Case Study on MIS: Information System in Restaurant

A waiter takes an order at a table, and then enters it online via one of the six terminals

located in the restaurant dining room. The order is routed to a printer in the appropriate

preparation area: the cold item printer if it is a salad, the hot$-$item printer if it is a

hot sandwich or the bar printer if it is a drink. A customer$$s meal check$-$listing $($bill$)$ the

items ordered and the respective prices are automatically generated. This ordering

system eliminates the old three$-$carbon$-$copy guest check system as well as any

problems caused by a waiter$$s handwriting. When the kitchen runs out of a food item,

the cooks send out an $$out of stock$$ message, which will be displayed on the dining

room terminals when waiters try to order that item. This gives the waiters faster

feedback, enabling them to give better service to the customers. Other system

features aid management in the planning and control of their restaurant business. The

system provides up$-$to$-$the$-$minute information on the food items ordered and breaks

out percentages showing sales of each item versus total sales. This helps

management plan menus according to customers$$ tastes. The system also compares

the weekly sales totals versus food costs, allowing planning for tighter cost controls.

In addition, whenever an order is voided, the reasons for the void are keyed in$.$ This

may help later in management decisions, especially if the voids consistently related to

food or service. Acceptance of the system by the users is exceptionally high since the

waiters and waitresses were involved in the selection and design process. All potential

users were asked to give their impressions and ideas about the various systems

available before one was chosen.

$1\mathrm{.}1$

In the light of the system discussed in the article, discuss the decisions to be

made in the area of strategic planning, managerial control and operational

control and the information that would be required to make such decisions$(20)$