"One basket of Five Fillings Buns!"
"Two baskets of Three Meat Buns!"
"Two baskets of Five Fillings Buns, one basket of Three Meat Buns!"
"Master Qin, how much longer for the Five Fillings Buns?"
"Can we still add more Five Fillings Buns?"
"Add six more baskets of Three Meat Buns!"
According to Qin Huai's original plan, the first morning of opening should have been—
Get up at 4 AM to prepare, start leisurely at 6 AM, continue making snacks at 8 AM, end work at 12 PM and start a joyful day.
But plans can't keep up with changes.
Qin Huai knew that the residents around here had money.
With property prices like these, without money, you can't live here.
Qin Huai also knew that the office workers around here had decent salaries. After all, office rent prices nearby aren't cheap; companies without some strength couldn't rent here.
But he didn't expect everyone to be this rich.
Initially, the sales of the Three Meat Buns and Five Fillings Buns weren't great.
After all, buns generally look the same. These two buns didn't have any unique appearance, and sitting next to the neighbor's $1.50 meat buns, they seemed like the "rich man's fool's tax" product, comparable to a certain luxury brand's $4000 hair tie.
But there were always people who loved to buy them, especially during the work rush hour, there were more people buying buns.
Even if the purchase rate is only 1%, for every 1000 meat buns sold, you could still sell 10 Three Meat / Five Fillings Buns.
Most people's first reaction to getting a bun that isn't freshly steamed and too hot to touch is to take a bite.
Yunzhong Restaurant, being a cafeteria with over 700 square meters on two floors, doesn't allow people to walk out quickly enough to take that bite.
It's known that buns have an aroma.
Most of the time, it's the wheat fragrance from the dough, the standard carb taste, the morning flavor, the breakfast taste.
But obviously, the Five Fillings Bun and the Three Meat Bun have a meaty aroma much stronger than the wheat fragrance.
A hot Five Fillings Bun gives off a tempting scent upon being bitten into, not overwhelming or far-reaching, but enough to attract. Especially for those rushing early in the morning, hunger pangs in tow, needing a breakfast bite to recharge on the way to the office.
And let's not forget, there are even mukbang performers dedicated to these buns.
A bite, followed by confusion, shock, euphoria, hunger, wolfing down, wanting more, lingering, hesitant, determined, getting another one—each mukbang performer could portray these reactions in distinct styles.
But every performer was telling the audience, this bun is delicious.
Though it's expensive, it's delicious.
Can't afford a $4000 hair tie, but can't afford a discounted $24.50 bun?
Getting up early for work is hard enough, why not reward yourself with a slightly pricier bun?
Doesn't such a delicious bun entice you to try it, then post a breathtaking moment in your friend circle?
With this mindset, many diners' spending habits shifted from thinking "Wow, a $1.50 bun at 30% off, I must grab this deal," to "This $24.50 bun's flavor, I must try it."
The sales of the Three Meat Buns and the Five Fillings Buns skyrocketed.
The more people bought, the better they sold. Most people in a new store have a herd mentality—seeing everyone buy, they assume it must be good and want to try it.
And so, during the morning rush at Yunzhong Restaurant, the ridiculous scenario unfolded where $1.50 meat buns were dismissed, while $35 Five Fillings Buns were coveted.
As a result, Qin Huai not only didn't enjoy the leisurely pace he imagined, but was steaming buns in the back kitchen almost to the point of leaving afterimages.
Equally puzzled was Qin Congwen.
Having sold buns priced under two dollars his whole life, Qin Congwen struggled to understand why $1.50 big meat buns would be unpopular.
After a busy morning and ready for a break, Qin Congwen took a bite of a meat bun, recalling the taste of the Five Fillings Bun he had earlier.
Okay, when it comes to food, if the budget allows, people prioritize flavor over value for money.
In matters of talent, differences between people can be greater than the difference between humans and rolling pins.
Why are his son's buns so delicious?!
"Huaihuai," said Qin Congwen, finally idle, looking at Qin Huai who wished he had eight hands, "Can I have another Five Fillings Bun?"
"If not, a Three Meat Bun will do."
"Brother, brother, brother, I want another one too!" Qin Luo, sitting by the shelf playing on his phone, raised his hand eagerly, "I can still eat!"
Thinking life would be leisurely making snacks and enjoying life after taking over the cafeteria as the boss, Qin Huai forced a smile: "Wait until I finish this batch."
Qin Huai glanced outside at the hall and the servers.
Though there were many customers, most were takeout rather than dining in, so three servers were enough to handle it, even sneaking a little free time.
So why is the busiest person in a cafeteria the boss?!
Octopus-like Qin Huai remained busy until nine o'clock.
In fact, the Five Fillings Buns and Three Meat Buns had sold out by 8:10 AM.
But the enthusiasm of the diners couldn't be contained.
These days, everyone loves to post on WeChat Moments. Got into a traffic accident, snap a photo and post it; coworkers squabbling or catching a mistress in the act, take a photo and post it; a new and tasty restaurant opens nearby, snap a photo and post it; had a pricey and delicious bun in the morning, take a photo and post it.
The Five Fillings Buns and Three Meat Buns appeared in as many WeChat Moments of nearby office workers.
For some who love trend-following check-ins, getting up early and going to work with just an iced Americano is hard enough, but if colleagues have already tasted the "must-have" "out-of-this-world" "hidden gem" "so good it makes you cry" buns first, how can you hold your head high on WeChat if you don't get any and can't post it?
This check-in must be completed!
Even if it means waiting for the boss to make, wrap, and steam the buns on the spot!
Upon finding out that the Three Meat Buns and Five Fillings Buns were sold out, most customers opted to switch to meat buns, but a few insisted on waiting, with empty stomachs if necessary.
This determination to eat buns was touching.
Huang Xi saw this as a good opportunity to maintain customer relationships and immediately created a delivery group, allowing people to place orders in the group, with delivery available within one kilometer for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
As of 9 o'clock, the group already had 117 people, some joining just for the fun of it without placing any orders.
Qin Huai could only earn with tears in his eyes, starting from kneading the dough, beginning anew.
Having observed all this, Qin Luo, who had been slacking off for three hours with "Honor of Kings" in anti-addiction mode and using Qin Huai's account to continue playing, remarked:
Turns out running a snack shop is this exhausting.
In the future, I'd better go back and inherit the Breakfast Shop; it's a bit easier.
Qin Huai's hard work continued until noon at 12 o'clock.
It's not that the work was done, but the boss went on strike.
According to the original plan, the snacks Qin Huai had to make in the morning included: Crab Shell Cake, walnut cake, fried dough stick, pea cake, and Snowflake Crisp.
But after making only buns until 10 o'clock, Qin Huai immediately declared: there's no need to make so many snacks on the first day of opening.
Crab Shell Cake is troublesome, walnut cake requires much effort to pound the walnuts, and pea cake needs chilling for over four hours, which could delay the end of the workday.
Better to make the simpler, longer-lasting Snowflake Crisp that can be jarred and sold, and the Fried Dough Stick for which the ingredients were already prepped and ready to roll up and display!
There's only one boss, and if exhausted to death, there isn't a second one.
Let's make less, as the customers don't know the menu anyway.
"So this is why there's no Crab Shell Cake for sale today?" Ouyang, sitting on the second floor and having lunch, nearly shed a tear upon hearing the news.
God knows how long Ouyang had been looking forward to eating Crab Shell Cake.
It's not that it can't be bought elsewhere, mainly that he wanted to eat what Qin Huai personally made.
Of course, the more significant reason is that Ouyang was a bit short of cash recently and wanted a freebie.
"Well, plans can't keep up with changes," Qin Huai said helplessly, changing the subject, "Are you at the neighborhood committee this afternoon? I've been tinkering with a new salad flavor these past two days and want you and Sister Hong to taste it."
The elm bark ordered online finally arrived a few days ago, so tree bark salad can be on the agenda too.
"I am." Upon hearing the invitation to taste food, Ouyang perked up instantly, "What kind of salad? Avocado? Beef? Salmon? Or a Caesar Salad?"
Although sensing something might be amiss, who cares, as long as there's something to eat.
"So Yunzhong Restaurant now sells breakfast in the morning, snacks in the late morning, operates normally the rest of the time, and rests in the afternoon?" Ouyang asked.
Qin Huai, with a serious face: "It's selling snacks in both the morning and afternoon, we are a full-day operating quality canteen."
"But didn't you just tell me that because you cut corners and only made two varieties, your snacks sold out immediately?" Ouyang said expressionlessly.
Qin Huai diverted his gaze: "That's because... I didn't expect it."
Qin Huai silently observed the diner's plate at the next table.
Green hollow vegetables, golden pan-fried fish, red and yellow scrambled eggs with tomatoes, white rice, pale yellow and bean paste-colored Fried Dough Stick, and a small jar of Snowflake Crisp already half eaten.
Colorful, peculiar combination.
Look at this, is this what normal people eat for lunch?
Qin Huai expressed how could he have known the popularity bonus +200's power could be so great, by lunchtime, when all the workers with name badges gathered for the 30% off meal, by 12:20 PM, there was already a line, and some customers with only an hour for lunch stood to eat to save time.
Fried Dough Stick and Snowflake Crisp weren't high-priced snacks either, packed into small jars with a 30% discount, they hardly cost anything. Many diners hadn't realized these were meant for sale in the morning and afternoon, yet thought the canteen was pretty nice for offering dessert at noon.
30% off, it's cheap, buy, and give it a try!
"Who would have thought this location would be so good, business so robust. It's just the first day, I didn't expect it either." Qin Huai sighed sincerely, "Had I known, I'd have hired a snack chef."
Ouyang felt utterly struck in the chest.
At this moment, he wanted to grab Qin Huai by the collar and yell at him.
Damn you, craftsmen, do you know how hard it is to do business?!
You wouldn't understand.
After Ouyang, enraged, finished eating and left, Qin Huai went home to pick up a package and take a nap. Qin Congwen, Zhao Rong, and Qin Luo had long gone back to catch up on sleep. Both Qin Congwen and Zhao Rong hadn't slept a wink the night before due to opening day nerves, and once the suspense over the bustling Five Fillings Bun sales was lifted, sleepiness quickly overcame them, leaving them needing rest before 10 AM.
After returning home, Qin Huai finally had the chance to open the task panel and check the newly obtained mainline task.
1. [Far Ahead 1]: As a competent protagonist, to be slightly ahead of your peers from the opening is your basic quality. Please defeat 25% of the dining establishments in your area in terms of reputation and become the star of tomorrow.
Task reward: Popularity boost +500, [Neighborhood's Approval], [Chen Huihong's Dream] (Choice: Yes/No)
Far Ahead even has a 1?
Does that mean there are also 2, 3, 4 after?
You just issued a newbie task and now a series of tasks?
Game system, do you know how many restaurants are around here?
Do you understand the value of a CBD area?