Editor’s Note: This story was initiallly published on Feb. 2, 2009.

The big Buddha welcomes you to Golden Wok.

Delivery has been its secret success story since 1986. Golden Wok, 223 Welch Ave., offers late night hours and quality food, but its big selling point is delivery.

Kai Kuo, owner of Golden Wok, said his business is 75 to 80 percent delivery.

The “Chinese-American” business not only delivers in Ames, but also four surrounding areas — Story City, Gilbert, Huxley and Nevada.

Although there are four cars, some days can get pretty busy keeping drivers driving all over, especially on weekends, Kuo said.

“We do a lot of delivery every day,” he said. “We offer delivery and [it’s as if] one of my drivers almost will run you over.”

Kuo said between 200 and 500 entrees are ordered on a daily basis, but it all depends on the day. The Golden Wok stays open on Friday and Saturday night until 2 a.m. to cater to the Campustown nightlife.

Kuo is what he calls a second-generation owner of Golden Wok.

He took over for his uncle in 1998 after earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Memphis. Kuo said he believes his uncle started a life in Ames thanks to opening the Golden Wok.

He said surviving in Campustown, let alone Ames, is hard work and found that service comes with the age and quality of the business.

“If you do not stay in this area for a long time, you do not survive,” Kuo said. “A lot of new or small businesses went out of business. You’d be surprised.”

The foot traffic passing by his business, he said, has slowed ever since Knapp Hall and Storms Hall were demolished in the summer of 2005.

“We are doing well, just not as well as five years ago,” he said.

He also said he tries to keep his prices reasonable — averages around $5 for most entrees — for college students.

“This area we charge five dollars, give or take,” Kuo said. “If you go over five dollars, you have lost.”

Golden Wok, Kuo said, is more of a “Chinese-American” Chinese food rather than the classic Chinese-Chinese that is served in China or Asia. He said most Asian restaurants in America are similar.

“I have friends say we ‘American- Chinese.’ The only problem is if I do ‘Chinese-Chinese [food]’ you won’t eat it. That’s my issue right there,” he said with a laugh.

He referred to his menu as having classic entrees.

“We kind of switch our menu [to fit American’s tastes],” he said. “We try a lot of classic entrees, and you can see something you can’t pronounce on the menu … you look and be like ‘oh look at that.’ So basically, for this location right here we cater to students.”

They also offer American appetizers and ice cream on their menu.

Within the past couple of years, Golden Wok has updated its look from new ceilings and floors to new furniture and artwork.

Even though the location has changed in the past, Kuo said he likes Campustown.

“We like this location because it’s central locating. We probably do 200 entrees a day [during the week], and 100 were delivery,” he said. “And this is [a] central location right here.”

What are Golden Wok’s plans for the future? Kuo said he plans to keep improving the deliveries.

“Right now, it’s making sure our delivery quality is as high as other franchises,” he said.

Restaurant hours:

Sunday – Thursday: 10:30 a.m. to midnight

Friday, Saturday: 10:30 to 2 a.m.

Foods you wouldn’t think Golden Wok serves:

Cold Stone ice cream and pies

Chicken wings and chicken strips

Mozzarella sticks and other American appetizers