Week 20 - Friday
Friday afternoon arrived with the distinct promise of weekend intensity. The flow of customers started earlier than usual, keeping Theo busy from mid-afternoon onwards. He was managing okay, the enhanced equipment humming along reliably, but he could feel the pressure building towards the evening peak, already anticipating the struggle of handling it solo one last time before Henry started tomorrow.
Around 4:30 PM, just as the after-work crowd started trickling in more seriously, the bell above the door jangled and Henry poked his head in, dressed in casual clothes.
"Hey Theo!" Henry greeted him cheerfully. "Just finished up nearby, thought I'd swing by and see how the place looks in action before I start tomorrow. Smells amazing in here!"
Theo felt a wave of relief at the friendly face, even if he wasn't officially on the clock yet. "Hey Henry, glad you stopped by. Getting busy already." He gestured towards the rotisserie. "Grab a seat if you can find one clear, let me get you some food. Might as well see what you'll be selling tomorrow."
Theo quickly plated up a generous portion of chicken and chips and handed it over. Henry sat at one of the small tables, eating enthusiastically while observing the shop's operation, occasionally asking Theo questions about the workflow during momentary lulls.
Then, around 5:30 PM, the trickle became a flood. The small waiting area filled up, the phone started ringing with takeaway orders, and the online order pings added a constant beat to the growing chaos. Theo moved faster, juggling orders, packing boxes, handling payments, the strain beginning to show.
Henry finished his food, watching Theo get slammed, trying to manage three orders simultaneously while the phone rang unanswered. After a minute, Henry stood up decisively, wiping his hands on a napkin.
"Whoa, looks intense!" Henry called out over the noise. "Need an extra pair of hands for a bit? Seriously, I can jump on the register or pack if you want? Looks like you're getting buried!"
Theo looked up, surprised by the proactive offer, a surge of immense gratitude washing over him. "You sure, Henry? You don't even start 'til tomorrow."
"Nah, it's cool! Consider it pre-shift training!" Henry grinned, already grabbing a spare apron from the hook. "Just point me where you need me most!"
"Register," Theo said immediately, relief making his voice slightly hoarse. "Just take orders, handle cash and card payments. I'll handle the food."
Henry jumped right in, his McDonald's training evident. He picked up the +1 enhanced POS system intuitively, greeted customers politely, handled transactions quickly and accurately, bagged orders neatly, and even started organizing the waiting tickets. His presence instantly relieved the pressure, allowing Theo to focus entirely on the rhythm of chicken, chips, seasoning, boxing. They fell into an unexpected, effective rhythm, Henry calling out orders, Theo confirming and plating. The dinner rush, while still intense, felt manageable, almost smooth. They hit 128 sales by closing time, higher than Thursday despite the initial solo struggle.
"You," Theo said as they finally leaned against the counter after locking the door, surveying the messy but productive aftermath, "were an absolute lifesaver tonight, Henry. Seriously."
"Hey, no problem!" Henry beamed, clearly buzzing from the adrenaline. "It was actually fun! Way better than flipping burgers. This system you've got flows pretty well once you get the hang of it."
Theo pulled out his wallet. He counted out fifty dollars. "Here's for the hours you jumped in tonight," he said, handing it over. Then he counted out another hundred dollars. "And this is because you showed up early, stepped up without being asked when I was drowning, and basically proved you're exactly the kind of person I need here. Consider it a welcome aboard bonus and thanks for saving my ass tonight." He pushed the full $150 towards Henry. "Welcome aboard properly tomorrow morning."
Henry stared at the cash, his jaw slack. "$150? But I only worked like, four hours! Wow! Thanks, Theo! Seriously, thank you! I won't let you down. See you at 10 AM sharp!" He pocketed the money carefully, practically vibrating with excitement as he headed out.
Theo watched him go, leaning heavily against the counter, exhaustion hitting him now that the rush was over. But beneath the fatigue was a potent sense of accomplishment and validation. Hiring good people, trusting them even a little… maybe it wasn't just necessary. Maybe it was the key.
Week 20 - Saturday
Saturday was intense, but manageable with Henry working alongside him from the start. Knowing they had double the manpower, they prepped enough for 150 sales. Henry quickly mastered the packing station and moved on to helping with chip frying and even basic chicken portioning under Theo's guidance. He was a natural all-rounder, efficient, observant, and seemingly tireless. The steady stream of customers kept them busy all day, peaking during the dinner rush but never quite reaching the frantic chaos of the previous Sunday. They closed the day with 138 sales.
"Solid day," Theo commented as they tallied the register.
"Yeah," Henry agreed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Way smoother than yesterday, even though we did more orders. Having two people makes a huge difference." Theo couldn't agree more.
Week 20 - Sunday
Sunday, they prepped for 150 again, anticipating the usual weekend peak. And the peak came. From lunchtime onwards, the shop was slammed. Line out the door, phone ringing off the hook. But this time, with Henry seamlessly handling the counter, packing, and fryer while Theo focused on the rotisserie and managing the overall flow, it felt… controlled. Busy, yes. Exhausting, absolutely. But not the edge-of-disaster chaos of the previous Sunday. They worked in sync, a well-oiled machine powered by enhanced equipment and growing teamwork. By 8 PM, they sold the last chicken. 150 sales. Sold out again, but this time it felt like a victory achieved through capacity, not just luck. Things were looking good, real good.