THE F&B (food and beverage) industry is a notoriously tough business. Small, medium or big entrepreneurs have to contend with a huge number of variables and challenges.
Not only do they have to offer good grub but they also need to find ways to attract customers. Be it with promos, value-for-money meals or unique propositions.
An example of the latter was highlighted on popular makan forum – KL Foodie – that showed a wan tan mee stall that had a special way of preparing its egg noodles.
The clip shows the vendor tossing the noodles high up in the air and juggling it with the dexterity of a circus performer.
The vendor was so confident of his noodle-tossing skills that he boasted that he would replace it with a hundred servings if he were to miss or drop an order.
Hence, there were always customers willing him to miss though the vendor did not disclose if he has ever had to make such a payout.
However, his method of tossing the wan tan mee did not meet with universal approval. Quite a few asked what was the purpose of tossing the noodles so high in the air? Did it in any way improve the taste of the dish?
Many also said that by doing so allowed for all sort of pollutants, pathogens and other unwanted “ingredients” to attach itself to the noodles before being served to the customer.
However, one foodie did try to explain the rationale behind this vendor’s technique.
Amid all the negative comments, one commenter did make a pointed observation that if this stunt was done abroad, the cook would be famous and hailed as some sort of culinary genius.
The gimmick sums up the business climate with rising cost of raw materials and stiff competition making it extremely tough. As one netizen observed, the wan tan mee seller was just trying to make an honest living by being slightly creative. Why lambast him for trying?
All said and done, consumers have the freedom of choice as to whether to patronise the stall or not. Nothing wrong with a bit of showmanship to go with a meal. After all, as pointed out by one netizen, it is no different from enjoying a cuppa of freshly “pulled” tea a.k.a. teh tarik.
In the meantime, FocusM is heading to this stall with the hope of “winning” 100 plates of wan tan mee!
Bon Appetit! – Oct 22, 2024
Main image credit: KL Foodie /Facebook
