A Simulation Comparison of Buffet Restaurants

Abstract

Two ostensibly similar buffets operating in two districts of the same state offer the customer substantially different dining experiences. While the customer usually has to wait in a queue for a table at both, one buffet allows the customer to complete that meal in an average of 40 minutes, while customers at the other buffet may have to wait as long as 90 minutes to complete the process. A PC-based Monte Carlo-type simulation of the two buffets shows the interaction of restaurant design with operational procedures. The buffet with the lengthy meal time called on servers to handle numerous tasks, including check settlement and keeping track of all beverages due to a policy of charging for some refills. The resulting server congestion stretched the length of time customers had to wait for a server's attention beyond reasonable limits, with likely damage to customer satisfaction. The other buffet had customers pay in advance, and servers did not have to tally beverages, although servers still delivered them. The computer model allowed the authors to test the result of one operational change on customer waiting and table time. Waiting times diminished significantly when customers were allowed unlimited access to soft-drink dispensers-thus freeing servers of the need to deal with beverages. This demonstration shows the efficacy of computer models to allow managers to play out what-if scenarios before committing funds to operational changes.