Author: Kang Fu 康夫

Kang Fu graduated from Tsinghua University and has studied in Israel. Once a prolific traveler, she now spends most of her time at home as “an unknown screenwriter, idler, and author of unprofitable books, loving monster legends and food.” She has published The Jobless Journey based on her travels, and a novel, The Gray Cat Curiosities Agency.

The other day, talking to some people familiar with the food and beverage industry, I heard an amusing story.

There was a Mr. Song who opened a chain of fast food restaurants, mainly catering to white-collar workers. In this business, the earnings are stable, but the barrier to entry isn’t high, so competition is fierce. Aside from ingredients, sanitation, and taste, improving the table turnover rate was the real nut to crack. Song hadn’t been in the business long, but he was already somewhat well-known in the industry, mainly because of his impressive turnover rate.

“You know, since fast food restaurants are small, we can’t afford a large dishwashing machine; plus, it takes too long to do a load. It’s not suitable to our turnover rate. You can buy more dishes, but you’d have to find a place to store them, so those of us in the business have to hire dishwashing employees. Still, it’s hard to find one who works hard and has the skills.”