Dear readers and pen pals, I haven't appeared on the homepage for over a month because September is indeed the off-season for the catering industry, so I've been planning how to take measures for self-rescue. I believe I have done all the necessary promotions, and the obstacles I perceive may really be the frequent rain in September, with some weeks having rain all day long, which might mean that money is out of reach for me.
Looking back at the articles I've written here, it seems I've covered all kinds of topics; I can write fluently whenever inspiration strikes. This aligns with the saying that good actors don't set up personas, but as someone who doesn't pay much attention to body management, I indeed lack the qualifications to be an actor. On this platform, I can express myself more freely and showcase my talents, as there is no fixed script, nor is there a director imposing their understanding of the character on me. When I hold the pen, I am the screenwriter, I am the director, I am the actor.
To get back to the point, my main business now is a coffee shop, which I previously mentioned is a partnership with relatives. However, my relatives have their own snail noodle shop and steamed oyster shop, so when I am busy, I can only rely on myself to produce, while they can only help out when they are not too busy. I can say I haven't had a break for over half a year; it's not that I'm unwell and can't rest, but I even have to consult them. In this regard, I don't feel like their partner but more like a worker who can't earn a salary. My parents disapprove of this arrangement, so they handed over the transfer fee to them, and I run the coffee shop entirely on my own.
Although I am currently operating independently and all profits belong to me, in August, which can be considered the end of the holiday, the rent and electricity bills are still manageable, and the cost of goods has returned, but the extra profit is minimal. I tried a promotion for a second cup at half price, but it didn't coincide with any major holidays, resulting in a loss of over 800 yuan in September. Fortunately, the owner of a fast-food restaurant in the same business district is applying to the property management for a parking spot at the entrance to hold a food festival to attract new customers, as relying solely on regular customers is indeed not sustainable.
To most people, if entrepreneurship is not ideal, it is better to seek employment; having a job at least allows one to maintain a living. However, given the current situation, very few small and medium-sized enterprises can afford to pay salaries, so in that sense, I don't consider myself to be doing poorly.
But as for my working hours, I can make my own decisions. Knowing that there are no customers early in the morning, I have been arriving later recently. The tables and chairs in the shop are wiped every two days, and the floor is mopped about every two days as well, so in terms of hygiene, it is not too messy. At least customers can feel comfortable sitting and drinking coffee.
In the past couple of days during lunch, I supported two Hong Kong-style tea restaurants that I always pass by when driving to work. The first one is called "Qiao Zai Ji," which has good milk tea, and the pork chop rice is decent in taste and texture. The other one is called "Xing Qi Ba," where I also ordered Hong Kong-style milk tea, which was also iced. Accustomed to drinking it without sugar, I forgot to tell the staff to make it less sweet, so according to the restaurant's standard sweetness, I could hardly taste the tea. I then asked the restaurant for a cup of ice, and after dilution, I could vaguely taste the tea. The next dish was tomato sauce pork chop with scrambled eggs over rice, which was also quite good, but the scrambled eggs were a bit salty. Comparing the two, I found the sweetness of the milk tea to be appropriate; it just depends on how one defines the purpose of this cup of milk tea, whether for pure drinking or for dining.
The reason I am interested in local Hong Kong-style tea restaurants is that while I am good at coffee, I also love Hong Kong-style milk tea and lemon tea. I previously serialized "The Road to Hong Kong Drinks," and to be honest, there are too many terms used in the beverage industry that require lengthy explanations, so I think it is wise to pause the updates.