The next morning, the waiters at Qingshui Restaurant cleaned the place inside and out thoroughly, and hung large red lanterns outside the door.
What is particularly noteworthy is that a large red banner hangs high above the restaurant's entrance, which reads:
"Starting today, our store is having a grand promotion for ten days. All customers who come to the store will receive a 30% discount."
The news spread like wildfire throughout Qingshui Town, and crowds surged in, completely blocking Qingshui Street.
After a burst of loud gongs and drums, Wu Shiren, with his potbelly protruding, emerged from the restaurant accompanied by Zhao Tian, Wang Qi, Li Liu, and others. He waved with a broad smile, signaling for the gong-beating to stop, then cleared his throat and said…
"Dear fellow villagers of Qingshui Town, to express our gratitude for your support over the years, starting today, our restaurant is offering a special promotion: for all diners, regardless of the amount spent, even something as simple as a plate of peanuts, all drinks will be 30% off!"
As the saying goes, "It's not that you don't know the goods, it's that you're afraid to compare them." I'm sure everyone has tasted the dishes in our restaurant; the flavor is second to none. Welcome to visit us!
As soon as he finished speaking, the onlookers exclaimed in amazement.
"My God, the sun must have risen in the west! The manager of Qingshui Restaurant is really going all out, offering a 30% discount on drinks. It's unbelievable!"
"Yes, this is much more affordable than the Ruyi Building across the street."
"Absolutely! This is a rare opportunity, and we absolutely have to try all of their signature dishes this time."
"That's right, I only love drinking, and I have to take this opportunity to satisfy my craving for alcohol."
"Let's go, let's go have a good drink."
......
For a time, the Qingshui Restaurant was bustling with noise and excitement.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, laughter and chatter rose and fell.
The business at Qingshui Restaurant has returned to normal.
Looking at the deserted Ruyi Tower, Wu Shiren couldn't stop smiling.
I feel so relieved! You little punks, you think you can mess with me? You're asking for trouble! This time I'm going to make you pay!
Ruyi Restaurant was deserted, without a single customer.
Chen Feng sat there, worried and anxious. He had hoped to showcase his culinary skills, but the result was far from satisfactory.
What should we do? We've put so much effort into this; if no one eats, we'll have to close down sooner or later.
Wang Guotou, who was standing at the door looking around, stamped his foot in frustration.
"That Wu Shiren is a real scoundrel! Our new store just opened and he's already started a price war with us. He's clearly trying to ruin our business!"
"Yes, he's a complete scoundrel, a total villain." Liu Dashao gritted his teeth in anger.
Liang Caidun sighed softly, "It's not a solution for no one to eat. Everyone, hurry up and come up with some ideas!"
Everyone shook their heads in disbelief.
"What ideas do we have now, unless we increase the discount?"
"This won't work; it's completely unoriginal."
“That’s right. If the price is too low, there will be no profit. If we are the same as them, we won’t have any advantage. After all, Qingshui Restaurant has a good reputation!”
"Yes, if we want to make the business successful, we need to focus on the food."
"Yes, you're right, but our culinary skills are on par with theirs. We can make the same dishes they can. What should we do?"
Just as everyone was sighing and racking their brains for a solution, Chen Feng made the final decision.
"The discount continues; starting today, all dishes are 35% off."
After saying that, he immediately had someone hang up a sign offering a 35% discount.
Seeing this, diners flocked to Ruyi Restaurant, since there are quite a few people who like to take advantage of others.
Upon learning that Ruyi Restaurant was offering a 35% discount, Wu Shiren was so angry he nearly shoved his nose into his cheeks.
In an effort to win back customers, he made a bold move and offered an astonishing 40% discount.
Not to be outdone, Chen Feng also put up a sign offering a 40% discount.
For a time, the two restaurants were evenly matched in terms of business...
Chen Qingqing witnessed all of this. This vicious competition often resulted in both sides suffering losses, with neither gaining any advantage.
She wanted to stop Chen Feng, but Chen Feng was just starting out in business, and she needed to let him figure it out himself.
After closing time that day.
Wu Shiren looked at Ruyi Tower across the street with resentment. He never dreamed that Ruyi Tower could withstand such pressure and had been fighting him for half a month.
“Manager, this can’t go on. Although the shop is full of customers every day, after deducting the cost of raw materials and labor, we’re not making any money at all,” Zhao Ping said.
Wu Shiren sneered indifferently, "Don't worry, I can afford this little bit of money. I don't believe I can't bring this brat down."
"Is the shopkeeper planning to wear him down?"
"I'll make sure he gets what's coming to him. I'll keep the 50% off sign up tomorrow."
"That's a brilliant move. We'll offer a 50% discount, and that kid will definitely follow suit. Once he falls for it, Ruyi Tower won't be far from closing down." Zhao Tian grinned slyly.
At this moment, Chen Feng lay listlessly on the table, listening to Accountant Sun calculate the accounts for him.
"Our total income for the past two weeks was eight hundred taels of silver. After the discount, our actual income was four hundred taels. After deducting the wages of the head chef, the general laborers, the waiters, and the cost of purchasing raw materials, we lost a total of fifty taels of silver."
After finishing his explanation, Accountant Sun sighed helplessly.
"Manager, if this continues, we will not only fail to make money, but we will also lose everything. We can no longer compete head-on with Qingshui Restaurant."
Every day, the place is bustling with people, but all the dishes and drinks are sold at a 60% discount, which is basically losing money to gain publicity. If this continues, the business will eventually fail.
He used to think that once he learned how to cook, he could open a restaurant. But after more than ten days of hard work, he realized that he was too naive and arrogant. Opening a restaurant is not an easy thing at all.
Chen Feng frowned deeply. "How many more days can our money last?"
Accountant Sun truthfully replied, "Five days. If we continue to compete with Qingfeng Restaurant on discounts, we can only hold out for a maximum of five days."
Five days? Does that mean it will close down in five days?
My younger sister bought such a large restaurant so that he could realize his ambitions, and even gave him five hundred taels of silver as start-up capital. In less than a month, he lost it all. Is this how it ends?
Chen Feng felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He felt he had let his little sister down and that he had wronged her.
But withdrawing the discount sign now is just another way of ending it.
No, I can't back down. I can't let Wu Shiren see this and make a fool of himself.
But is there any point in offering discounts?
He fell into self-doubt...
After a long pause, he looked up, gritted his teeth, and made a decision: "Stop the discount tomorrow."
“But…” Accountant Sun looked doubtful. “Manager, if we don’t offer a discount, the outcome might be even worse.”
Chen Feng shook his head helplessly. "If we continue to act impulsively and compete for customers, we won't save Ruyilou; instead, we'll hasten its closure."
A price war will only hurt both sides; if we want to retain customers, we must find another way.
......
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