A couple of weeks ago, we got a surprise while there. After our server brought us our food, she put a small red card on the table. "If you need a refill on your drinks, just flip this over," she said and walked away.
"This is a kanban card!" I exclaimed. My wife, a wonderfully patient woman, steeled herself once more for a monologue on pull systems and the beauty thereof.
Indeed, it was a pull system, in all its simple spendor but applied in a place not often expected to use such a tool.
The card is quite simple. If you are happy and don't need any attention, you leave the red side up, near the edge of your table. The server sees it and takes no action.
But once you are thirsty and need a refill (and those of you who have eaten with me realize this is often the case), you flip the card to green. Green means "go" and, in our experience, within 60 seconds a helpful server stops by, picks up the glass, confirms what drink you had, refills it, brings it back to the table and flips the card back to red.
It is just that simple.
Think about what this does for the customer. When you need service, you don't have to crane your neck, wondering if someone will stop by. Instead, you simply flip the card over and, soon, a person stops at the table. Conversation, the reason many eat out, continues uninterrupted. You finish sentences...you explore topics in depth... you don't wonder when or if you'll get another Diet Coke. In Lean terms, the customer gets more value.
Think as well what this does for McAlisters. The eye can move much faster than the foot. So, a simple scan by a server of a group of tables says, in seconds, who needs service and who wishes to be left alone. This allows a single server to handle more tables, more efficiently. Yeah, productivity.
All while providing added value to the customer.
At vitually no extra cost. All for a few laminated cards.
It is amazing what simple systems can do. Where can you apply this?
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6 comments:
They do the same thing at some restaurants in Brazil, only they use chips. If you want more meat your turn the chip to the green side, when you are done, turn the chip to the red side.
Interesting application of Kanban.
Thanks for sharing Joe. I enjoy seeing application in the field. It always makes you think how you can apply this in your own areas.
Great post. Never noticed but makes perfect since, it's amazing to how lean techniques apply to everything we do if we just think this way.
Great post.
This is an really interesting application. Its wonderful to see how these tools so many different application only to be limited to our creativity
Great post. I actually noticed this at another chain type establishment as well. Also seen same type color coding in a day care. Its amazing the impact visual management tools work without having to say anything. Awesome post.
I’m grateful for the time and effort you put into this article. It’s packed with useful information and has helped me understand the subject better. Thank you. A brilliant read from start to finish. Highly recommend Mental Age Test . The free Mental Age Test was fun and surprisingly accurate in revealing my mindset
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