Chapter 119

Rule of “No Strangers Allowed” and the Menu

Proofread by Ruriko

" . . . Introduction or recommendation is quite normal, right?"

As I briefly explained about the “no strangers allowed”, Mr . Benno shrugs his shoulders lightly . In this class-oriented city, it is common that one isn’t allowed to enter a restaurant because he does not have appropriate clothing or comes without introduction .

"Even for a guest who is introduced by someone, his payment and behavior are not necessarily good . Big spenders are not always good guests . It will be an annoyance if one is arrogant and overbearing just because he spends a lot of money . "

Mr . Benno scratches his head, for some guests are troublesome indeed . I make a brief explanation on the difference between introduced guests and strange guests .

"It's different from a usual introduction . For example, if a guest is introduced to you by someone, then steals ornaments, causes a commotion after getting drunk, or refuses to pay the bill, you can go to find the introducer and ask him to pay the bill or solve the problem . "

"Then will the introducer have to pay?!"

With his eyes popping, Mr . Benno pounds on the table and jumps to his feet, looking down at me in surprise .

"Yes . If any trouble happens, it will not only be the problem of the restaurant or the guests . I think this may be effective to prevent trouble . Thus people would not introduce customers randomly . Obviously, it will do no good to the introducer himself . So people only introduce reliable customers to the restaurant . "

" . . . However, won't it be a heavy burden for introducers?"

Sitting in the chair comfortably, Mr . Benno presses his temples slightly . He seems to be surprised by my idea . Because he needs not be responsible after he introduces a workshop to his customer .

"The atmosphere of the restaurant is very important . If we can ensure the delicious food and pleasing time for the guests, there will be more and more regular customers . . . . Well, I will leave it to Mr . Benno's judgment . To be clear, it's a matter I'm not familiar with . "

It is Benno's job to think or judge whether to adopt my opinion . They ask me about the questions, so I just present the solution I comes up with . I fail to become a merchant apprentice . So I'm not sure if the system I know is appropriate or not here .

"However, because the restaurant is newly opened, there is no regular customer . So I think it alright if we make the rules for such a high-end restaurant for nobles from the very beginning . But it’s impossible to make such rules half the way?"

Mr . Benno frowns and looks up into the sky .

"If we want more guests, we must consider every detail . "

"Hmm . . . First, we have to decide what we don't compromise . Then we can change others according to the interior decoration of restaurant or its surroundings . Because the rules are adopted for the first time, it will be better to give the guests leeway, probably . "

"Hmm . . . "

After knowing what Mr . Benno considers, I look at my tablet .

"Well, we have talked so much about the 'no strangers allowed' . Then think about the necessities for opening the restaurant . "

"Necessities for opening the restaurant? Do you mean the interior decoration which has been decided?"

Mr . Benno narrows his eyes, looking puzzled . I look at the "items" listed on my tablet, and glare at Mr . Benno .

"What are you talking about? Yet we have only decided the interior decoration . We still have to prepare the menu and the bell on each table, right? We need high quality to make it luxurious . "

"Menu? Waiters will tell the menu to guests . "

In this world, menu is showed by waiters orally . It won't be a problem in commoners' restaurants to tell guests the little difference; e . g . , a sausage is toasted or boiled . Nor is there a problem in a noble family since the meal has been decided in advance and the server can just say "Today's menu is this" .

However, without a menu, it will be a heavy burden for waiters to ask guests to choose from multiple dishes of which they have not ever heard .

If there is no menu, guests may not know what kind of food they are served, so they cannot choose what they want . It will also be more difficult to serve the guests .

"On the menu you can write the dishes that are cooked in the restaurant and the brands of drinks . Put one on each table, and then guests can order freely without asking waiters about the dishes one by one . I don't know to what extent it would relieve the burden of waiters, but it's better than nothing .

"Even if you make a menu, there must be someone who can't read . "

According to Mr . Benno's bitter expression, I recall the low literacy rate of the residents of this city . But it still not a problem . The guests coming to the Italian restaurant must be the rich people who earn enough money and are well educated . Even Lutz was required to learn letters when he became the merchant apprentice .

"If one cannot read the characters, usually he would ask a waiter . . . . But the first batch of guests coming to the tasting will be the bosses of large shops, right? So I think they can read the characters . "

" . . . Well, yes . "

"And because most of them are accompanied by their followers, there must be someone who can read . "

The bosses of big shops mainly talk about their work when they dine with their friends . So there must be followers who take documents or writing materials . If neither of them can read, they cannot discuss business . Nor can they understand what is written in the contrast, let alone the work .

"Ok, so here's a question about menu . I can pick out thicker paper to make menus, but do we need to add plants watermark like we did before? We'll prepare different menus for standard dishes and seasonal dishes . Besides, it will work as an advertisement for our plant paper . "

I want to make fashionable and delicate menus instead of cute ones . What kind of plant is better for the current season? How about making some colored paper?

"Will you use paper? Is it necessary for a menu?"

"The menu is essential for the restaurant! Maine's Workshop can be in charge of making menus . My attendant’s handwriting is great . Haha . "

" . . . I know nothing about it, neither its importance nor what we need . I'll leave it to you . "

Mr . Benno said tiredly, putting his hands on his forehead .

I get a new job and begin to think of the design of the menu .

"Ok, no problem . Then, what do you think about the waiters? Our goal is creating noble-like atmosphere . So if we hire the commoners from this city, are they capable of serving the nobles?

The waiters of the commoners' restaurants are quite different from those of the nobles' . I know this because I learnt it from the service of my first attendant Fran .