1. How has process design been used to improve the performance of fast food drive-throughs over the years based on the below case study?

OPERATIONS IN PRACTICE Fast (but not too fast) food drive-throughs KFC There is some dispute about who established the first drive- through (or drive-thru, if you prefer). Some claim it was the In-N-Out in California. Other claimants include the Pig Stand restaurant in Los Angeles, where Royce Hailey first promoted the drive-through service, allowing customers to simply drive by the back door of the restaurant where the chef would come out and deliver the restaurant's famous 'Barbequed Pig' sandwiches, and Red's Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri. What became apparent though, as the drive-through idea began to spread (and include services other than fast food such as banks), was that their design could have a huge impact on their efficiency and profitabil- ity. Today, drive-through processes are slicker, and far, far, faster , although most stick to a proven formula with orders generally placed by the customer using a microphone and country. The orders were then sent back to the restaurants picked up at a window. It is a system that allows drive- and the food was assembled only a few metres from where throughs to provide fast and dependable service. In fact, the order was placed. Although saving only a few seconds there is strong competition between drive-throughs to on each order , it could add up to extra sales at busy times of design the fastest and most reliable process. For example, the day. A good drive-through process should also help some Starbucks drive-throughs have strategically placed customers to contribute to speeding things up. So, for exam- cameras at the order boards so that servers can recognize ple, menu items must be easy to read and understand. regular customers and start making their order - even before This is why what are often called 'combo meals' (burger, it's placed. Other drive-throughs have experimented with fries and a cola) can save time at the ordering stage. By simpler menu boards and see-through food bags to ensure contrast, complex individual items or meals that require greater accuracy. There is no point in being fast if you don't customization can slow down the process. This can become deliver what the customer ordered. These details matter. It an issue for drive-through operators when fashion moves has been estimated that sales increase 1 per cent for every towards customized salads and sandwiches. Yet there are six seconds saved at a drive-through. One experiment in signs that above a certain speed of service, other aspects of making drive-through process times slicker was carried out process performance become more important. As one drive- by a group of McDonald's restaurants. On California's through chief operations manager points out, you can get central coast 150 miles from Los Angeles, a call centre took really fast but ruin the overall experience, because now orders remotely from 40 McDonald's outlets around the you're not friendly