1. The elite couple in the workplace are going to open a restaurant.

I am a doctor from a 211 college in Xi 'an. After graduation, I joined a well-known foreign company and quickly rose to be the deputy of the department, which is a typical "from ivory tower to pyramid". My husband is a native of Xi 'an. He has been working in several major automobile service companies around the world. After several years of hard work, he is now the head of China District of a foreign company in Xi 'an. From the perspective of outsiders, my husband and I are both elites in the workplace. I have a house and a car, and there is no loan pressure. My daughter was born less than a year after marriage. Our family holidays are just visiting parks, shopping malls and suburbs, and occasionally going out to play.

The days are quiet until 216. My husband and I want to open a small restaurant. The cause of the incident was a compliment from my friend. I made a hometown snack to entertain my friend. She praised it while eating and joked that if she opened such a store in Xi 'an, it would be a fire. Since then, this sentence has repeatedly scratched my heart like a cat's paw. I have been living a quiet life, which makes me look forward to owning a restaurant. It's up to me to be my own boss. There is no leader, no Party A, only friends and laughter. I wear beautiful clothes to shuttle between them, make friends with new friends and greet them. How interesting it would be. This is not a restaurant. This is my little utopia with my husband. Just do it, my husband and I hit it off and started to prepare separately. The success of my past career and the smooth progress of my life have made my wife and I particularly sure about the small matter of opening a small restaurant. After all, one is an urban beauty who hangs out in the workplace and analyzes the international situation all day, and the other is an executive with professional authority in a large foreign company. Isn't it easy to run a small restaurant? How to kill a chicken with an ox knife, let alone two glittering ox knives. During the preparation, my husband and I often smile at each other, dreaming sweetly and honestly. A restaurant full of people, friends from all directions and elegant style seems to be in front of our eyes.

2. Being cheated before opening the store

The food that the restaurant plans to operate is called "Guilin rice noodles", which is a traditional snack in the south and my favorite snack in my hometown. The production of Guilin rice noodles is complicated, and the taste will change greatly if there is a slight difference.

to open a restaurant, the first step is to standardize production, otherwise it will be difficult to continue to operate. In order to develop products, my husband and I started experiments at home. On the one hand, we accurately calculated the cost of each rice noodle, on the other hand, we were also looking for a breakthrough in cooking methods. We thought that we should not only open the store, but also promote this hometown delicacy in Xi 'an.

next, it's about site selection and store decoration. We chose the store in the residential area. One is close to home, so it is convenient to take care of it in our spare time. The two communities are densely populated, with many young people and foreigners, so we want to have customers. We set up a second-hand shop, which used to be a small restaurant. It was converted from a two-bedroom apartment of more than 9 square meters, but the price was not expensive. We discussed with each other a transfer fee of 5, yuan, including the remaining rent and everything in the store.

based on a simple trust, we didn't sign a paper contract, so we gave the former boss 3 yuan that day, and the remaining 1 yuan was agreed to be settled after the water and electricity were found out. On the day of checking the water fee, we failed to check it because the other party was late. He swore that he had paid all the water and electricity bills, and he couldn't come tomorrow. Let's give him the remaining 1 first. My husband and I didn't think much, so we gave it readily. As a result, when I went to the property to check, I found that he owed more than 7 water bills and didn't settle them. When I called again, this person lost contact.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, but we didn't take this bumpy point to heart. My husband and I are still proud of the prospect of opening a store. As everyone knows, the next thing is more difficult.

3. The new store opened, and the business was bleak

Thick greasy dirt was stuck on the walls, floors, cooktops, worktops and chopping boards, most of the kitchen utensils were black, and the rags were black and sticky, giving off an unpleasant smell. My husband and I are holding our noses to discuss the renovation plan, thinking about turning it into a fresh and elegant restaurant that can match our aesthetics.

So the kitchen was changed into a Ming kitchen, with blue-and-white porcelain as the main style of soft decoration, and wallpaper, tableware and chandeliers all in the same style. I was completely possessed, decorating this small shop like my own children, thinking about how to make it look fresh and literary, and even consulting a designer friend. After half a month's day and night investment, the store finally showed a satisfactory appearance. We named the restaurant "Jiangnan Rice Noodle". On the day of completion, my husband and I stopped in front of the store to appreciate everything in front of us, smirked like children and gave each other a hug tacitly.

people are also assembled synchronously. My uncle and aunt used to do small businesses related to catering, mainly steamed buns and steamed buns, but it seems that there is no other good choice in my hometown. My cousin, who just graduated from college, was also "deceived" by us as a restaurant manager, and my lover and I were able to come to help quickly after work. This dream restaurant finally opened.

on the eve of the opening, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep. I imagined all kinds of hot scenes. As a result, on the opening day, except for a few friends, there was a "prosperous" scene in the store for a short time, and the rest of the time was deserted. My heart began to complain about Xi 'an's policy, why not set off firecrackers? If firecrackers were set off in my hometown, how could it attract a group of spectators?

after closing the store in the evening, my wife called a summary meeting and reported the turnover of the day-1 yuan. Everyone is a little frustrated, but they are not discouraged, and they all have smiles on their faces. Before that, I heard people say that the first half of opening a restaurant needs to be popular.

that night, we also re-emphasized everyone's division of labor and further optimized the next service process. My husband couldn't wait to standardize every action. He said that only standardization can achieve the highest efficiency, and he regarded it as a company team managing and constantly emphasized his big ideas. Most of the time, only I can understand what he is saying. My uncle, aunt and cousin often listen and just smile.

4. It's not good to open a shop. We quarreled with our husband for the first time

We soon realized that it might be a big mistake to choose a location. Hunan rice noodles, as a snack in the south, are difficult to spread quickly in our community with a large number of northerners.

based on this, my husband put forward two diversion schemes, one is to do free promotional activities, and the other is to distribute leaflets in the residential area and surrounding office buildings, but both of them have little effect. There were a few moments when my self-esteem was hurt.

When handing out leaflets, I was like a thief, for fear of being discovered. By contrast, my cousin was much more agile. She rolled the leaflets into an ice cream shape and quickly inserted them into the doorknob. I can't always roll the size of this "ice cream" shape, and the leaflets inserted in the handle often can't get stuck and slip down and fall to the ground.

once, just as I was picking up the leaflet that fell on the ground, I was caught by the owner who just got off the elevator. The scene was so embarrassing that I couldn't wait to dig a hole and get in. At this moment, I realized that the so-called elite background is not only useless, but also creates obstacles.

after more than a month's hard work, the turnover is still pitiful, a few hundred dollars a day, barely enough for rent. My wife and I were frustrated and began to be anxious. This anxiety was not that we could not bear the economic loss, but that our pride and self-confidence in our bones faded and we could not convince us to accept the present reality.

Business differences caused my husband and I to have the first fight after marriage, and the quarrel was very fierce. I accused him of standardizing the small restaurant as a company, which was too idealistic. He wouldn't listen either. On the second day of the quarrel, my uncle and aunt took the opportunity to propose to go back to their hometown. I didn't stay. After I settled the capital, I invited them to a movie, ate a big meal and bought a plane ticket to let them go home.

5. Decide on the transformation of the restaurant

The restaurant has left two core members at once, and Guilin rice noodles can't go on. My husband and I calmed down and decided to change our strategy and turn the restaurant into a chain store. We still don't doubt our own management ability, thinking that objective conditions must have caused the development dilemma. As long as we give full play to our subjective initiative and use our two talents, we will certainly be able to open the transformed chain stores well.

Through online recruitment, we recruited a new chef, Lao Liu, and an assistant, Xiao Wang.

Lao Liu is a middle-aged man with ideas, drive and ability. I have worked in a chain store for several years, with solid skills and rich experience. In order to improve Lao Liu's enthusiasm and sense of responsibility, we put forward the method of basic salary plus commission, and the basis of commission is monthly net income. Lao Liu thinks that this way can be regarded as semi-self-employment, with small risks and good returns, so the two sides quickly reached a cooperation agreement.

skewers are not strange to me at all. I usually like to eat them, especially Sichuan skewers. But it is a little mysterious to me. The string of ingredients is particularly exquisite. Later, when I saw Lao Liu's operation with my own eyes, I felt a sense of revelation. Wow, this kidney flower is twisted like this, and this dish is cut like this.

according to Liu's suggestion, we bought more than a dozen shabu-shabu and alcohol stoves. A few days ago, Lao Liu was full of energy. He pondered the menu with her husband and introduced some packages such as "98 yuan, 198 yuan". The package contents were calculated in detail by him and her husband, such as what configuration 98 yuan's package contains, how much each kind of meat is, and so on.

before, I really didn't know that the weight of a string of rinse meat was usually between 3 and 5 taels. It turned out that it looked like a full plate, so it weighed so little. All this is new to me, and I suddenly feel that I have become an expert in catering, at least in the financial circle. I am quite proud of this.

with the arrival of Lao Liu, my husband and I saw hope. We thought, Guilin rice noodles can't be sold, so let's admit it. Let's go to the head office this time.

But in the morning more than a week later, Lao Liu suddenly didn't come to work. I was worried that something would happen to him, so I kept calling him, but no one answered. I didn't hear his lazy voice until I called for more than a dozen times. I asked him where he was, and he said he was in his rented house and asked why he didn't come to work. He said, Sister, I'm sorry, I think your business is too bad, so I quit.

after listening to Liu's words, I felt strongly cheated, totally denied and declared a failure, which made me fly into a rage at once. I yelled at the phone and said, "Liu, why are you so dishonest? Are you kidding? I just bought the equipment, so you just quit the stall. Can you be more reliable?" . When I finished cursing, there was a silence on the other end of the phone, and then there was a faint "I'm sorry".

After another half month, Xiao Wang, who used to be Liu's assistant, resigned and left, leaving only his cousin in the shop.

6. Understand the "inside story" of being a restaurant

Shortly after Lao Liu left, our restaurant welcomed a third chef, surnamed Zheng, who is an out-and-out Sichuanese with a strong local accent. He is good at cooking and can make skewers, so our store reformed again and became a Sichuan restaurant with all kinds of skewers and fried dishes.

After the first two resignations of the chef, I'm a little tired of tossing and turning, and I'm beginning to have no illusions about the distant utopia. The house has been signed for three years, and it's not yet March, so it's too much to lose. As long as it can continue to operate, it's ok to open any museum. As long as I'm the boss's wife, it's no longer so important whether I wear beautiful clothes or not.

Master Zheng is an honest and diligent person, and his cooking skills are acceptable. He had been a chef in Ogawa Pavilion before, and the characteristics of cooking were summed up in four words: a lot of oil. Maybe Sichuan food was originally like this, but Master Zheng's food quantity is really unusual. He is very obsessed with this. The food quantity of a 1: 1.2-pot rice is basically the same as that of a regular dish. He said that the guests must be fully fed.

There were more dishes and things were too affordable, so the number of customers in the store gradually increased. At lunchtime, sometimes there were not enough seats, so we added take-out. At that time, platforms such as Meituan and Baidu had just emerged, and we had not joined, so they were all delivered by ourselves, only in the community, and we couldn't take care of them any further.

In order to save costs, the only employees in the store are Master Zheng and my cousin. My husband and I help each other during the break, washing vegetables and washing dishes. Every weekend, we drive a family car to Balizhuang wholesale market to purchase materials.

When I first entered the grain and oil wholesale market, I asked my boss if there was any edible oil for Arowana, because we often eat this brand. The boss brought us a bucket, and I said we want more than a dozen barrels, can you make it cheaper? The boss casually asked, why do you need so much oil? I said we run a restaurant. After hearing this sentence, the boss smiled and said, sister, how advanced is your restaurant? Can you still make money with arowana? After listening to this sentence, my wife and I looked at each other and asked the boss what oil should I use?

The boss picked up an oversized oil jug. At first glance, it can hold at least 1 kilograms. There is no label on the outside. He pointed to it and said that all restaurants buy this. I have never seen such a big oil drum. I asked the price weakly and found less than half of Arowana. The boss said that this oil is not bad, and many people buy it cheaper.

my first reaction is that it is not gutter oil that is cheaper. Immediately shook his head and bought the boss's recommendation. In addition to oil, all kinds of spices and drinks that are cheaper than I expected have opened my eyes. On the one hand, I blame myself for not being grounded, on the other hand, I am happy that I have gained a lot of knowledge. At the same time, I feel confused and lost because I have become a two-faced person. Our car, which was still high-end, turned into a truck with meat, vegetables, rice noodles and spices in the trunk. The car smelled fishy. If we didn't have time to wash the car after pulling the goods, we had to go to work for a week.

I am not only a car, but also a "greasy" person. My hair and body smell of oil smoke, and my hands are getting rougher and rougher. I can't look directly at my hands when I type on the keyboard. Mentally, I feel a little split. During the day, I sat in a bright office wearing a suit and wrote a tall report, but at night I tied on an apron and became a waiter, dishwasher and takeaway, busy until twelve o'clock.

My husband is even funnier. One minute, he just reported his work to a foreign boss in English, and the next second, he took a small notebook to order food for his guests.

my husband and I are paying more and more for the restaurant. At the end of the month, except for rent, wages, utilities and raw materials, there is still no surplus.

The business in the store is busy, and the daily flow of water has increased to more than 1, yuan. However, the amount of food given by Master Zheng is too large. Not only is it not attractive to sell a plate full, but it is not exquisite at all. On the other hand, it is often wasted, and many guests can't finish it. Master Zheng is very stubborn. No matter what we say, we still cook in our own way. He said that things must be affordable. It is the guest's business that guests can't finish eating. We can't eat less.

7. Enthusiasm faded, returning to one's job

The restaurant struggled for a year, until that day, some people who claimed to be street offices suddenly came and told us that this was a residential building and we could not do business with naked fire, so we were asked to rectify it. Later, we came again and realized that this restaurant could not be opened. Forget it, give it up. I'm too tired. My husband and I are completely depressed. Our so-called sense of elitism has been exhausted in this small restaurant.

Looking at this fly Sichuan restaurant, the thick oil layer in the blue-and-white porcelain bowl seems like the ideal has melted. The first venture ended in a chicken feather. Looking back on the whole year's ordeal, I am somewhat glad that it is over.