Gourmet: From a Stall in Northern Europe

Chapter 590: Chapter 502: 10 Minutes, 120 Diners—Lightning-Fast Service

"Huh? Just three to five and you’re full?"

The man widened his eyes, full of disbelief: "Well, I have a good appetite, what’s wrong with buying a few more? If I can’t finish them, I can take them home and reheat them, right?"

"Of course, you can do that," Su replied with a smile, "There are many ways to reheat buns. The best method is using a steamer, but most households don’t have one, so a microwave works too, though the bun’s skin might not be as soft as when fresh out of the steamer."

"Alternatively, you can bake them in an oven, pan-fry them, deep-fry them, and so on. Pan-fried buns are also a popular flavor in Great Xia."

"Really? You can do that?"

Su’s introduction stirred the crowd at the front of the line, and one by one, they began to reconsider their purchase plans.

"How long can these buns last if I buy them home?" asked a customer who was more cautious.

"They can be refrigerated for four to five days and frozen for about half a year, but I still recommend finishing them as soon as possible, as the longer they’re stored, the worse they taste."

"Can I taste each flavor first and then decide how many of each to buy?"

Customer number one was influenced by the discussions and felt that ten might not be enough, but was worried he might not like some flavors, leading to waste if he bought too many.

Like the cabbage-filled bun, he couldn’t imagine what that would taste like.

"Sure, but you’ll need to decide within five minutes because the line behind you is very long, and we must also consider the dining experience of other guests. We apologize for this inconvenience."

"No problem, no problem, I understand. A couple of bites of each bun are enough for me to figure it out, it won’t take that long."

The second and third customers initially had the same thought but hadn’t asked yet. Seeing the first customer take the lead, they all expressed their desire to taste first and then decide.

"Three family platters, please."

Su shouted, and the servers at the table immediately picked up a paper box, took one bun from each steamer, stacked them neatly inside, and handed them directly to the customers.

Each server handled one order individually, ensuring efficiency while avoiding mistakes, allowing them to address any follow-up customer needs. After completing an order, they returned to the line, ready for the next one.

Ten servers were stationed there to distribute meals, two were assisting Lin Chen with packing and delivering the savory pancakes, Su was maintaining order, Nicole and Elsa were handling payments, and Dais was alone at the restaurant entrance managing the crowd.

Everyone had their tasks, and under such efficient operations, the line of diners moved forward swiftly.

"Damn! These buns are too delicious!"

"No wonder everyone in the videos gobbled them down; I thought they were acting, but who could resist? Please give me three more of each to go!"

"Mom, I’m at the restaurant now. Look at these Great Xia Buns. Don’t they look tastier than the ones we get at the supermarket? Should I bring some home for everyone to try?"

"This pancake that resembles an Indu flatbread has an amazing texture. The crust is crispy, the middle feels moist like bun skin, but it’s not fluffy; instead, it’s chewy, and the sauce on top is unique."

"I think I taste cumin powder, which I love. Can these pancakes be reheated to go, too?"

Facing the constant inquiries from customers, Su wiped the sparkling sweat from her forehead, patiently addressing each question.

Although only fifty slots were planned, the quantity of food consumed reached about three times that amount.

Fortunately, Lin Chen was well-prepared, having risen around three a.m. to prepare enough to sell for two hours, while reserving some for the hotel staff.

Despite this, he still had some concerns.

If things continued at this rate, the number of customers would likely only increase in the short term, and the current kitchen team might not be able to sustain it for long.

Lunchtime was fine with big pots of dishes, but breakfast was the most troublesome.

Great Xia’s classic breakfasts require a lot of manual wrapping, consuming a lot of manpower. Otherwise, the serving speed can’t keep up.

After today’s experience, Lin Chen estimated that the nine new chefs would quickly improve their bun-making skills, allowing them to manage for the short term, but in the long run, more recruits would be necessary.

The baking team, especially Zhao Shun’s, temporarily lacked professional staff, with only Chris being a professionally trained pastry chef. The others had only occasionally lent a hand in the kitchen and were not skilled.

Thinking about his future plan to travel the world, Lin Chen’s eyes showed a hint of determination.

"We need to hire more people, starting this afternoon!"

"After all, I’m not the one paying the salaries. Dear President Wang said this morning that we could hire as needed."

"Buffets are all about variety and options for fun."

"It gets boring always having buns and dumplings for breakfast; how about some dim sum to switch things up?"

Lin Chen hadn’t planned on making buns for today’s breakfast, but buns are indispensable in Chinese breakfasts and unavoidable.

Western breakfasts are quite light, and a restaurant can’t serve strongly flavored dishes on its first day of business, so after much discussion, they decided on buns.

Buns are a safe choice, suitable for most palates, and it’s also a good chance for the rookies to hone their skills as a foundation for later.

If they can wrap buns well, they’d be more adept at making dim sum too.

As the first batch of customers left with their packed meals, the second batch of buns was ready to replace the empty steamer mountain on the counter.

The servers diligently transported the empty steamers back to the chefs, stacking the ones filled with buns on the stove to steam more, and along the way, refilling the pots with water to prevent them from drying out.

"All guests with numbers up to 120, please come forward in an orderly fashion. There’s no rush; there’s plenty of food for everyone."

The line at the food cart moved quickly, reaching 120 in just over ten minutes, whereas, in the restaurant, the line was stuck at 74.

This exposed a drawback of the restaurant: with limited seating, the turnover rate was slow. The second batch of guests had to wait for the first batch to finish dining before they could enter, or there wouldn’t be anywhere to sit.

Unlike at the food cart, where disposable tableware was used, allowing guests to take their food and leave immediately without being restricted by space.

The 75th customer, waiting at the restaurant entrance, watched enviously as the nearby line kept moving, advancing two steps every two to three seconds, almost without stopping.

Unable to bear his hunger any longer, he gazed pleadingly at Dais and asked.

"Excuse me, how much longer do we have to wait?"