Well Run Operations
I’m a big fan of a well run operation. I had a professor in college who taught a sort of Industrial and Systems Engineering class for Supply Chain Management majors. When he talked about system and processes working together he had a twinkle in his eye. In his tweed jacket he lectured with passion about rail yards switching and sorting rail cars, ports with massive containers moving about, ships coming and going, and forklifts speeding between rows of mass storage in a warehouse — he termed it industrial symphony. The symbolism was strong, almost like there the was magical hidden conductor.
I’ve been working in the industrial symphony environments for more than a decade and I marvel as well at how these different systems and processes work well together.
When I think of well run operations I start with restaurants. You can see immediate the success or failure at a restaurant…
Did what you order arrive on time and correctly — OTIF (on-time and in-full)? Did the quality vary from the last time you ordered at that restaurant? A few locations come to mind and I’ve listed those below:
- Moosehead in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Benjamin’s in Newport, Rhode Island
- Les Antiquaires in Paris, France
But what can we learn from a well run restaurant and what makes a place a well run operation?
Everyone knows their job
This means the customer too. At Moosehead it’s a bustling environment, after 5pm and if you’re fumbling through your order or asking too many questions the waiter or waitress will give you an attitude back that is akin to a disappointed parent that expects more. The bartender is turning drinks out as fast as the orders are coming in. The team is not stepping on each others toes. The kitchen is turning out well made accurate food orders, anyone is running food from the kitchen regardless of who took the order, and the bartender is greeting guests as they come in the door and sorting take-out versus dine in customer quickly and efficiently with grace.
All parties work together like an orchestra
At Les Antiquaires in Paris the staff from top to bottom is moving about swiftly, but if there’s an empty plate on the table or water to refill, regardless of the section, the task is handled by the most immediate passerby. From top to bottom there is a sense of purpose and service in getting guest in and out with the best possible experience.
Communication, Communication, Communication
Going back to Moosehead. The staff at Moosehead could double as air traffic controllers. For drinks they don’t punch it in a computer to print out a ticket at the bar instead they yell it out like a Waffle House order. It is a clean and clear handoff that reduces latency in actions or next steps. Being able to communicate clearly and concisely is of utmost importance in a large system.
5S: sort | set | shine | standardize |sustain
If you’ve studied lean principles you’ve probably come across 5S before. 5S originated in Japan as part of Toyota’s production system. At Benjamin’s in Rhode Island there’s a raw bar that might be one of the busiest I’ve ever seen for such a condense establishment. The raw bar is turning out oysters and shellfish by the thousands each hour. If you look at the workstation for the shucker it’s well organized and maintained. Everything is where it needs to be and within arms length for the job at hand. In any process driven environment have the right tools in the right place is paramount.
It takes a well trained team, communicating well, and in an environment that’s setup for success to create a winning environment.
Have you seen well run operations in other restaurants or venues and what set them apart?
