Rice bowls with toppings are indeed delicious. Back in the school cafeteria, even if the dishes were ordinary, as long as the cafeteria lady was willing to pour a spoonful of meat broth over the rice, the meal would immediately become flavorful.
But how much does a rice bowl with toppings cost?
The price of the toppings varies, and the price can vary considerably depending on the toppings.
He also need to add a vegetable dish. Meat dishes are too expensive, and a higher meat content would drive up the price of the rice bowl.
Rice bowls are a type of fast food, so they need to be cost-effective.
The specific price range depends on the amount of toppings; adding different toppings will definitely result in different prices.
Various ideas raced through Zhou Yan's mind. He smiled and said, "The rice bowl dish isn't confirmed for now. If we do launch it, the price will vary depending on the dish, roughly similar to the price of noodles."
"You absolutely have to launch it! That way, even a single person can eat here. It would be great if the price could be a bit cheaper."
"Exactly! This rice bowl looks so convenient, and it tastes delicious too."
"I'm shy, sometimes I don't dare to take too much food when I eat with friends, and then I regret not having eaten enough of my portion. If you made rice bowls, I'd definitely come here often!"
The customers chimed in, their eyes full of anticipation for the rice bowls.
Lin Jingxing even brought his rice bowl over, "Brother Zhou Yan, could you add a spoonful of beef broth for me too?"
"Brother, me too." Lin Bingwen followed eagerly, rice bowl in hand.
"Sure, I'll add it for you." Zhou Yan smiled and took the two bowls, turning and going into the kitchen.
The other customers' mouths moved, but ultimately they held back.
Ah, this damned age!
The broth over the rice was so delicious.
Wang Hongliang and Lin Zhiqiang chatted while eating, but they both tacitly avoided talking about Sun Meili and Wang Defa, which disappointed the workers who were eager to hear gossip. They were just short of asking directly.
They arrived late, and by the time they finished eating, only two or three scattered tables remained in the restaurant.
"Comrade, the bill, please." Wang Hongliang pulled out his wallet and called out to Zhao Tieying.
"Factory Director, I'll pay, I'll pay." Lin Zhiqiang quickly got up and took out his wallet.
Wang Hongliang smiled and placed his hand on Lin Zhiqiang's, saying, "Zhiqiang, I like being with you because you're an intellectual, a technician, without all those ulterior motives. It's easy to be around you, like a friend. Friendships should be reciprocal; you treated me the day before yesterday, I'll treat you today, that's how we last."
"I also have two children with me…" Lin Zhiqiang said somewhat embarrassed.
"The two kids call me Grandpa, it's only right that we eat together." Wang Hongliang laughed.
"Okay, I'll do as the factory director says." Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiqiang stopped insisting on paying the bill.
"Total…" Zhao Tieying came over.
"Three yuan and eighty cents in total." Zhou Yan replied.
"Isn't that a bit low?" Wang Hongliang looked at him. "What about the twice-cooked pork?"
"The twice-cooked pork was an invitation for you to try; I can't charge you. After your comments just now, I'm sure I'll sell a lot of twice-cooked pork tomorrow." Zhou Yan said with a smile.
"This kid's got a sharp mind." Wang Hongliang laughed, looking at Lin Zhiqiang. "No wonder Director Su from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute said he understands advertising; he wasn't wrong at all."
"He advertises, we get free twice-cooked pork; everyone benefits." Lin Zhiqiang laughed.
"Here, this is for meal." Wang Hongliang took out some money, counted out three yuan and eighty cents, and handed it to Zhou Yan. He added, "Little Zhou, I'm aware of the factory canteen's finance department's last-minute request for a rent increase at noon today, and I've dealt with it seriously. You can rest assured that you can continue operating this restaurant; the rent won't change until the end of the year."
"At the end of the year, the factory will adjust the rent appropriately based on economic development, with the increase referencing the rent for shops in Suji Town. The fluctuation won't be too large."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan solemnly said, "With your words, I can confidently continue running the restaurant. Thank you for your keen insight and dedication to the people."
Wang Hongliang was the head of the textile factory; his words carried weight.
This way, he wouldn't have to worry about rent anymore.
Wang Hongliang waved his hand, "You should thank Zhiqiang and that girl Wang Wei for this. Otherwise, I wouldn't even know about it."
"Wang Wei?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised. Lin Zhiqiang was the one he called for help, so he should thank him, but Wang Wei… Wang…
Zhou Yan thought of Lin Zhiqiang's words that morning and realized something when he looked at Wang Hongliang.
Comrade Wang Wei, is she really that low-key?
Zhou Yan didn't want to ask about the specifics in front of the other guests. After a few casual words, he saw the group out.
"Goodbye, Sister Momo." The two Lin brothers waved to Zhou Momo.
"Goodbye, Little Guo Guo." Zhou Momo stood beside Zhou Yan's feet and waved back. Lin Zhiqiang got into the bicycle first, lifting Lin Bingwen onto the crossbar to sit on, while Lin Jingxing had already taken a running start and jumped onto the back seat.
"Dad, are you really not going to send my brother to be a chef? Other people's brothers can all cook."
"Dad, ignore him. Aren't you and Mom going to have a little sister? Other people's little sisters are so cute!"
Lin Zhiqiang, annoyed by their commotion, said sternly, "Go back and do your homework! Your mom's not here today, so I'll check your homework. I'm going for a run, and if you two haven't finished, my ruler will definitely hurt!"
"It doesn't seem to hurt that much."
"It's definitely not as painful as Mom's."
"You little rascals, you're asking for it, aren't you!" Lin Zhiqiang reached out and pinched Lin Bingwen's cheek, unable to suppress a laugh.
There was no way around it; only Meng Anhe could control these two kids.
However, this was the educational strategy they had established when the children were first born: one would play the strict role, the other the lenient one, disciplining the children while ensuring they felt the warmth of family and their parents' love.
Over the years, their two children have maintained above-average grades, not outstanding, but they have good personalities and are well-liked by teachers and classmates.
They are quite content; as first-time parents, they've already exceeded their expectations.
There can only be one number one; the other children also need to live.
If they were forced to strive for first place, they would definitely be the ones who can't survive.
…