EFB Chapter 213 All-you-can-eat staff meals
Chapter 213 All-you-can-eat staff meals
Early the next morning, Chen Yuan returned from the wholesale market and replaced the container for the porridge with one that had better sealing and a smaller capacity.
What was originally a large bowl of porridge has been reduced to a small cup of about 250 ml.
The mung bean soup and white fungus soup have been changed to a slightly sweet and warm version. If you need ice, you can go to Hoshino Seicha across the street to add ice.
They even set up a small table with chili oil, sugar, vinegar, and other condiments on it, so that customers could adjust the seasonings to their liking after purchasing the food.
I never expected that such a small change would have such an immediate effect.
If a breakfast isn't enough, I'll just grab a bowl of porridge.
Buy a meat-filled flatbread and get a cup of mung bean soup to cut through the richness.
If you're buying fried dough sticks, buy a bowl of pork rib congee. Although the pieces of pork ribs are relatively small, there are quite a lot of them, and it's very filling.
Most importantly, after changing the container, those rushing to work are no longer afraid of spilling it.
Before 9 a.m., the freshly cooked pot from that morning was sold out, and half of the second pot that was made was also sold out.
It seems that sometimes...
As a business owner, you must carefully listen to the opinions of your customers and never act unilaterally.
On the other hand, after yesterday's adjustment period...
The three older sisters, Li, Wang, and Zhao, no longer had the awkwardness they had when they first arrived yesterday.
The three had a clear division of labor: Sister Li was responsible for dividing the dough into portions and rolling out the wrappers.
Sister Wang kept a close eye on the steamer and the heat, and even learned how to use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
Sister Zhao is in charge of the fillings and the fryer.
The three of them kept a close watch on everything and immediately filled in any gaps in their positions.
What Chen Yuan valued most was that all three of them were quick to act; as soon as Sister Li's cutting board was empty, Sister Wang had already handed over the freshly risen dough.
As soon as the steamer started steaming, Sister Zhao had already washed a wet towel and put on heat-resistant gloves.
If someone wants to drink some water, catch their breath, or go to the restroom, others can quickly take over their work in that short time.
There were no unnecessary greetings, only the crispness and efficiency honed from years of hard work.
Moreover, these three people were not only willing to put in the effort, but they also did not compete with each other. No one complained about whether they did more or less work.
Chen Yuan glanced at the three busy yet orderly figures amidst the swirling steam, and his heart gradually calmed down.
I must say, I really have to thank Zhang Liping for this.
If it weren't for her discerning eye for talent, helping him find these three excellent employees, he wouldn't know how much effort it would have taken him to evaluate them one by one.
11:30.
The flow of customers receded like the tide, and the sound of the exhaust fan in the kitchen gradually subsided.
Chen Yuan neatly arranged one basket of fresh meat buns and one basket of chive and egg buns on the steamer.
Then take off the apron and wash your hands.
"The last steamer is ready. You can rest and clean up first. You can clean up after you finish eating."
The three of them said yes, but none of them stopped. The four of them, including Aunt Li, cleaned up the room in less than ten minutes.
Chen Yuan wasn't idle either; he checked the air conditioner in the room.
On such a hot day, if there's no air conditioning in the house, you'd be steamed alive by the end of the morning.
"I feel like this air conditioner is too old and cools down too slowly. Maybe I should buy a new one online this afternoon and we can get a new one."
Aunt Li said, "I think it's okay, but it's a bit slow to cool down at first. If you ask me, don't waste your money. If it's really not working, I'll come over half an hour earlier every day to turn on the air conditioner first."
Chen Yuan knew that Aunt Li was trying to save him money, so after thinking about it, he rejected the suggestion.
"Forget it, let's just buy a new one and sell this one as a secondhand one. We can buy a new standing air conditioner; it cools down faster. It's too uncomfortable in the summer; we really can't afford to get heatstroke."
"Starting tomorrow morning, we'll cook a pot of mung bean soup every day. Drink a little whenever you have time. Just be careful not to get heatstroke. If you feel unwell, tell me immediately."
Everyone nodded.
The steamed buns were ready very quickly.
It was steaming hot and placed on the table inside the room.
"You're exhausted after working all morning. Come on, eat more. You've only had a couple of bites in between since 3 a.m., you must be starving now."
"There are plenty of steamed buns. Take as many as you want. If you want other fillings, just let me know and don't be shy."
The three of them were newcomers, and they sat down around the table, but their movements were very reserved.
One steamer basket contains 20 pieces, so two baskets contain 40 pieces. Chen Yuan knew that working women of this age had an enormous appetite, no less than that of men.
To his surprise, the three women each ate only three buns before stopping.
Chen Yuan has been selling steamed buns for so long that he knows those young girls who sit in offices can eat three in one meal. These three people are eating far too little.
Under Chen Yuan's persistent questioning, Sister Wang gave a vague answer.
"Boss Chen, these...these buns are so delicious. We'll just have a few to fill our stomachs. They sold so well this morning, please save some for our customers."
Sister Li added, "Yes, we don't need to eat that much... That's not very frugal. We work and get paid enough to eat, we wouldn't dare to eat like that."
Chen Yuan was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening.
The caution and dignity of the working class often lie hidden in their fear and hesitation.
After learning the whole story, he sighed, "So that's why? If you ask me, it's completely unnecessary. If I said I'd provide meals, I meant I'd make sure people were full. I can't just leave them with a little something to eat."
"This whole morning was spent kneading dough, moving steamers, frying dough sticks, and wrapping wontons. All this miscellaneous work would leave even a strong young man like me exhausted, let alone you guys!"
"Besides, now that you've eaten your fill, go back and rest this afternoon so you can get the work done tomorrow morning. The better you do the work, the more I earn, so eat as much as you want! I'll give you plenty of buns!"
Aunt Li wiped Hao Hao's mouth, which was dripping with oil, and then continued the conversation.
"Girls, don't worry. You're probably afraid that Boss Chen is petty. He might say you can eat whatever you want, but then he'll think you've eaten too much and deduct your wages, or just fire you altogether, right?"
The words were so blunt that everyone felt a little embarrassed.
Aunt Li has worked for Chen Yuan for so long that she has come to know him quite well.
She knew the other person wouldn't be angry, so she spoke frankly.
"Don't worry, Boss Chen isn't that kind of person. You can eat as much as you want. When I first came here, I was also afraid of eating too much and offending people. Boss Chen noticed that, but he didn't try to stop me. Every time I left, he would give me six buns so I could eat them slowly at home."
"At first I was embarrassed, but now look how comfortable I am. I eat what I'm supposed to eat."
"We've been doing manual labor all morning. If we don't get enough to eat, our bodies can't take it. Besides, we have to think about our families, even if not for ourselves, right?"