txolops Chapter 112 The Arrogance and Disdain of the Western Restaurant
Chapter 112 The Arrogance and Disdain of the Western Restaurant
At the same time.
The first floor of Yintai Plaza is a commercial area.
A high-end, romantic Western restaurant called "Rose Rendezvous" officially opened today.
To highlight its high-end positioning, the restaurant not only had a red carpet and expensive flowers laid out at the entrance, but also hired a violinist in a formal suit to play melodious classical music at the entrance.
Through the spotless, huge floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see the restaurant's luxurious crystal chandeliers and waiters dressed in black tuxedos and white gloves.
Restaurant manager Liu Rui was dressed in a sharp haute couture suit, and his hair was meticulously styled.
He stood inside the luxurious gate, his brows slightly furrowed.
It's currently peak time for people leaving the surrounding upscale office buildings and for the busiest commercial areas.
Based on their prior marketing and the VIP invitations they sent out, the restaurant should already be packed.
But now, apart from a few tables of invited VIP guests, there are almost no walk-in customers.
What Liu Rui found even more incomprehensible was that the corridor and the edge of the square outside the restaurant were clearly packed with people, and the noise was deafening.
But these people's gazes didn't linger on their new restaurant for even half a second.
"Xiao Li, go to the door and see what's going on outside?"
So many people are gathered in the passageway in front of our door, why isn't anyone coming in?
Liu Rui beckoned to the lobby manager and asked.
The lobby supervisor, Xiao Li, quickly pushed open the glass door and went out.
Less than a minute later, Xiao Li came running back, his expression somewhat strange.
"Manager Liu, those people outside... those people outside aren't here to dine at our restaurant."
Xiao Li pointed to the crowd outside and said.
"Not here to shop? Then what are you here for? Is there some kind of promotional event the mall is having today?"
Liu Rui frowned even more deeply.
"It's not a shopping mall event."
"There's a roadside stall selling fried rice with broken gold pieces next to the flower bed on the outskirts of the square."
That stall seemed to be giving away free chilled mung bean soup today; business was booming.
The queue was so long that it turned a corner and stretched all the way to the passageway in front of our restaurant.
"What did you say?"
Liu Rui was stunned for a moment, "A roadside stall selling fried rice?"
The queue stretched all the way to our restaurant's door!
"Yes...yes, manager."
You'll see for yourself when you go and take a look.
Xiao Li nodded.
Liu Rui's face instantly darkened.
He pushed open the glass door and strode out.
As soon as I stepped outside, the elegant violin music was completely drowned out by a burst of noisy commotion.
"Brother Hai! Make me a lot more mung bean paste!"
"That's so refreshing!"
"Hurry up, the smell of this fried rice is making my stomach rumble!"
Liu Rui looked in the direction of the sound.
A queue could be seen not far from the restaurant entrance.
The people queuing were a diverse group, including white-collar workers in ordinary shirts, residents taking a stroll nearby, and even young people wearing shorts and flip-flops.
Looking at this scene, Liu Rui's eyes showed disgust and contempt.
"It's simply a hodgepodge."
"The average order value here is 1,200 yuan per person!"
What we sell is the ambiance, the style, and the authentic romantic Chinese charm!
Hundreds of people are now queuing outside to eat at a roadside stall, reeking of cooking oil, and shouting loudly in front of our floor-to-ceiling windows while holding plastic bowls!
Looking at the diners, Liu Rui reprimanded the head waiter next to him, "These people are not our target customers at all!"
Their presence here only lowers the overall quality of the mall!
What do you expect from those VIPs who drive luxury cars and pursue a high quality of life?
Who would want to dine at a Western restaurant surrounded by roadside stalls?
"Manager, what should we do?"
The stall was on the edge of the square, and the queue formed on their own; our staff couldn't just go out into the street and chase people away.
Supervisor Li was in a bit of a dilemma.
"Of course we're not in a hurry; such things are for the lower classes."
Liu Rui immediately took out his phone and dialed the number of the plaza's property security department.
"Hello, this is Manager Liu from 'Rose Rendezvous' on the first floor of Yintai."
How does your security department operate?
"We're paying rent, and this is how you maintain the mall's high-end image?"
As soon as the call connected, Liu Rui questioned him without any politeness.
The security guard on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, then quickly apologized, "Manager Liu, today is your restaurant's opening day. Is there anything wrong?"
Come and see for yourselves!
A cheap roadside stall had a queue that stretched all the way to the front door of my restaurant!
The area outside is now packed with random people, completely blocking our storefront!
"Send someone over here immediately to remove that mobile vendor who is affecting the mall's image!"
If I see any more of these low-level vendors in my sight within ten minutes, I'll call the leasing director of your Yintai Group and ask him if he still wants the rent!
After saying that, Liu Rui slammed down the phone.
He glanced at the busy fried rice stall in the distance, snorted, and turned back into the air-conditioned, luxurious restaurant.
……
Three minutes later.
Yintai Plaza Security Department.
Security captain Zhang was holding a thermos, about to take a sip of tea, when his walkie-talkie suddenly rang.
"Team Leader Zhang, Team Leader Zhang, Manager Liu from the newly opened Romantic Western Restaurant on the first floor has complained that a roadside stall is seriously affecting their high-end image and has asked us to immediately drive the vendor away."
Their attitude was very firm; they said if the issue wasn't resolved within ten minutes, they would complain to the director of the business development department.
Brother Zhang put down his thermos and frowned deeply.
"Are street vendors affecting shops?"
Brother Zhang pressed the walkie-talkie and said, "Okay, I understand. I'll personally lead a team over to take a look."
"Have Xiao Wang and Xiao Li bring their equipment and come with me."
Soon after, Brother Zhang, accompanied by two uniformed security guards, quickly arrived at the first floor of the plaza.
As soon as he reached the vicinity of the "Rose Rendezvous" Western restaurant, Brother Zhang stopped.
Looking at the line in front of him, Brother Zhang gasped.
"Goodness, this line is much longer than it was the other day!"
The security guard next to him, Xiao Wang, also widened his eyes. "Brother Zhang, isn't this Boss Lin's fried rice stall?"
Brother Zhang looked in the direction of the line.
In the distance, by the flower bed, Lin Chen was standing in front of the stove, tossing the food.
Wang Hai, standing nearby, was busy sweating profusely as he packed fried rice and mung bean soup for the customers.
The entire stall was tidy, with not a single piece of extra trash on the ground, and the truck even had several large black trash bags attached to the back.
Brother Zhang had always had a very good impression of Lin Chen's stall.
Mr. Lin is a man of principle who doesn't cause trouble for security, and his fried rice is truly exceptional.
But now, the problem is that business is too good.
The free chilled mung bean soup served today completely ignited the enthusiasm of the diners.
The queue unknowingly extended into the corridor of the shopping area, and the diners who had bought food had nowhere to sit, so they spread out and stood to eat.
All of this, by sheer coincidence, fell right into the sight of that newly opened upscale Western restaurant.
"Captain Zhang!"
The door to the Western restaurant was pushed open, and Liu Rui came out with the head waiter, Xiao Li.
"Manager Liu, congratulations on your opening."
Brother Zhang put on a professional smile and went to greet them.
"No need for formalities."
Liu Rui, with a stern face, pointed to the stalls in the distance, "You've seen the situation."
We run a high-end catering business, serving the elite of society.
You've let a roadside stall have such long queues here, making this place smoky and chaotic, like a slum!
"Manager Liu, you're too kind."
Brother Zhang tried to keep his tone calm, "That Mr. Lin's stall didn't actually cross the line."
His stall was located on the outer edge of the square, in a public area.
"There were just too many customers queuing up today, so the line only extended to your side."
"I don't care if he crossed the line or not!"
Liu Rui interrupted Zhang Ge: "All I know is that I've paid the rent now!"
I am a merchant in your mall!
You have an obligation to maintain the upscale environment in front of my shop!
Liu Rui pointed at the diners who were eating: "Look at these people, squatting here eating with broken plastic bowls, it's an eyesore!"
What if a VIP guest comes to our restaurant later and steps on the oil stains? Who will be responsible?
Is this how your security department operates?
Zhang was uncomfortable with Liu Rui's words, but the other party was a merchant after all, and he, as a security captain, couldn't afford to offend him.
"Manager Liu, I understand what you mean."
"The queue is indeed obstructing the aisle. I'll go and coordinate with them to move the queue to another location as much as possible so as not to affect your business."
Brother Zhang tried to compromise and save Lin Chen's business.
"Move it? No way!"
Liu Rui refused, saying, "This kind of low-class roadside stall doesn't deserve to be within the sight of our high-end restaurant!"
My request is simple: get that stall out of here immediately!
"Manager Liu, this..."
Zhang was in a dilemma. Boss Lin hadn't broken any rules, so why should he kick him out?
"What? Captain Zhang can't even handle this small matter?"
Liu Rui sneered, took out his phone, and said, "Since your security department is useless, I'll call Mr. Li from the investment promotion department right now and have him teach you how to protect the rights of your merchants!"
Upon hearing "General Manager Li from the Investment Promotion Department," Brother Zhang sighed inwardly.
A higher-ranking official can have a crushing effect, especially a senior executive in a large corporation who can directly threaten their livelihood.
If things really escalate, it will definitely be these low-level security guards who get fired in the end.
"Manager Liu, please don't make that call."
Brother Zhang raised his hand and stopped him.
He glanced at the fried rice stall in the distance and finally spoke helplessly.
"Okay, our security department will handle this."
Brother Zhang picked up the walkie-talkie from his waist.
"Xiao Wang, Xiao Li, come with me."
Brother Zhang, accompanied by two security guards, walked through the queue and headed straight for Lin Chen's fried rice stall.