Chinese BBQ chain founder rejects discounts, delivery, reports double-digit growth after 2016 crisis
Song Ji, founder of Chinese barbecue chain Henjiuyiqian (Long Long Ago), has adopted a contrarian business philosophy after nearly going bankrupt in 2016. Despite operating over 140 stores, he refuses discounts, group buying, marketing, and food delivery, arguing such tactics damage corporate culture. Since implementing a "ten don'ts" policy in 2024, the chain achieved double-digit same-store revenue growth in 2025, with table turnover at 4.9 times per day and employee turnover dropping from nearly 20% to 3-4%.
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Barbecue chain founder shuns discounts and delivery, focuses on three principles after 18 years
This article profiles Song Ji, founder of the Chinese barbecue chain 'Henjiuyiqian' (Long Long Ago). Despite operating over 140 stores, Song has adopted a contrarian business philosophy: no group-buying, no discounts, no marketing, and no food delivery. He argues these practices create 'trickery' that corrupts company culture and distracts from product quality. The article traces his journey from a naive entrepreneur who nearly went bankrupt in 2016 with 36 stores and no cash flow, to a self-reflective leader who now prioritizes employee welfare and customer experience over aggressive growth. After a period of introspection and learning from figures like the founder of Japanese cleaning company and Pangdonglai's Yu Donglai, Song implemented a 'ten don'ts' policy in 2024. He reports that the chain's table turnover rate has risen to 4.9 times per day in 2025, while employee turnover has dropped from nearly 20% to 3-4%. Song attributes this success to acting with 'true heart' rather than applying formulas or tricks.
Read sourceChinese BBQ Chain Founder Rejects Discounts and Delivery After 18 Years of Lessons
This article profiles Song Ji, founder of the Chinese barbecue chain 'Henjiu Yiqian' (Long Long Ago), who has adopted an unconventional business philosophy after nearly going bankrupt in 2016. Despite operating over 140 stores, Song refuses to use food delivery platforms, group-buying discounts, promotions, or advertising. He argues that such tactics create 'form over substance' and damage corporate culture by encouraging deception. Instead, Song focuses on product quality, customer experience, and employee welfare, eliminating performance metrics that he says led to burnout and cheating. In 2024, he implemented a 'ten don'ts' policy and a 'six doors' framework to avoid what he calls 'trickery and calculation.' The company achieved double-digit same-store revenue growth in 2025, with table turnover reaching 4.9 times per day and employee turnover dropping from nearly 20% to 3-4%. Song attributes his turnaround to self-reflection and lessons from mentors, including the founder of Chinese retail chain Pangdonglai.
Read sourceChinese BBQ chain founder shuns discounts, delivery in 18-year quest for authenticity
This article profiles Song Ji, founder of the Chinese barbecue chain 'Henjiu Yiqian' (Long Long Ago), who has developed a contrarian business philosophy after nearly going bankrupt in 2016. Despite operating over 140 stores, Song refuses to offer discounts, group buying deals, or delivery services, and avoids marketing and advertising. He argues such tactics create 'form over substance' and damage corporate culture by encouraging deception. Instead, Song focuses on product quality, customer experience, and employee welfare, eliminating most performance metrics. After a 2016 cash crisis where he could not pay wages, Song underwent a period of intense self-reflection, living in employee dormitories and improving conditions. He now reports a 4.9 daily table turnover rate in 2025 (up from previous years) and employee turnover dropping from nearly 20% to 3-4%. Song attributes his transformation to three influences: a Japanese cleaning expert who taught 'gentleness', a teacher who advocated 'cleanliness inside and out', and Fat Donglai founder Yu Donglai, whose parable about a beggar helped Song realize he must act from genuine intention rather than copying others. Song now follows a 'ten don'ts' policy and warns against six 'doors' of bad business practice.
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Chinese BBQ Chain Founder Rejects Discounts and Delivery, Advocates Sincere Management After 18 Years
In an interview with Chinese business magazine Caijing, Song Ji, founder of the 'Henjiuyiqian' lamb skewer chain with over 140 stores, explains his unconventional business philosophy. After nearly going bankrupt in 2016 despite 36 stores and 200 million yuan in revenue, Song realized his earlier focus on form over substance was unsustainable. He now follows a 'ten don'ts' policy: no group buying, discounts, promotions, marketing, advertising, or food delivery. Song argues such tactics create insincerity and damage corporate culture. Instead, he prioritizes product quality, customer experience, and employee welfare, with minimal assessment and no scripted service. Since 2024, he has implemented reforms inspired by encounters with Japanese cleaning expert Shinjiro Hata and Pangdonglai founder Yu Donglai, emphasizing sincerity over techniques. Results include double-digit same-store revenue growth in 2025, average table turnover of 4.9 times per day, and employee turnover dropping to 3-4%. Song attributes success to self-reflection and avoiding shortcuts, though he acknowledges his approach is still evolving and rates himself only 'barely passing.'
Read sourceChinese BBQ Chain Founder Rejects Discounts and Delivery, Advocates Sincere Management
This article profiles Song Ji, founder of the Chinese barbecue chain 'Henjiuyiqian' (Long Ago), who has built a 140-plus store business by rejecting common industry practices such as discounts, group buying, marketing, and food delivery. After a near-collapse in 2016 when 36 stores faced payroll and supplier payment crises, Song underwent a deep personal and business transformation. He now emphasizes sincerity over tactics, avoids performance metrics that push employees to their limits or ethical boundaries, and focuses on product quality and genuine customer experience. The chain achieved double-digit same-store revenue growth in 2025 and a low 3-4% employee turnover rate. Song attributes his turnaround to self-reflection and lessons from figures like the cleaning expert who taught 'gentleness' and the founder of Chinese retailer Pangdonglai, though he deliberately stopped attending the latter's courses to avoid copying methods insincerely. His current philosophy is summarized as 'ten don'ts' and avoiding 'six doors' of harmful business practices.
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