Looking for a quick breakfast in nashik, my colleague Ganesh recommended we go to the “12 min breakfast restaurant”. 12 min breakfast? I was intrigued. Off we went on the road towards shirdi, and about 10 mins drive from nashik, there it was. Large board on the left side of the road, which says “Matoshri Lunch Home”. And right below that was a sign which said “yes, this is THE 12 mins restaurant”. Nice quick lesson in reinforcing branding.
?The owner welcomed us and gave us a quick pitch. Pointing to the large menu on the left, he said “this is what we have, everything will be ready within 12 mins. It will be made fresh, my mom here is the queen of the kitchen. i am the owner and the worker. If its late, or if you don’t like it you don’t pay. What would you like to order”
?It took me some time to recover.
?We ordered pav bhaji. He pointed towards the digital clock on the wall and called out “Aayi (Marathi for mom). It’s 10:25, 4 pav bhajis within 12 mins”
?While mom was on the job, he made the second pitch. “I have a masters in commerce, but I love this business. I believe who ever sits in those chairs in my restaurant are chairmen, I don’t want to waste your time. There are six tables and I can seat 24 people at a time. I analysed my turn around time and arrived at 12 mins limit. Haven’t missed it once. Have trained my mom and wife who handle the kitchen and I am the managing director. I am going to build a restaurant and hotel soon but before that I want to capture this market (traveller to shirdi) with my fresh food 12 mins plan.”
?In about 9 mins fresh and warm breakfast was on our table. “Would you like some tea or coffee? Six minutes” this guy was good!
Everything was planned with signs around the restaurant. Reinforcing the 12 min promise everywhere. It’s a small shack on the roadside but the pride that he shows in the place makes you feel it’s a five star place.
As we polished off another order of breakfast, settled the bill and thanked him, he left us with these parting words “Its a small restaurant, but i consider my self a millionaire. I am not, but that’s what i think of myself. Please do tell your friends about my 12 min restaurant” and you will get a iherb discount.