Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Planning the Main Branch Expansion
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Lee In-cheol skimmed through the documents I'd prepared and spoke up.
"But who's this person next to you? Why are they here?"
"Ah, I was just about to introduce them. This is Joey Rook. A location selection expert."
"？！"
Joey Rook looked at me with a startled expression. They seemed pretty unhappy with my introduction as a "location selection expert."
Of course, Joey Rook still had a long way to go before they could truly be called an expert. Location analysis isn't something you can fully grasp just by reading a few articles, after all.
But Joey Rook was different.
What they needed right now was real-world experience, and I planned to create those opportunities for them, even if artificially.
Even after seeing Joey Rook's bewildered face, Lee In-cheol just nodded without much comment.
"Hoo. Is that so? If it's someone you recommend, Song Woo-yeon, I trust them."
He turned his gaze to me then. His eyes said, What are you thinking? Just wait a bit, Owner.
"And Joey Rook. This is Owner Lee In-cheol. He's the one running the main branch of Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212, our flagship brand at The Song."
"M-m-may I have the honor of meeting you!"
He bowed at a perfect 90 degrees, which made Lee In-cheol's eyes widen for a moment before he burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! What a polite young man!"
It looked like he'd taken a real liking to Joey Rook.
Lee In-cheol was the type who pretended not to like being fawned over, just like most owners his age. Though, to be fair, it's rare for anyone to actually hate it.
Anyway, satisfied with Joey Rook's attitude, Lee In-cheol was soon patting their shoulder and dispensing all sorts of life advice.
"Of course! That's how you properly greet your elders. These days, kids just barely acknowledge them... Right?"
"Yes, yes. My mistake, Owner."
"Ahem. Not that I'm saying this for our Song Owner to hear or anything~."
Sure it isn't.
But it's all or nothing, as they say. Lee In-cheol actually quite liked my cheeky attitude. Elders often measure rudeness by how friendly it feels, after all.
"Anyway, let's get to the point. As I mentioned, the reason we're gathered today is to discuss expanding and relocating the Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212 main branch."
"I had a lot to say about that myself."
Lee In-cheol sat down and opened his mouth. Joey Rook glanced around cautiously before quietly taking the seat next to him.
"The main branch is doing great right now, sure, and we're swamped with customers we can't serve on time, that's true too. But charging ahead with an expansion and relocation like that is a surefire way to crash and burn."
"Every choice comes with risks and rewards. The main branch has already hit the peak margins possible at its current size."
I spoke while showing him the page with the total sales and net profits for Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212 main branch over the past few months.
"Of course, the performance is solid as is, so if you don't want to, Owner, we can stay put. But in my personal opinion, expanding and relocating to unlock that full potential will pay off more in the long run."
"Urgh..."
Lee In-cheol scratched at his head, looking troubled.
Expansion and relocation.
The dream of every restaurateur—and their biggest curse.
As a shop grows, it eventually hits a wall at the scale it was originally planned for.
"Customers are overflowing, and service quality is dropping. When things get busy, part-timers make more mistakes serving, and honestly, Owner, you can't focus on the food like you used to anymore."
"That's true..."
"You can't even joke around with your regulars anymore. No real satisfaction, just exhaustion—days when you wonder what the point is must be piling up."
"You..."
Lee In-cheol asked with a suddenly serious face.
"You're not bugging me with some sales pitch, are you? Sometimes I wonder if you've been possessed by a business god or something."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
He was just beating around the bush to say my analysis was spot-on.
"...You're right. Days fly by in a blur. Even the part-timers are spacing out more, making mistakes left and right."
How could anyone keep going steadily under that strain? People aren't made of iron—they wear out fast.
"Can't we just hire one more part-timer? More hands should make things easier."
"At the current size, adding one more would just complicate the workflow even more."
Already cramped and tiny, and now three part-timers?
"We can't hire a head chef either. The kitchen's designed for exactly one person."
"...Now that you mention it, two people in there would be a total mess."
Lee In-cheol readily agreed.
"It wouldn't mean much without adding another stove anyway. We're a single-menu place, after all."
"You're right."
"But if you're adding a stove, you'd have to close for construction for a while. Might as well expand and relocate instead."
Lee In-cheol looked conflicted at my words.
"I know expansion and relocation feels burdensome. I'm not saying do it right now. You need time to think, and if we go for it, we'll have to decide where, when, and how."
"True."
"That's why I'm introducing Joey Rook to you."
Joey Rook, who had been diligently taking notes, jumped and looked up.
"M-me?"
"Yes, you, Joey Rook."
Joey Rook gave an awkward smile, their eyes saying What do I even know about this? But I'd already made up my mind.
"What's the point of just sitting at a desk in meetings? You two should go out and scout potential spots in person—think about where would work best for an expansion."
"In person?"
"Yes. In person."
I emphasized it again to Lee In-cheol, who looked thoroughly annoyed.
"You might stumble on a spot that screams 'perfect!' And checking out other shops will give you a clearer picture of how the expanded place would run."
"Hmm. Yeah, probably."
"So you have to check them out yourselves. Then, Joey Rook, compile a report on the candidate sites."
"Yes, sir!"
First assignment, and they were already standing at full attention.
"I'm not saying go today, so don't stress. By next week when you come, Owner, think about some places to check out too."
"Whew. Fine. Already dying from restaurant work, and now more homework."
Lee In-cheol grumbled but didn't refuse. He probably knew deep down that sticking to the status quo without growth would kill any sense of purpose soon enough.
Running a restaurant is grueling.
That's why you have to find fun in the little things, or it becomes pure torture.
That's also why I tell owners to chat more with customers. Humans are social creatures—seeing a familiar face gives you a boost.
Repeating thankless work like a hamster wheel wears people down fast.
The most fun is when the shop's growing. Times like now for Owner Lee In-cheol are the most dangerous. When the shop seems stable on track. That's when they crumble the most. At least he seems aware of it. Good. Anyone else would've hired an extra head chef ages ago and just popped in occasionally. Flavor would've tanked, regulars would've bailed in a flash. Too late for regrets once sales drop.
"See you next week, then."
"Yep."
Lee In-cheol waved me off as he headed out. Thud. The door closed, and Joey Rook shot up from their seat.
"Can I really do this?!"
Yeah, I figured they'd say that.
"You might not."
"Then why...!"
"I'm not asking you to decide the location for the expansion. Just go scout together beforehand and submit a report."
"...Pardon?"
I grinned and said, "I'll review the selected sites myself. So don't worry—just focus on whether a spot looks good or not to you."
Because you—you have the eye for it.
"Trust me on that."
"......"
Joey Rook swallowed hard, then nodded vigorously. Good. For someone low on confidence, just give them a target for their trust. That's why "believe in me" works wonders.
"Yes, sir! So I just focus on location analysis, right?!"
I smiled warmly at Joey Rook's sparkling eyes.
"Attend the 3 PM meeting too. You'll learn more there."
In a small company like this with under five people, whose job is whose? If it can't run without me, is it a company or a corner store? Even if it's corner store level now, I need to build proper systems going forward. Lots of talent to bring on board too. And Joey Rook was the first step. I'd be getting busier soon myself. Need to pass on most of the franchise ops knowledge before then. Oh, what am I planning? Since I've come back in time, time to cash in on what I know. This summer, fast approaching. The bingsu craze was about to sweep through.