637 words
King Among Kings
How do you think your restaurant sales will be like in 2008?
“Business will go down just a little bit.”
Confidence Level: 4 smiley faces.
The Scene
Warm, Cozy
Since its establishment in 1993, King’s Chef Buffet has reigned over the competition in the quaint and pleasant city of Warrensburg, Missouri. This charming eatery is 7000 square feet and features both dine-in and take-out service. King’s Chef Buffet can comfortably accommodate up to 250 people. The atmosphere is vibrant and cheerful with a red and sky blue color scheme, illuminated by red and blue neon lights and a golden crystal ceiling lamp. Soft music plays in the background to enhance the peaceful scene. Most people have never heard of Warrensburg, but this restaurant recently earned national acclaim by winning for “Top 100 Nutrition Friendly Menus” in the 2007 Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in the USA.
The Food
Dynamic, Refreshing
King’s Chef Buffet excels at preparing Chinese food that is palatable to American appetites but faithful to its Guangdong origins. The food is prepared in a variety of ways, including steaming, grilling, and stir frying. Some of the most famous dishes at King’s Chef Buffet are General Tso’s Chicken, Butter Prawns, Crab Rangoon, and Chinese Wontons. Every dish is cooked with homemade sauces, which are very special and pure, flavorful but not too sweet. The tasty Egg Drop Soup is also very popular. The soup stock is made from chicken bones that are cooked over 6 hours to get rid of the fat. People with special dietary requirements will appreciate the healthy options. The line-up includes many grilled items, a lot of fruit, many tofu and vegetable dishes, and many dishes with no MSG and little salt or oil.
Service
Patient, Quick
On a typical evening, four or five chefs work at the restaurant. Mr. Xiao trains the chefs himself; every new chef needs to receive at least one week of training. The staff members are extremely friendly towards customers and are capable of resolving problems quickly. Mr. Xiao thinks the staff image is also the image of a restaurant, so he pays a lot of attention to customer service and treats the customers like friends. Mr. Xiao is proud of his restaurant’s sanitary conditions. His establishment always gets high marks from the patrons.
Guests are always treated like VIPs, but they get extra special treatment during holidays. For example, on Valentine’s Day, beautiful accessories and candles are added to create a romantic ambiance, and sometimes Mr. Xiao hires a pianist to play mood music for the lovers.
Owner
Determined, Humble.
Mr. Xiao came to America in 1988 and worked at another Chinese restaurant before he opened his own in 1993. He thinks a successful restaurant needs three elements: a good location, good management, and good quality food. However getting a good location is not an easy task. Everything comes to he who waits. Mr. Xiao found an ideal location in Warrensburg. His restaurant is on the road to a university and an air base, and it is also near a residential area. As an old Chinese saying goes: know yourself, know your opponent; and in a hundred battles you will win a hundred victories. Mr. Xiao researched the local area and opened a take-out restaurant. With business blooming, Mr. Xiao expanded the restaurant into a big, upscale buffet restaurant. Now he can spend more time with his family, enjoying hobbies such as ping-pong, swimming, and tennis. After so much hard work, he and his family have certainly earned some quality relaxation time.
Fact Sheet:
King’s Chef Buffet
501 N Maguire St, Warrensburg, Missouri 64093
- Cuisine: American Chinese Food, Guangdong Cuisine
- Restaurant Type: (casual/ upscale): upscale
- Seats/Capacity: 250
- Offers: (take-out, delivery, banquet room, VIP room?) : buffet and take-out
- Signature Dish/ House Specialty: General Tso’s Chicken, Butter Prawns, Crab Rangoon, Chinese Wontons.
- Drinks: All kinds of beverages
- Desserts: cake and ice cream
- Year of establishment: 1993
- Phone: (660) 747-0880
