A Meteoric Rise

A Meteoric Rise

Huntsville is a city centrally located in the northernmost part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the county seat of Madison County, and the fourth-largest city in Alabama. The technology, space, and defense industries have a major presence here with the Army's Redstone Arsenal, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and Cummings Research Park.

A Meteor Shoots Across
There is an outstanding Chinese restaurant, Meteor Buffet, situated at 751 Highway 72 E in this busy technology-driven city. It is centrally located next to several residential areas, a shopping center, and the city’s central business district. Its location opposite Wal-Mart and only a short drive from two universities (A&M and UAH) brings this restaurant exceptionally high customer traffic. According to the owner, Chaobin Zhang, “We are blessed with this location.”

Able to accommodate 380 diners in its spacious dining room, this award winning restaurant has been serving the locals for seven years. The interior is nicely maintained, bright, and inviting. Traditional Chinese décor including Chinese paintings and a wooden dado and woodcarving screen can also be found in the restaurant. Although the total area of the restaurant is 8,900ft2, it is not fancily decorated. Zhang’s goal is to create a homey ambiance for his customers.

Not limiting itself to just being a buffet restaurant, Meteor Buffet also serves as a dine-in and take-out establishment. Variety seems to be the key element here as the buffet offers a mix of Americanized Chinese food, seafood, sushi, and also a hibachi grill section. Zhang knows full well that it’s difficult to please everyone at the same time. As a customer oriented restaurant, Zhang has become well versed in what the customers like and adjusts the options on the food bars every two months. This is his tenet and also his strategy to ensure that every customer is satisfied. It’s no exaggeration that every dish at Meteor Buffet is well received. Customers have praised Meteor Buffet for having everything they could ask for and always giving them unexpected surprises.

What do you want? Chinese food? Some signature dishes, Coconut Shrimp, Black Pepper Chicken, and Peanut Chicken are crowd favorites which you won’t want to miss. Desiring some American style fare? Meteor’s Apple Pie always hits the spot.

Zhang was befriended by an experienced Italian chef who taught him how to make delicious pizza. Customers all agree that Meteor’s pizza compares favorably with the pizza served at pizzerias. “Some of our customers come especially for our pizza,” Zhang tells ARN. And the new launched Hibachi grill section has also won customer acclaim.

Freshness is ensured by making sure food is always kept at a proper temperature at Meteor Buffet. “Special attention is paid to each food tray. Dishes are renewed every twenty minutes after being placed on the food bar,” Zhang points out when questioned about how to ensure freshness. In his opinion, Chinese restaurants’ offerings are mostly alike and the tastes are similar. Whether the chefs are willing to keep learning advanced cooking methods and further try developing recipes catered to customer preferences is the difference between losing old customers and winning new ones. Thus, customers can rest assured that the food quality at Meteor Buffet is unparalleled.

Customer Focus   
Customers are always looking for a restaurant that provides new tastes, a variety of choices, and considerate service. When deciding where to go to eat, nothing is more valuable than word-of-mouth. Many customers tend to want to try new things. They also love being well served and treated like VIPs by the servers. Zhang believes that 50% delicious food plus 50% exceptional service together make a successful restaurant.

He and his staff try to remember each customer’s name. “I try to do everything I can for my customers so that they can have a great time when dining at Meteor Buffet,” Zhang adds. His mission everyday is to provide the best service possible to his both new and loyal guests. One way he does that is by taking a look at customer-staff interactions from the customer’s point of view. Looking at things from a different angle is very useful for restaurateurs or managers when they want to improve their service standard. “You should treat your customers the same way you expect to be treated when you dine at other restaurants.”

He cherishes each of his customers. Before customers walk out the restaurant, Zhang and his staff always ask customers about their meal and see if there’s anything the restaurant could have done better. “Innovation is about more than trying not to get stuck in a rut. It's also about improving customer experiences and service,” Zhang says smiling.

A Process to Upgrade Your Life…
When customers entering Meteor Buffet, they are greeted promptly and served efficiently. Along with great food, the service that a restaurant provides has played an essential role in attracting new guests while retaining its current clienteles. Meteor Buffet was awarded “Readers’ Choice Best Asian Food” by the local media Huntsville Times.

Zhang points out that one cannot really learn anything until he rids himself of complacency, “We should always try to improve standards even more.” He also believes customers are the real reason for his success and wants to take this opportunity to thank his customers who have consistently supported Meteor over the years.

The biggest hurdle for most immigrants to overcome is the language barrier; especially those who enter the service industry. However, Zhang doesn’t agree. “I encourage friends and colleagues around me to be less reserved and try to find opportunity to speak to the natives, to understand more about the locals’ customs and preferences.” Zhang thinks that running a restaurant is a dynamic and demanding job which requires restaurateurs to never stop learning. “Life is like a battery. Only when it’s continuously charged can potential and self value be maximized.”

What do you wish for when you see a meteor? Make a wish when dining at Meteor Buffet. Zhang and his staff always try their best to bring customers the best dining experience possible.

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Name: Meteor Buffet
Location: 751 Highway 72 E, Huntsville, AL 35811
Phone: 256-852-8138