RPAGF Chapter 176 Negotiating the New Restaurant
Chapter 176 Negotiating the New Restaurant
Upon hearing that it was expensive, Lin Qingchuan immediately disagreed. He said excitedly, "Manager Du, Manager Jiang, you don't know this, but while the raw pig's trotters are indeed cheaper, the ingredients are expensive. We use dozens of ingredients just to make them, the process is complicated and time-consuming, and we personally deliver them to your door every day. If your own restaurant were to make them, you would have to pay a lot of wages just for the chefs. Actually, when you calculate it this way, it's still a good deal for you."
Manager Du and Manager Jiang exchanged a glance but remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Lin Xiaotang, who hadn't spoken until now, spoke up at the right time, "Manager Du, Qinghe Town is just a small town, but Yunlai Restaurant is doing quite well. Not only did it not lose money, but it also made a lot of extra profit. As for Wanhe Restaurant in Dushui County, it goes without saying. You can send someone to inquire about these places. You run restaurants and do business to make money. Once you have money in your hands, there's no reason not to make money, right?"
As for the 20% discount you mentioned, that's definitely not possible. If we offer you a 20% discount today, who knows if we won't offer other places a 30% or 40% discount tomorrow or the day after? Business is all about honesty and integrity; that's how we can have a long-term partnership, right?
After listening, a faint smile appeared on Manager Du's usually expressionless face. He said in surprise, "You little girl, you're quite eloquent at such a young age. You're right, if you give us a 20% discount today, you might really give other stores a 30% discount tomorrow. Treating everyone equally will put everyone at ease."
Lin Qingchuan was dumbfounded. Was Manager Du testing them?
So, is there still a chance for this deal?
He immediately said, "Manager Du, you've tried these braised pig's trotters, and the taste and texture are absolutely superb. Both restaurants have sold them successfully. Why don't you try selling a small quantity first? If you think it sells well, then you can ask us to supply you in large quantities. What do you think?"
Manager Jiang, his mind racing, also began to speak favorably of the dish, "Manager, I think Brother Qingchuan is right. Look at the two restaurants next door; they've already started making and selling this dish themselves, but the results haven't been ideal. How about we have Brother Qingchuan supply a smaller quantity first? If it sells well, we can adjust the quantity accordingly?"
At first, Manager Du acted coy, which was indeed a test, and he didn't want to appear too eager and lose face in the cooperation negotiations.
He said in a deep voice, "Since you are so confident, I will order twenty pieces to try selling first. If they sell well at my Fuqing Restaurant, I will increase the quantity. However, I will definitely send someone to buy two pieces of the braised pig's trotters sold at Wanhe Restaurant in Dushui County to verify their quality. You don't mind, do you?"
Trying it is secondary; the main thing is to find out whether Wanhe Restaurant was actually supplied by Lin Qingchuan.
Lin Qingchuan was stunned. He never expected that Manager Du would agree to order their braised pig's trotters. When he first entered the private room, Manager Du didn't even stand up and his face didn't look very good. He thought that Manager Du looked down on them. He never expected that it would be done so easily.
Lin Xiaotang immediately tugged at her father's sleeve, urging him to answer.
Lin Qingchuan suppressed his joy and immediately nodded, "Okay, twenty sticks are perfectly fine. Manager Du can send someone to Dushui County today to buy two sticks to taste and make a comparison. We will start supplying you with them tomorrow morning."
"Then let's make it a deal."
Manager Du smiled and finally stood up, becoming more polite. Manager Jiang, standing beside him, looked delighted and hurried out to have the waiter serve tea.
The waiter quickly brought the tea into the private room, first replacing a cup of tea for Manager Du, and then placing a cup on the table for each of them.
With a smile on his face, Manager Jiang invited the father and daughter to sit down and have some tea, but Lin Qingchuan waved his hand and declined, "No, our carriage is still parked outside, so we won't keep Manager Du and Manager Jiang busy." Everything was settled, why bother sitting there drinking tea?
After saying that, he took his daughter's hand and was about to walk out, but his daughter grabbed him.
He asked in confusion, "Tang'er, what's wrong?"
Lin Xiaotang immediately whispered, "Dad, how could you forget? After agreeing on the cooperation, the next step is to sign a contract. What if they suddenly stop after we've been supplying them for a while without a contract?"
Oh, right, how could he forget about that?
They had signed a contract with Manager Su back then!
Lin Qingchuan blushed and looked at Manager Du, saying somewhat embarrassedly, "Well, Manager Du, let's sign a contract. We'll clearly write down the order quantity, price, and payment method. Please don't mind. We've already signed contracts with Yunlai Restaurant and Wanhe Restaurant. This way, it's not only convenient for us, but you'll also feel more at ease using us for supplies, right?"
Manager Du thought about it and felt that Lin Qingchuan's words made sense; signing the agreement would be good for both parties.
"Okay, let's sign the agreement first, but we need to make this clear upfront: if there's a problem with your braised pig's trotters, or if this dish doesn't sell well at our restaurant, we have the right to refuse to continue supplying them."
"Of course, of course. We do business to make money. If this dish doesn't sell well in your restaurant, we can't force you to buy it and make you lose money, right? We'll supply the order quantity first. If it sells well, we'll increase the quantity. If it doesn't sell well, we know that we're right."
Manager Du smiled and began to appreciate Lin Qingchuan, this honest man. Unlike others who used flowery words, he spoke very frankly. It was reassuring to cooperate with someone like him!
His steward, Jiang, had seen all sorts of people and was eloquent and persuasive.
Manager Jiang immediately ordered the waiter to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. Manager Du personally wrote down a written agreement and handed it to Lin Qingchuan.
Lin Qingchuan wasn't very literate. Since starting his business, he had learned to recognize many characters on shop signs from his daughter, and he had also learned a few characters from the Three Character Classic at home. However, he couldn't recognize all the characters on a single document.
Lin Xiaotang stood beside her father. She glanced at the document without making a sound, and only after finding no problems did she pat her father's hand.
Only after his daughter gave him a hint did Lin Qingchuan feel relieved enough to press his handprint.
Lin Xiaotang felt that she had to teach her father to write his name when she got home. Just pressing his fingerprint would make her look foolish in front of others, letting them know that her father was illiterate. If they wanted to grow their business in the future, they might be looked down upon.
After the agreement was signed, Xiaotang and her father bid farewell to Manager Du, and were personally escorted out of the restaurant by Steward Jiang.
By now, the restaurant had already attracted quite a few customers, and the front hall was starting to get lively.
Lin Qingchuan said, "Manager Jiang, please wait. There are still many things at the restaurant that need your attention. Please don't see me off any further."
Manager Jiang was really craving their braised pig's trotters. Otherwise, given his personality, he would never have meddled in other people's business and helped outsiders persuade his own boss. He smiled and said, "It's alright, there are waiters in the restaurant. You two take your time, and remember to start supplying our restaurant tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Manager Jiang, it's a signed document, it's not a joke."
The father and daughter boarded the carriage and drove away, heading towards the pepper shop.