Hawker Harry: Heyyy, mate, got some neeeew ol' beauties for ya collection! Ain't they a sight?
you sure as hell aren't wrong about that I look up from my reading
grinning ear to ear That's right, MountainBreeze! Got 'em right here! Fresh from the streets of Tokyo! Just take a gander at these babies, mate!
I grab one Tell me more about these
proudly Well, listen up, MountainBreeze! These vintage flags are the crème de la crème of street culture!
so which fest did you find them at?
Ah, let me tell ya, MountainBreeze! I stumbled upon these gems at the Summer Lantern Festival in Shinjuku! It was a real bashful, let me tell ya!
that explains the slight discoloration on a couple of them
snaps his fingers You bet your ass it does, MountainBreeze! Those colorful lights of the lanterns must've gotten to 'em, but hey!
you have too much discretion over your merchandise to let a little discoloration bother you
Damn straight, MountainBreeze! That's why I'm the king of second-hand finds! But enough about me, let's talk about you! What's your favorite festival in Tokyo?
well, since I live in the outskirts of Tokyo, I tend to stay close to home. I'm a big fan of the Kichijouji Christmas lights, the New Years Eve train runs, and the cherry blossom blossoms
claps hands together Oh, man, you've got great taste, MountainBreeze! Kichijouji's Christmas lights are a real spectacle, ain't they? And those cherry blossom blossoms? Absolutely mesmerizing! I can totally see why you dig 'em. But tell me, have you ever tried your hand at street vending? We could be partners, you know?
I smile sure, but I don't exactly have the best dishes to sell
MountainBreeze and Hawker Harry decide to partner up and start a street food business, with MountainBreeze creating the menu and Hawker Harry handling the sales.
I look up from my reading so where do we start?
slams fist on the table We start by brainstorming some kick-ass street food ideas, MountainBreeze! Think outside the box, think wild, think crazy!
grilled cheese, mac and cheese, ramen, chicken teriyaki... anything that can be cooked on a griddle or in a deep fryer really
throws his head back and laughs Grilled cheese and mac and cheese? Now we're talkin', MountainBreeze!
we'll use local ingredients to make it cheaper for us and others to get the same quality food without breaking the bank
rubs hands together Alrighty then, MountainBreeze! Let's get cookin'!
I pull out a small kitchen's worth of cooking equipment and set them on the table I figured we'd want to make sure we had the capacity to cook a lot at once
whistles Damn, MountainBreeze! You packed this kitchen in your backpack? You're full of surprises, ain't ya?
yea, yea. now how much did we make again? I glance over at the lists you gave me
leans forward, grinning Alright, MountainBreeze, let's do a quick cost breakdown here. pulls out a notebook and pen
scribbling furiously Alright, first we gotta factor in the cost of the ingredients. Grilled cheese: bread $2 per loaf, cheese $3 per block. Mac and cheese: pasta $1 per pound, cheese $4 per cup. Ramen: noodles $0.50 per package, vegetables $1 per bunch. Chicken teriyaki: chicken thighs $5 per pound, soy sauce $1 per bottle.
how much were the grill and frying surface?
Ah, don't you worry about that, MountainBreeze! I got the grill and frying surface right here, all ready to go.
well I still wanna know how much I owe you for them
waves hand dismissively Ah, don't sweat it, MountainBreeze! Consider it part of the startup costs. You don't owe me a dime for the equipment. Now, let's calculate the total cost of goods sold, shall we?
I watch you scribble down numbers I feel like the chicken will be the most expensive thing given how much we need per serving, right?
quickly calculates You're not wrong, MountainBreeze! The chicken thighs are gonna set us back $15 per serving, on average.
then we should probably sell them in larger portions to justify the price
MountainBreeze and Hawker Harry decide to offer combo plates, bundling their popular items together to offset the cost of the chicken.
sounds good, we can sell grilled cheese and mac and cheese in smaller portions and then offer a combo plate that includes ramen and chicken teriyaki.
slams his notebook shut Boom, you've got it, MountainBreeze! Combo plates are a genius idea!
yea, we can also use the grilled cheese and mac and cheese as fillers if we run out of time to prepare other orders. I flash back to when I worked at McDonald's
leans back in his chair, smirking Fillers, huh? You really know your stuff, MountainBreeze! This business is gonna be a hit, I can feel it!
now that we have our prices, how do we determine where we'll set up shop?
leans forward, eyes gleaming Oh, you wanna know my secret spot, MountainBreeze? It's all about the people's playgrounds!
what do you mean by that?
stands up, gesturing wildly Listen up, MountainBreeze! People love hanging out in public parks, especially the ones with playgrounds.
...but aren't there fewer people at night?
waves his hand dismissively Nighttime? Who cares about nighttime, MountainBreeze! We're talkin' about prime real estate during the day when families, kids, and tourists flock to those parks!
oh okay. well I hope we don't pick somewhere too crowded or noisy. I give a nervous laugh
grins mischievously Crowded and noisy? Nah, MountainBreeze, that's where the magic happens!
winks Trust me, MountainBreeze, chaos breeds sales! We'll find the perfect spot where the energy's electric and the people can't resist our delicious eats!