Ascendance of a Bookworm

Chapter 119: Rule of “No Strangers Allowed” and the Menu

"… 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.