Maria opened her authentic Mexican restaurant Mi Cazuela (a curzuela is a clay cooking bowl with a
Question:
Maria opened her authentic Mexican restaurant Mi Cazuela (a curzuela is a clay cooking bowl with a small handle on each side) in Pasadena, California, in the 1980s. It quickly be- came popular for the tasty food and use of fresh organic produce and all-natural meats. As her oldest child, you have been asked to run the restaurant. If you are able to gain her con- fidence, she will eventually hand over the restaurant to you.
You have definite ideas about increasing the profitability at Mi Cazuela. Lately, you have observed a troubling trend in the restaurant. An increasing number of customers are expressing dissatisfaction with the long wait, and you have also observed that some people leave without being served. Your initial analysis of the situation at Mi Cazuela indicates that one way to improve cus tomer service is to reduce the waiting time in the restaurant. You also realize that by optimiz ing the process for the peak time in the restaurant, you will be able to increase the profit. Customers arrive in groups that vary in size from one to four (uniformly distributed). Cur rently, there are four tables for four and three tables for two patrons in the dining area. One table for four can be replaced with two tables for two, or vice versa. Groups of one or two customers wait in one queue while groups of three or four customers wait in another queue. Each of these waiting lines can accommodate up to two groups only. One- or two-customer groups are directed to tables for two. Three or four-customer groups are directed to tables for four There are two cooks in the kitchen and two waiters. The cooks are paid $100/day, and the waiters get $60/day. The cost of raw material (vegetables, meat, spices, and other food mate- rial) is SI per customer. The overhead cost of the restaurant (rent, insurance, utilities, and so on) is $300/day. The bill for each customer varies uniformly from $10 to $16 or U(13,3), The restaurant remains open seven days a week from 5 PM. till 11 Pt. The customer ar rival pattern is as follows. The total number of customer groups visiting the restaurant each day varies uniformly between 30 and 50 or U(40,10):