Membership systems have sprung up like mushrooms after rain in various restaurants in Beijing, but Zhaixinglou, as the first to try it, undoubtedly seized the market at the first opportunity.
Seven days have passed since the opening of Zhaixinglou Restaurant, and business has been booming every day. Tao Wanniang is overwhelmed with work, but fortunately, the apprentices in the kitchen are quite diligent, and Wang Hongyu is also doing a good job, which allows Tao Wanniang to keep an eye on things in the restaurant.
"Xiaoyun, how is it? This restaurant is really something else, isn't it? I'll serve you some good dishes later." As she walked past the private room, Tao Wanniang heard Ling Dapeng's voice and frowned.
Private rooms are not open to everyone; there is a minimum spending requirement, and a meal usually costs around ten taels of silver.
Tao Wanniang was about to push the door open and go in, but hesitated. Ling Dapeng brought her in, but Luneng didn't know?
If Ling Dapeng wanted to treat his wife and kids to a nice meal, she wouldn't object; she could just give them an employee discount or a 50% off! But bringing them into a private room—would they have to pay?
After thinking it over, Tao Wanniang decided to ask Luneng first.
"Da Hu." As she stepped out of the private room, Tao Wanniang saw her eldest son and called out to him.
"Mother, why are you here? Is something the matter?" Ling Dahu immediately stepped forward and asked.
"Do you know that your brother has brought his wife and children here?" Tao Wan's mother asked.
Ling Dahu shook his head. He didn't see it. He looked around the living room, but it wasn't there!
"Mother, there were so many people that I didn't notice. Maybe I sat somewhere. Hehe, my second brother is still thoughtful!" Ling Dahu obviously didn't notice the problem.
Tao Wanniang waved her hand, letting Ling Dahu go about his business.
With so many waiters, they would usually guide customers directly into the restaurant. So, did Ling Dapeng take Zhou Xiaoyun and the child to a private room himself?
The private rooms are reserved for VIP guests or large groups. They offer a high degree of privacy but also come at a higher price. Tao Wanniang walked solemnly to Luneng.
"Manager Lu, may I speak to you in private?" Tao Wanniang invited Lu Neng aside and then explained the matter.
Luneng was somewhat surprised and asked Tao Wanniang for her opinion before making a decision.
"Does Manager Tao think that Ling Dapeng shouldn't have brought people into the private room without permission?" Lu Neng asked.
“If he follows the rules, I can give him a 50% discount; but I’m afraid he’ll pretend to be stupid, take people into a private room, and then refuse to pay the bill,” Tao Wanniang said. “My son isn’t very sensible; it’s not like he’s incapable of doing something like this.”
This wasn't her restaurant alone, and Tao Wanniang didn't want her son to set such a precedent.
"If no one pays their bill by the end, just tell me, and I won't mind making an example of them!" Tao Wanniang said, seeing that there were many guests, as she was about to go cook.
Seeing Tao Wanniang's serious expression, Lu Neng tried to smooth things over, saying, "Manager Tao, there's no need for that. It's not a big deal that the Second Young Master invited his wife and children to the restaurant to enjoy the food. If you really embarrass the Second Young Master, then people in the restaurant might have a prejudice against him in the future. Besides, a man still needs to save face as he grows up."
"Well then... we'll see. If this deal isn't settled, I'll pay for it," Tao Wan's mother said after thinking for a moment. "When my son gets home, I'll give him a good talking to!"
Luneng nodded, saying he wouldn't care how Luneng disciplined him once he got home and locked up.
After telling Lu Neng about the private room, Tao Wanniang went back to the kitchen to get busy.
However, she still glanced at the menu for the Xuan-class private room.
Ha, just a few people, and this table has five dishes and a soup, plus three main dishes. Even if Zhou Xiaoyun and the child are stuffed, they probably can't finish it all! But Tao Wan's mother listened to Luneng's advice; her son is grown up, so she should save face for him.
"Honey, what do you think? Isn't this restaurant special? Look at this private room, it's so empty and quiet, you won't be disturbed while you eat." Ling Dapeng proudly introduced everything to Zhou Xiaoyun.
Cao'er and Aunt Liu awkwardly served Ling Zhi this and that, still reeling from the abundance of dishes on the table. This grand restaurant was hardly a place for people like them to enter!
Zhou Xiaoyun ate a few bites of this and a few bites of that; the whole table of food was hers, and no one was taking it from her.
"Dapeng, what do you usually eat? Is it always this good?" Zhou Xiaoyun couldn't help but ask. Her older brother and sister-in-law both worked at the restaurant, so they could eat delicious food without spending any money.
"No way, this is for the guests. This table, um... let me see!" Ling Dapeng glanced at the menu. "This table costs twenty taels, plus ten taels for a private room, so this table will cost thirty taels of silver!"
Zhou Xiaoyun was stunned. Thirty taels of silver? Thirty taels for a meal? Is this dragon meat? After a pause, she immediately started eating. She had to eat her fill of such expensive food.
"Mother, how much money does this restaurant make? A meal costs thirty taels of silver. Even robbing wouldn't be that much. How many people come every day? How much money does Mother actually make in a day?" Zhou Xiaoyun couldn't process it. In her mind, this must be a huge sum of money.
"Dapeng, do you think ten taels a month is too little?" Zhou Xiaoyun then said with some dissatisfaction.
"That's not quite right. We have twelve waiters, seven or eight in the kitchen, and then there's the accountant. We spend a lot of money every month," Ling Dapeng explained. "Besides, this restaurant doesn't just belong to my mother; it belongs to the Prince Rui's mansion!"
Zhou Xiaoyun felt that even so, her mother-in-law could earn much more money in a day, yet she only gave her son ten taels a month, which was really stingy. She felt like throwing up after eating, and there was still more than half of the food left on the table.
"Give Zhi'er to me, you two sit down and eat too," Zhou Xiaoyun said to Cao'er and Aunt Liu.
"No, no, we're not meant to eat such good food!" Aunt Liu said immediately, but her subconscious swallowing betrayed her true thoughts.
Zhou Xiaoyun couldn't eat anymore, and it would be a waste to give it to Liu Ma and Cao'er.
"Dapeng, do we need to pay for this meal?"
"Why should we pay for our own food?" Ling Dapeng said matter-of-factly. "Don't worry, I'll see you out after you've finished eating. I'll clean up here."
"That's right, it's our own family, why should we give them money?" Zhou Xiaoyun thought for a moment and immediately agreed with Ling Dapeng's statement. After all, giving them thirty taels of silver would be worse than killing her. The thought that the money would end up in her mother-in-law's pocket made her even more upset!
Aunt Liu and Cao'er wolfed down their food; it was the best meal they had ever had in their lives.
"Master, Madam, this old servant's life has been worthwhile, thank you!" Liu Ma wiped away her tears and said to Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun with great gratitude.
Moved by Aunt Liu's sentiments, Zhou Xiaoyun felt inexplicably satisfied, and she looked at Ling Dapeng with admiration.
"Dapeng, you're amazing!"
"Hehe, not bad, right?" Ling Dapeng scratched the back of his head sheepishly, a smile spreading across his face.
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