Today’s Episode
Have you ever seen people fly across the country just to visit a supermarket? Pang Dong Lai in Henan has become a viral sensation — find out why this heartwarming store is winning everyone over!
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Want to know what “人情味” really means? In this week’s MaoMi Chinese+, we break it down with the heartwarming story of Pang Dong Lai. Tune in for fun Chinese and real-life connections!
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大家好，欢迎回来 MaoMi Chinese！今天我想和你们聊一聊一个最近在中国非常火的超市，它叫“胖东来”。
“胖东来”这个名字听起来有点特别，有点可爱。胖东来的老板叫于东来，他有点胖，所以他开的超市就叫胖东来,意思是胖胖的东来。胖东来开在中国河南省许昌市。许昌是一个不太大的城市，但是因为胖东来，这个城市变得很有名。很多人坐火车、坐飞机，只是为了去这个超市看看。
胖东来为什么这么火？有的人说，是因为服务特别好；有的人说，是因为员工很幸福；还有的人说，这个超市不是为了赚钱，是为了让大家开心。
我们先来说说员工。中国很多超市的员工工作时间很长，而且工资不高。但是在胖东来，员工的工资是本地最高的之一。他们每周只工作五天，不用加班，有很多的休息时间。员工可以免费吃饭，去健身房，甚至还有心理医生可以聊天。如果你工作很累，公司会让你休息，不会批评你。员工生日的时候，公司还会送花、送礼物，让你觉得自己很重要，很特别。
老板于东来说：“如果员工不开心，他们怎么可能服务好客人？先要让员工幸福，客人才会满意。” 这句话后来在网上非常有名，很多人觉得他说得非常对。
再来说说服务。胖东来的员工服务特别热情。如果你不小心把东西掉在地上，员工马上会来帮你打扫，还会给你新的。有时候，员工会来问你需不需要帮助，还会笑着跟你说话。很多人说，在胖东来，感觉自己不是客人，而是朋友。
在胖东来，很多东西是免费的，也就是不用钱。你可以免费喝水，免费借雨伞，手机没电了也可以免费充电。小孩子有专门的游戏区，大人逛超市的时候，孩子可以去玩。这些小小的服务，让很多人觉得很温暖。
有的人说，胖东来不像一个超市，更像是一个“幸福的地方”。大家在这里买东西，也在这里放松、休息，心情也变好。
你可能会问，这样的超市真的赚钱吗？其实胖东来也赚钱，但是它不想赚最多的钱，而是想怎么让员工和客人都更开心。老板于东来以前说过，他小时候家里很穷，所以他现在想用自己的方式，让别人过得更好。所以，在胖东来，老板愿意少赚钱，也要给员工更高的工资。
这个超市告诉我们，做生意不一定只有压力和竞争，也可以有温度，有人情味。什么是人情味？在下一次的MaoMi Chinese+，我们会聊聊怎么用这个词。
你去过服务特别好的超市吗？你觉得工作的时候，老板对你好重要吗？欢迎给我们留言，和我们分享哦！
Hello everyone, and welcome back to MaoMi Chinese! Today, I want to chat with you about a supermarket in China that has become incredibly popular recently. It’s called Pang Dong Lai.
The name “Pang Dong Lai” sounds a bit unusual — and a bit cute too. The owner is called Yu Donglai. He’s a bit chubby, so he named his supermarket Pang Dong Lai, which literally means “Chubby Donglai”. The supermarket is in Xuchang, a city in Henan Province. Xuchang isn’t a big city, but because of Pang Dong Lai, it’s now very well-known. Many people take the train or even fly there just to visit this supermarket.
So, why has Pang Dong Lai become so popular? Some people say it’s because the customer service is amazing. Others say it’s because the employees are really happy. And some say it’s because the supermarket isn’t just about making money — it’s about making people happy.
Let’s start with the staff. In many supermarkets in China, employees work very long hours and don’t earn much. But at Pang Dong Lai, the salaries are some of the highest in the local area. Staff only work five days a week, they don’t need to do overtime, and they get plenty of rest. They get free meals, access to a gym, and there’s even a counsellor they can talk to. If someone’s feeling exhausted, the company lets them take a break — no criticism at all. On your birthday, the company gives you flowers and presents, just to make you feel important and special.
Yu Donglai, the owner, once said: “If the employees aren’t happy, how can they give good service to the customers? We need to make sure our staff are happy first — only then will the customers be satisfied.” This quote became really popular online, and many people agreed with him.
Now, let’s talk about the service. The staff at Pang Dong Lai are incredibly friendly and helpful. If you accidentally drop something, someone will rush over to help clean it up and even give you a new one. Sometimes staff will come and ask if you need help, and they’ll always speak to you with a smile. Many people say that at Pang Dong Lai, they don’t feel like customers — they feel like friends.
There are also lots of things that are free. You can get free water, borrow umbrellas when it’s raining, and even charge your phone if the battery runs out. There’s a special play area for children, so while the adults are shopping, the kids can have fun too. These small touches make people feel really warm and cared for.
Some people say Pang Dong Lai doesn’t feel like a supermarket — it feels more like a “happy place”. People come to buy things, but they also relax, take a break, and feel better emotionally.
You might be wondering — does a supermarket like this actually make money? Well, yes, Pang Dong Lai does make money. But the goal isn’t to make the most money. The goal is to make employees and customers feel happier. Yu Donglai has said that when he was young, his family was very poor. So now, he wants to use his success to make life better for others. He’s willing to earn a bit less, if it means his staff can earn more.
This supermarket shows us that running a business doesn’t always have to be about pressure and competition. It can also be warm, human, and full of kindness. What do we mean by “human warmth”? We’ll explore that word — renqingwei — in our next MaoMi Chinese+ episode.
Have you ever been to a supermarket where the service was especially good? Do you think it’s important to have a kind boss at work? Leave us a comment and share your thoughts!