You are managing a breakfast and lunch only restaurant that sells all-inclusive plated meals (i.e. all lunches include any protein or hot foods as well as salads and sides on a single plate). You’ve decided to try and apply “drum-buffer-rope”. You notice that there are two lanes that operate in parallel that converge at the “expo” window: some of the food is prepared from the “hot side” which includes the side items like vegetables, potatoes and grains as well as the grill and fryer for items like burgers, onion rings, etc. In addition, some of the food is prepared from the “cold side” which includes garnishes, fruit cups, salads or other chilled items. Time from the start of production to the expo window is 24 minutes.
Orders (in first-come, first-serve order) were for Table 6 [2 burger plates] is due at the expo window at 11:35, Table 9 [1 brunch special, 1 grilled chicken special, 1 caesar salad] is due at the window at 11:40, Table 5 [3 chicken finger kids plates, 1 chef’s salad] is due at the window at 11:46, Table 15 [2 grilled veggie salads, 1 steak salad is due at the window by 11:50, and Table 4 [2 brunch specials, 2 caesar salads] is due by 11:59.
a. How big is the buffer?
b. It’s 11:45 – and you notice that Table 9’s Caesar salad is not yet at the expo window, Table 15’s grilled steak salad’s not done and that Table 4’s brunch specials haven’t been started. What, if anything do you do? Explain/justify your actions.
To determine the size of the buffer, we need to first calculate the longest time it takes for an order to go from the start of production to the expo window. In this case, the time is given as 24 minutes.
a. The buffer size in the drum-buffer-rope approach is typically set to half of the longest lead time. Therefore, the buffer size in this case would be 12 minutes.
b. At 11:45, when Table 9's Caesar salad is not yet at the expo window, Table 15's grilled steak salad is not done, and Table 4's brunch specials haven't been started, there are a few actions you can consider:
1. Check the current status of each lane: First, check the hot side and cold side lanes separately to identify any bottlenecks or delays. Look for any issues in food preparation or coordination between the two lanes.
2. Prioritize the orders: Review the priorities of the orders to identify which ones need to be expedited. In this case, Table 9's order is due at 11:40, so ensuring that order is completed as soon as possible should be a priority.
3. Coordinate with the kitchen staff: Communicate the urgency of the situation with the kitchen staff so they can prioritize the remaining items. Ask them to focus on completing Table 9's Caesar salad and starting Table 4's brunch specials immediately.
4. Update the customers: If there is a significant delay beyond what is acceptable, you may need to update the customers about the status of their orders and provide an estimated time of completion. Apologize for the inconvenience caused and assure them that their orders are being prioritized.
Overall, the key in this situation is to identify and resolve any bottlenecks in the kitchen production process, prioritize orders, and ensure effective communication with the kitchen staff and customers to manage expectations.