Forget Fries: Would You Like a Massage, and a Car Wash with Your Dinner?
In China, a hot pot restaurant offers a revolutionary dining experience.
A restaurant chain in China takes customer service to a level unimaginable in other countries. It offers services that might even seem bizarre by American standards. The restaurant, HaiDiLao, aims to offer more than just a meal. Its founder, Zhang Yong, wanted to create an unforgettable experience. First opened in China’s Sichuan Province as a modest four-table eatery, it is now the largest hot pot chain in China, and it has become a global sensation.
Starting as a humble hot pot restaurant, it soon became so popular that they needed to keep patrons occupied while they waited. So, the extra services grew to include many special services: manicures, car washes, massages, and more.
Soon, people came to HaiDiLao not just for its mouth-watering spicy broths or fresh ingredients but also for its incredible customer service philosophy. As customers faced long waiting times, they enjoyed a luxury experience.
This odd business model was an instant hit, leading to HaiDiLao’s rapid expansion. The chain, now valued at over a billion dollars, has spread to several countries, adapting its services to local regulations and cultures. Now even opening in the US, unfortunately without so many freebies. The company claims it keeps the core philosophy, an unimaginable customer experience. One woman claimed she was addicted to the food, spending over $50,000 over several years.
In the US, it offers smaller, thoughtful touches; the focus is on less dramatic, but significant touches like hair ties and phone chargers, sorry, no massages. Regardless of location, HaiDiLao claims it ensures that a meal starts with an outstanding experience, even before customers sit down to eat.
Of course, HaiDiLao has to deliver on the dining experience too. Beyond the complimentary services, the food itself is said to be noteworthy. It offers a sauce bar with over 20 ingredients, allowing diners to personalize their hot pot. The hand-stretched noodles come with a performance — a dance by the chef, adding to the theatricality of the meal. The focus is not just on quality food but on creating an engaging and interactive dining environment.
HaiDiLao says its focus is not just for customers; the service extends to its employees. The company offers benefits like childcare and training opportunities, showing that their service ethos is for workers as much as patrons. This approach to staff welfare creates an atmosphere that contributes to the high level of service customers enjoy.
In places like Arcadia, CA, known as the ‘Chinese Beverly Hills,’ and Flushing, Queens, NY, the presence of HaiDiLao marks a shift in the type of Chinese cuisine and dining experiences sought by newer generations of Chinese immigrants and locals alike, sadly without the car washes.
