Week 22 - Wednesday
Wednesday. Olivia started her first shift. True to her interview impression, she arrived bubbly, impeccably dressed (though quickly donning an apron), and full of positive energy. She had zero food prep knowledge, asking basic questions that made Tammy sigh audibly, but her retail background shone through at the counter. She greeted every customer with a genuine smile, remembered names, made effortless small talk, handled orders efficiently, and seemed completely unfazed by the dinner rush. She absorbed instructions quickly, eagerly helping Henry with packing and cleaning during lulls, asking smart questions about the chicken cooking process (which Theo answered vaguely with "good equipment, careful timing"). By the end of the shift, she felt like a natural fit, her cheerful attitude a welcome counterpoint to Tammy's quiet intensity. Theo was impressed. Skills can be taught, he reaffirmed internally. Attitude like hers? Priceless.
Tammy, however, seemed even more off-kilter than usual today. A little fidgety, dropping utensils, mishearing an order detail. Minor mistakes, things she normally wouldn't get wrong, particularly given her intense OCD like attention to detail. Theo watched her discreetly, wondering if Olivia's presence was bothering her, or if it was something else. He made a mental note to check in with her later, but the evening rush swept the thought away. They sold out completely again, 150 sales, closing slightly early.
Week 22 - Thursday
Thursday morning, Jenny called, confirming she could start next week, working Thursday and Friday evenings after her classes, plus weekend shifts. Her voice was full of gratitude and determination. Theo felt a sliver of satisfaction. Giving her a chance felt… good, in a way that purely optimizing profit didn't. Maybe there was room for both. Theo never really got a chance to do anything for his parents, so Jenny's willingness to help out with the family was something that really shone through for him. Definitely gave him good vibes.
Around 3 PM, Sarah arrived, navigating the small shop with a surprised look. "Wow, place looks busier! And new faces?" she said, nodding towards Olivia who was expertly managing the counter.
"Yeah, hired some help," Theo confirmed. "Olivia started yesterday, Henry and Tammy has been here since last week."
Sarah grinned. "Moving fast! Okay, let's talk marketing while it's quiet."
They huddled near the counter. Sarah pulled up the shop's social media pages (or lack thereof) and online review profiles on her tablet. "Right, reviews are still mostly positive, couple more five-stars since we last spoke, good momentum." She pointed to one recent review. "This one though – one star – 'Came by Sunday 8:45 PM, sign said open till 9, but doors locked, lights off. Just wanted my chicken fix! Poor service!'"
Theo shrugged. "We sold out early Sunday, had to close." A single negative review wasn't going to kill them, particularly given all the other positive reviews. Meh, whatever.
"Totally valid," Sarah nodded, already typing a reply as the business owner. "'So sorry we missed you! We had an unexpectedly busy weekend and sold out earlier than anticipated. Please come back another time – your next Half Chicken & Chips is on us!' Boom! Turn a negative into a positive, shows you care."
Shortly after she posted it, a notification popped up. The reviewer had edited their post: "EDIT: Wow! Owner replied and offered free chicken! THAT is top-notch service! Totally understand selling out now. Will definitely be back! Changing rating! Big stores should learn from this! HUGE fan now!"
Theo stared at the screen. Impressive. Free chicken and chips is what, worth $16, less if you look at cost price, but turning a negative review into a positive, and showing people that the business cares, now that is priceless.
Sarah then turned her attention to social media. "Okay, the posts I did last week got good traction, but they're falling down the feeds now. Need fresh content." Just then, Henry emerged from the back, having prepared a fresh batch of deep-fried Mars bars based on yesterday's success.
"Perfect!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "Dessert! Unexpected, visual, shareable!" She grabbed one, took an appreciative bite. "Oh my god, Henry, these are dangerous!" She immediately started arranging the desserts, snapping photos with her phone, adjusting the lighting, finding the best angles. "People love novelty soul food," she explained, tapping away. "We'll push these hard. Hashtag deep fried goodness, hashtag cheat meal, hashtag local eats…" She tagged a couple of local food bloggers she followed. "Planting seeds," she winked.
Olivia watched, fascinated, asking questions, absorbing Sarah's techniques like a sponge. Henry looked proud (of his dessert creation!) and while interested in the digital marketing stuff, turned out to a be completely computer illiterate. Theo didn't think any young kids wouldn't know computers, but guess there is a first for everything. Tammy, however, hovered in the background, pretending to wipe down an already spotless counter, her expression unreadable, seemingly uninterested.
Once Sarah finished her impromptu marketing masterclass, Theo insisted she take a proper meal break. They sat at one of the small tables, eating chicken and chips.
"So," Theo asked, "How's Meta? How's the new team going?"
Sarah sighed, poking at a chip. "The new structure is hell. More work, less clarity, boss is a complete micromanager, despite not having much of a clue about most things. Absolutely a seagull, swoops in from above, shits over everything then flies away…" She took a frustrated bite of chicken. "Honestly, makes me want to work on my side gig even more. But I'm so drained after work, haven't had much energy for it this week."