bookrandom Chapter 1485 Takeout?
Chapter 1485 Takeout?
Chapter 1485 Takeout?
After its initial defeat on Jordan Road, KFC did not back down but instead launched an even more aggressive offensive. Within a month, eight brand-new KFC stores opened simultaneously in various districts of Hong Kong, with a highly targeted site selection strategy—each one was located next to or across the street from the eight best-performing Burger King stores, with each less than ten meters apart.
On Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, opposite the Burger King flagship store, what used to be a watch shop now displays a red and white KFC sign. On Lockhart Road in Causeway Bay, a shop next to the Burger King that had been vacant for three months was rented at a high price, and a KFC renovation team is working day and night. Similar scenes are playing out simultaneously in eight of Hong Kong's most bustling commercial districts: Queen's Road Central, Sai Yeung Choi Street in Mong Kok, and Yu Man Square in Kwun Tong.
"They're trying to challenge us," Zhao Yajing said, her brow furrowed as she stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of Burger King's headquarters office in Central, looking down at the KFC store across the street where they were setting up their opening flower baskets.
Qin Hao sat behind his desk, flipping through a report in his hand, his tone calm: "As expected. KFC just entered the market, and they can't beat us in direct marketing, so they can only resort to this most direct 'close-quarters tactic.' They want to establish a foothold next to our most core stores in the shortest possible time and steal our customers."
"What can we do then?" Zhao Yajing turned around. "Are we just going to stand by and watch them open a shop next door and steal our business?"
"Of course not." Qin Hao put down the report, stood up and walked to her side: "I have prepared eight 'gifts' and I'm just waiting to send them over on their opening day."
On April 15th, eight new KFC stores opened simultaneously.
Each storefront was adorned with flower baskets, and a lion dance troupe was on display, creating a lively and festive atmosphere with the sounds of gongs and drums. The opening specials were also very attractive—20% off fried chicken combos.
However, just as KFC's opening event was reaching its climax, the Burger King store across the street also started to make moves.
Every Burger King had a prominent banner hanging in front of it:
**Celebrating the Xth anniversary of Burger King's XX location, buy one get one half price!**
Purchase any package for a chance to win tickets to Sam Hui's Hong Kong Coliseum concert!
"For the next seven days, purchase a set meal and receive a free Chayan Yuese milk tea coupon!"
The discounts were unprecedented. In particular, the prize of "Sam Hui concert tickets" had a fatal attraction for Hong Kong citizens - tickets for Sam Hui's "Most Important to Have Fun" concert in 1985 were already sold out, and scalpers were selling them for three times the original price.
Suddenly, the crowd that had been heading to KFC began to disperse. Many young people changed their minds immediately after seeing the Burger King promotion.
"Hey, Ah Ming, let's go to Burger King! You can win tickets to Sam Hui's concert!"
"Really? Wait for me!"
"And with the second item half price, it's even more cost-effective for the two of us!"
That evening, the atmosphere in the conference room of KFC's Hong Kong branch was somber.
The general manager in charge of Hong Kong operations was a British man in his forties named John Miller. Looking at the sales figures in his hand, his face was ashen: "Eight stores, average revenue is only 60% of what we expected. Burger King's response was too swift; our opening activities were completely suppressed."
Sitting opposite him was Richard Hamilton, Vice President of the Food and Beverage Division of Swire Group, who also looked grim. Introducing KFC was his decision, and now, with the business not doing well, he was under immense pressure.
“This is only the first day,” Richard said, trying to remain calm. “Burger King’s profits will definitely be affected by such a big discount. They can’t maintain this level of intensity in the long run. Once this promotion ends, our advantages will become apparent.”
Miller shook his head: "Richard, you probably don't understand the fast food industry. Burger King's 'buy one get one half price' promotion may seem to lower profits, but it increases sales, so the overall profit may not necessarily decrease. Moreover, they used Sam Hui concert tickets as a gimmick to attract young customers, who are exactly our target customer group at KFC."
He paused, then added, "More importantly, this kind of direct confrontation will consume a lot of resources for both sides. Burger King is already a public company and has the support of the capital market. What about us? Can Swire Group tolerate this endless war of attrition?"
Richard fell silent. He knew Miller was right.
……
Three days later, at Swire Group headquarters, in the boardroom.
Twelve people sat on either side of the long mahogany conference table; they were all directors and senior vice presidents of the Swire Group. At the far end of the table sat Chairman Sir Marshall, over seventy years old, with gray hair but sharp eyes.
Richard stood in front of the projection screen, reporting on the progress of the KFC project. He tried to describe it in a positive tone, but the data didn't lie: KFC's revenue in its first week of operation was 35% lower than expected, and the average transaction value was also 18% lower than expected.
"Despite some challenges, we remain confident in KFC's prospects in Hong Kong," Richard concluded. "Burger King's reaction precisely demonstrates that they feel threatened. As long as we persevere, we will definitely be able to secure a place in Hong Kong's fast food market..."
“Richard,” a voice interrupted him.
The speaker was Jess, a man in his fifties wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was the group's chief financial officer and had an exceptional sensitivity to numbers.
“You just said that the total revenue of KFC’s eight new stores in the first week was… Let me see…” Jess flipped through the report in his hand: “HK$128 million. And according to your budget, what is the weekly operating cost of these eight stores?”
Richard's expression changed slightly: "About... 90 Hong Kong dollars."
"That means the gross profit is only 38." Jess pushed up his glasses. "This doesn't even include the initial one-time investments such as renovations, equipment, rent, and deposits. At this profit margin, how long will the investment payback period be?"
"It will be a bit difficult at first, but as brand awareness increases..."
“I’m asking about the numbers, Richard,” Jess interrupted him. “How long exactly?”
Richard's forehead began to sweat: "About two to two and a half years."
A low murmur arose in the conference room.
"Two and a half years?" Another director shook his head. "Richard, do you know what the average payback period is for the group's other businesses? Real estate projects take 1.8 years, beverage business takes 1.2 years, and aviation-related businesses take 2.1 years. A fast food project taking two and a half years to break even is too low a return."
Jess continued, "And there's something I've always wondered about. Since Burger King has already proven the market potential of Western fast food in Hong Kong and successfully listed with a market value of over a billion Hong Kong dollars, why don't we just invest in Burger King directly, instead of starting KFC from scratch? Isn't the manpower and resources spent on this somewhat wasteful compared to the limited market prospects of Western fast food?"
This is a very pointed question, hitting the core of the project's logic.
Richard composed himself and tried to explain: "Mr. Jess, I think you should know that KFC is an international giant, while Burger King... is just a brand newly established by a young man from the mainland. In terms of heritage, it cannot compare with KFC at all. We chose KFC because we chose a higher starting point and a stronger brand endorsement."
“If that’s the case,” Jess stared at him, “why have you lost to them time and time again? You lost the first battle, and then you were suppressed again in the second round when all eight stores opened. If KFC is really that strong, why can’t it beat a new local brand?”
Richard was speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself speechless. The facts were undeniable—KFC's start in Hong Kong was indeed being suppressed by Burger King in every aspect.
He subconsciously loosened his tie.
“That’s because… Burger King has already achieved a certain scale, with over a hundred stores in Hong Kong and high brand recognition.” Richard finally found an excuse: “I must admit, Burger King’s response was timely and defused our offensive. But this is only temporary. As long as the group can provide sufficient financial support, I believe we can definitely crush Burger King completely!”
He spoke with great conviction, but the reaction in the meeting room was lukewarm.
Some directors stared at him with scrutinizing eyes; some whispered to their colleagues, shaking their heads and frowning; others simply lowered their heads to look at other documents, showing no interest in the topic at all.
Finally, Sir Marshall, seated at the head of the table, gently tapped the table.
The meeting room immediately fell silent.
“Richard,” Sir Marshall began, his voice low but each word carrying weight: “The corporation can offer you any support—funding, resources, connections, anything. But I want you to understand one thing: the board’s patience has its limits.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Richard: "If by the end of this year you still can't make a breakthrough, establish KFC in the Hong Kong market, and achieve satisfactory results... you know the consequences yourself."
This was said in a very tactful way, but the meaning was very clear—if you don't achieve results by the end of the year, you're out.
Richard's back was soaked with cold sweat. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down: "Yes, sir. I will do it. I will make sure KFC achieves a breakthrough in the Hong Kong market before the end of the year."
“Very good.” Sir Marshall nodded. “Meeting adjourned.”
……
Back in his office, Richard slumped into his chair, feeling utterly drained.
He knew he had taken on an extremely difficult task. Burger King had deep roots in Hong Kong; its products, marketing, store network, and supply chain were all highly developed. How easy would it be for KFC to catch up?
But he has no way out. If he cannot achieve results by the end of the year, his twenty-year career at Swire Group may come to an end.
“We can’t just sit here and wait to die.” Richard stood up abruptly, walked to his desk, and pressed the intercom button: “Notify everyone in the Food and Beverage Division to have a meeting in half an hour. I need to see a countermeasure plan for the KFC Hong Kong project.”
Half an hour later, the conference room was full. Richard stood in front of the whiteboard, his gaze sweeping over his dozen or so managers and supervisors.
"Guys, we're running out of time. We have to make a breakthrough before the end of the year. Now, everyone needs to rack their brains—how do we beat Burger King?"
For the next two hours, a lively brainstorming session ensued in the conference room. Some suggested continuing the price war, others proposed developing products unique to Hong Kong, and still others advocated for increased advertising spending…
Ultimately, one proposal gained the support of the majority: celebrity endorsement.
“If Burger King uses Sam Hui, we’ll use an even more popular star.” A young marketing manager said, “Who’s the most popular star in Hong Kong right now? Alan Tam! If we can get Alan Tam to endorse KFC, he’ll definitely outshine Sam Hui.”
“Alan Tam?” Richard frowned. “How much would it cost to hire him?”
"It won't be cheap. But it's worth the investment. Alan Tam is currently the most popular male singer in Hong Kong's music scene, with countless young fans. If we can sign him, our brand image will be immediately enhanced."
Richard thought for a few minutes and then made the decision: "Okay, we'll sign Alan Tam."
Swire Group acted swiftly. Three days later, Richard personally met with Alan Tam's manager. The negotiations were difficult; the manager demanded a high price—HK$5 million for three years, an astronomical sum in Hong Kong in 1985. But Richard didn't haggle and signed the contract directly.
The news sent shockwaves through the entire Hong Kong entertainment industry.
"Alan Tam's KFC endorsement deal: five million over three years!"
"Celebrity endorsement fees hit a new record!"
The news of Alan Tam's endorsement of KFC quickly spread throughout Hong Kong, with extensive media coverage. Many citizens who were previously unaware of KFC began to pay attention to the brand because of Alan Tam.
As expected, customer traffic at KFC stores increased. Richard seized the opportunity and continued to expand—opening ten new stores in Hong Kong, bringing the total to eighteen. Each one was located near a Burger King store, adopting a "we're going to fight you to the death" attitude.
At Burger King headquarters, Zhao Yajing walked into Qin Hao's office with a newspaper in hand, her face serious: "Old Qin, have you seen the news? KFC signed Alan Tam for three years, five million. Should we follow suit? Sam Hui's contract expires at the end of the year, shouldn't we talk about renewing it?"
Qin Hao took the newspaper, glanced at it, and laughed: "Alan Tam? Not bad, KFC has finally learned to play the celebrity card."
"Then what should we do? Should we also ask Alan Tam? Or other popular stars?" Zhao Yajing asked.
“No.” Qin Hao shook his head: “We’re not going to compete with them on celebrity endorsements. Alan Tam is popular now, but the entertainment industry changes quickly. What about next year or the year after? It’s too risky to spend a lot of money to sign a star.”
“But Sam Hui’s contract expires at the end of the year,” Zhao Yajing reminded her. “If he doesn’t renew it, we’ll have no spokesperson.”
Qin Hao smiled and said, "No rush. We'll just change the spokesperson next year."
"Why change the spokesperson all of a sudden?" Zhao Yajing asked, puzzled. "Isn't Sam Hui a good choice? He has high name recognition, a positive image, and many fans."
Qin Hao did not answer directly, but said, "New talents emerge in every generation, and new talents replace the old. Sam Hui has been popular for so many years, but there will always be younger and more popular stars in the entertainment industry. Now KFC has found Alan Tam, and what we are looking for is the next superstar."
“I’ll handle the spokesperson issue,” Qin Hao said. “You have a more important task now—building a food delivery team.”
"A food delivery team?" Zhao Yajing was taken aback. "You mean... food delivery to your door?"
“Yes.” Qin Hao nodded: “KFC can learn from us about celebrity endorsements, opening new stores, and even promotional activities. But there’s one thing they absolutely can’t learn in a short time—a complete food delivery system.”
He walked to the whiteboard and drew a diagram: "Look, we now have 120 stores in Hong Kong, covering all major commercial and residential areas. If each store can serve takeaway orders within a two-kilometer radius, it means we can cover 80% of Hong Kong's densely populated areas."
Zhao Yajing's eyes lit up: "I understand! KFC only has eighteen stores, so even if they wanted to do delivery, their coverage would be limited. But we... can deliver to almost any corner of Hong Kong!"
“That’s right.” Qin Hao nodded. “Moreover, food delivery is not just about increasing sales, but more importantly, about improving the service experience. Think about it, on rainy days, hot days, or when you don’t want to go out at night, you can just make a phone call and have fried chicken and burgers delivered to your doorstep—this kind of convenience is incomparable to dining in.”
Zhao Yajing became more and more excited as she thought about it: "That's right! And once customers get used to our delivery service, they'll become dependent on it. Even if KFC tastes similar to us, if we can deliver to their door while they can't, customers will definitely choose us!"
"Smart." Qin Hao looked at her approvingly: "So what you need to do now is to build up the delivery team as soon as possible. This is the key to our crushing victory over KFC in terms of service."
……
For the next two months, Zhao Yajing devoted almost all her energy to building the food delivery team.
Things were far more complicated than she had imagined.
First, there was the issue of operators. In 1985, there was no internet, let alone mobile apps; all orders had to be answered by phone. This required operators to be familiar with every street, every block, and even the approximate location of every building in Hong Kong. Otherwise, upon receiving an order, they wouldn't be able to quickly determine which store to assign it to.
Zhao Yajing recruited thirty telephone operators, all of whom were required to be native Hong Kong residents with extensive knowledge of the local geography. They then underwent two weeks of intensive training—memorizing maps, remembering store locations, and practicing standardized telephone scripts.
Secondly, there was the issue of delivery. In order to keep delivery time within half an hour, Zhao Yajing bought three hundred second-hand motorcycles at once, with specially made insulated boxes installed on the back of the motorcycles, printed with the Burger King logo.
Then, in some stores in busy areas, a dedicated operator is needed to handle takeout orders and transfer calls.
Zhao Yajing designed a manual system: each operator had a large Hong Kong map in front of them, marking the locations and delivery areas of all Burger King stores. Upon receiving an order, the operator would locate the corresponding store on the map based on the customer's address, write down the order details, and then relay it to the store via internal phone. The store would then begin preparation and simultaneously arrange for a delivery driver to deliver the order.
This system sounds primitive, but it was the only option for telephones when computers were not yet widespread.
Qin Hao would listen to Zhao Yajing's progress reports every week. He reminded her, "Take it slow. Building a food delivery team is not something that can be done overnight. We're doing this food delivery service partly to increase sales, but more importantly, to improve service. Make sure everything is in place before starting, otherwise, we'll end up with a bunch of complaints, which will only damage our reputation."
“I understand.” Zhao Yajing nodded. “We are currently conducting simulation tests, having employees pretend to be customers and place orders by phone to test the smoothness of the entire process. We have already identified quite a few problems and are working on improving them one by one.”
At the same time, Qin Hao was also carrying out another important task—finding a new spokesperson.
Through Michael Hui's connections, Qin Hao arranged a meeting with Leslie Cheung. In 1985, Leslie Cheung had already begun to make a name for himself in the music scene, becoming a sensation with his song "Monica," but he had not yet reached the superstar status he would later achieve. He was young, handsome, and a talented singer and dancer, and was in the prime of his career.
The meeting was to be held in a private room at a high-end restaurant in Central. Leslie Cheung arrived as promised, dressed simply in a white shirt and jeans, but exuding exceptional charisma.
"Mr. Qin, I've heard so much about you." Leslie Cheung said very politely.
"Mr. Zhang, you're too kind. Please have a seat." Qin Hao stood up to greet him.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two quickly got down to business.
Qin Hao cut to the chase: "Mr. Zhang, I would like to invite you to be the spokesperson for Burger King. The contract is for five years, and the endorsement fee is seven million Hong Kong dollars."
This price surprised both Leslie Cheung and his manager. Seven million for five years, averaging one million four hundred thousand per year, was slightly lower than Alan Tam's five million for three years, but considering that Leslie Cheung's fame had not yet reached its peak, it was already a very generous offer.
Before the agent could speak, Leslie Cheung spoke first: "Mr. Qin, thank you for your high regard. But five years... that's too long. The entertainment industry changes quickly, and nobody knows if I can maintain my current popularity in five years. It's risky for both of us."
Qin Hao smiled: "Mr. Zhang is very frank. So, how long do you think would be appropriate?"
“Three years,” Leslie Cheung said. “Five million for three years. If both parties are satisfied after three years, we can renew the contract.”
Qin Hao thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, three years it is. But I have one condition - during the endorsement period, you can't accept endorsements from other fast food brands."
“Of course.” Leslie Cheung nodded.
The two sides quickly finalized the contract details. Qin Hao knew that signing Leslie Cheung in 1985 was definitely a smart deal—the next few years would be the most intense period of the "Alan Tam vs. Leslie Cheung" rivalry, and Leslie Cheung's popularity would reach its peak. And three years later, if everything followed historical trajectory, Leslie Cheung would announce his retirement from the music scene, at which point it would be just right to change the spokesperson.
……
Just as Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing were busy preparing for the delivery team and the new spokesperson, Richard from Swire Group was feeling quite pleased with himself.
Alan Tam's endorsement has been remarkably effective, significantly boosting KFC's brand awareness. The ten newly opened stores are also doing well; although not yet profitable, customer traffic is steadily increasing. Richard believes that if they persevere, they will definitely deliver a satisfactory result to the board by the end of the year.
He has even begun planning the next step—to open another twenty stores by the end of the year, expanding the total number of stores to forty, basically covering the main areas of Hong Kong.
However, at 7:30 pm on July 15, 1985, an advertisement during prime time on TVB shattered his dream.
The advertisement depicts a rainy night where a family of three is snuggled on the sofa watching TV. Suddenly, the child says, "Dad, I want to eat Burger King."
The father picked up the phone and dialed: "Hello, Burger King? I want a family bucket, delivered to XX Road, Kowloon Tong."
Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. The deliveryman, dressed in a uniform, handed over a paper bag with the Burger King logo: "Sir, your delivery."
The whole family opened the paper bag; fried chicken, hamburgers, fries, and cola—everything they could want. The child smiled happily.
Voiceover: "Burger King delivery service is officially launched! One call, delicious food delivered to your door. Free delivery on orders over HK$15, arriving within 30 minutes!"
The advertisement ends with a line of large text: **Delivery Hotline: XXXXXXX**
Richard was watching TV at home when he saw the advertisement and almost dropped his wine glass.
"Takeout? Delivered to your door without leaving home? That's impossible!" His first reaction was disbelief.
Order by phone? And no extra charge? Free delivery on orders over HK$15? How much does that cost? The salaries of the operators, the delivery staff, management costs… Has Burger King gone mad?
But reason told him that Burger King wouldn't do business at a loss. Qin Hao wasn't stupid; he must have had his reasons for launching this service.
Richard immediately picked up the phone and dialed the hotline listed in the advertisement.
"Beep...beep..."
It rang seven or eight times before finally connecting. But instead of a human voice, it played a pre-recorded message.
"Hello sir, this is the Burger King delivery hotline. Due to high call volume, please tell us your desired food, delivery address, and phone number after you hear the beep. We will place your order according to your pre-recorded message. 'Beep—'"
Richard paused for a moment, then realized—this was a buffer plan designed to prevent operators from being overwhelmed. Customers leave messages to place orders, and operators will process them later.
He said into the microphone with some skepticism, "I want a spicy chicken burger combo, delivered to the 18th floor of the Taikoo Group Building in Central. The phone number is XXXXXXX."
After hanging up the phone, he specifically checked his watch: 8:05 PM.
Then he sat on the sofa, staring at the wall clock, silently keeping track of the time in his mind.
At 8:10, the phone rang. It was a Burger King operator calling back to confirm the order: "Hello sir, this is Burger King. Just confirming your order: one Spicy Chicken Burger combo, delivered to the 18th floor of the Swire Group Tower in Central, is that correct?"
“Yes,” Richard said.
"Okay, delivery is expected within 30 minutes. Thank you for your patronage."
At 8:25, there was a knock on the office door. The secretary came in, holding a plastic bag: "Mr. Richard, is this... your takeout order?"
Richard paid and took the plastic bag. He opened it and found a cardboard box with the Burger King logo. Inside was a spicy chicken burger, fries, and a Coke—everything was there. He touched the burger—it was still warm.
From order placement to delivery, it took exactly twenty minutes.
Richard sat in his chair, looking at the hamburger on the table, a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.
He knew all too well what this meant.
In 1985 Hong Kong, a food delivery service that could deliver accurately within twenty minutes was revolutionary. For customers who didn't want to go out, were in bad weather, or were simply too lazy to move, this convenience was an irresistible temptation.
If KFC doesn't follow suit, it simply can't compete with Burger King—customers will think: "Both are fried chicken and burgers, but Burger King can deliver to my door while KFC can't, so why should I go out of my way to eat KFC?"
But if KFC were to follow suit... it would mean that it would have to expand its number of stores to a level comparable to Burger King in a short period of time—at least 80% coverage—in order to provide similar delivery services.
How much investment and time will this require? Will the board of directors provide that?
Richard slumped in his chair, only one thought in his mind: It's over, it's completely over.
He remembered the pledge he'd made at the board meeting—to make a breakthrough by the end of the year. It was already July, only five months left. Burger King's surprise delivery attack had completely disrupted all his plans.
……
Burger King's delivery service did encounter quite a few problems on its first day of operation.
The hotline kept ringing with complaints: operators misremembering addresses, mishearing delivery orders, and delivery drivers delivering to the wrong floors. Zhao Yajing was overwhelmed, constantly adjusting processes, training employees, and resolving problems.
Overall, however, the food delivery service has been remarkably effective.
Especially for stores located near the Central business district, takeout orders account for more than 30% of their total revenue. Some stores didn't even have enough ingredients prepared in advance and had to temporarily source them from the central kitchen.
Although the costs are higher than dine-in—including operator salaries, delivery staff salaries, phone bills, and motorcycle fuel and maintenance—the significant increase in sales is enough to cover these additional costs. More importantly, the delivery service has built a unique competitive advantage for Burger King that KFC cannot replicate in the short term.
The capital market also reacted positively. Just one day after the delivery service was launched, Burger King's stock price rose from HK$3.8 to HK$4.3, a single-day increase of over 13%. Meanwhile, Swire Group's stock price saw a slight decline due to investor concerns about the prospects of the KFC project.
Monday morning.
As Richard entered the office, his secretary greeted him, her face grim: "Mr. Richard, the chairman requests your presence in his office. Please go now."
Richard's heart sank. What was bound to happen had finally arrived.
He straightened his tie, took a deep breath, and walked toward the chairman's office.
In his office, Sir Marshall sat behind his enormous desk, a financial statement spread out before him. He looked up as Richard entered, his eyes icy.
“Sit down,” Sir Marshall said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.
Richard sat down, making a final attempt to negotiate: "Chairman, I have a solution for Burger King's delivery service. We can..."
“Richard,” Sir Marshall interrupted him, his voice calm but chilling, “Do you know that because of you, Swire Group’s stock price fell by 4% last week? Do you know how much money I lost in a single day because of that 4% drop?”
Richard opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
“Eighty million Hong Kong dollars,” Sir Marshall said. “Eighty million a day. And all of this is because your KFC project has performed poorly, causing investors to lose confidence.”
"Chairman, this is only temporary..."
“There’s no more temporary.” Sir Marshall stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Richard. “The board has already met. The KFC project is over.”
Richard jumped to his feet: "Chairman, give me another chance! I promise I'll do it by the end of the year..."
“Richard,” Sir Marshall turned to look at him, “I expect to see your resignation letter before I leave work.”
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Richard's head. He felt a chill run through him, his lips trembled, and he wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
After a long pause, he asked in an almost desperate tone, "Then... what about KFC? We've invested so much..."
“There are no KFCs left.” Sir Marshall walked back to his desk and sat down, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him. “The board has decided to abandon this project. The existing eighteen stores will be transferred if they can be transferred, and closed if they cannot be transferred.”
He looked at Richard and said finally, "You can leave now."
Richard didn't know how he got out of the chairman's office. He went back to his own office, closed the door, sat down in his chair, and stared blankly at the bustling street scene of Central outside the window.
Twenty years. He worked at Swire Group for twenty years, rising from the lowest level employee to the position of vice president. He thought he was a master in the business world and that introducing KFC would be his masterpiece.
I never imagined that we would lose so badly and so completely in the end.
He lost to a young man from the mainland, a "big circle boy" he once looked down upon.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Richard placed his resignation letter on the secretary's desk.