| At the very least a restaurant should measure how | | | | chain that encourages the orders to be cleared and |
| long it takes the food to be cooked and in turn given | | | | then recalled, effectively stopping the clock. Then this |
| to the guest. This measurement is called Speed of | | | | chain celebrates "how fast they are" when in reality |
| Service. It amazes me how many restaurant | | | | they are missing the chance to improve in a real way. |
| operators think they understand SOS and its impact | | | | Looking at the kitchen time a manager would be |
| on guest satisfaction. So let's examine a visit to a | | | | excited by an 8 second average. But if it takes |
| fast food restaurant and how its delivery system is | | | | another 3 minutes before the car receives the food |
| supposed to operate and what information can be | | | | and you have cheated the timer, you don't know |
| gleaned from the measurements. | | | | who created the problem or how to fix it. |
| I will use a drive thru for my example. A car pulls in | | | | With food ready to be presented to the guest, |
| to line to place an order and at some point trips a | | | | someone must read a second video screen, gather |
| switch that starts the timer for SOS. This could be at | | | | the order and either pass it off to a presenting staff |
| the menu board where the order is taken or a few | | | | member or present it themselves to the guest. If |
| car lengths away from the speaker. In any case the | | | | you have an up to date timing system this gathering |
| timer is started. Most major fast food restaurants | | | | person (expeditor, coordinator or runner) clears off |
| have cash registers (POS) that communicate | | | | their screen and stops a yet another second timer. |
| information to the kitchen as the cashier is ringing in | | | | Finally the food is passed to the guest and as the car |
| the food. Now days that communication goes to | | | | drives off the last of the timers is stopped. Most |
| video screen and at that point the kitchen is involved | | | | major chains have a goal of between 180 seconds to |
| in the SOS measurement. | | | | 210 seconds for line time. This the time the car joins |
| Recapping to this point the SOS has two | | | | the line until the food is presented. |
| measurements in process. First is the 'line time' when | | | | Now think about any trip you have taken to a fast |
| the car joined the line or approached the speaker. | | | | food restaurant and when in the drive thru you are |
| Second is the kitchen time. These could be nearly the | | | | asked to "pull up" because something you have |
| same or several seconds apart depending on how | | | | ordered is not quite ready. If there is no car behind |
| the customer has ordered. For instance they order all | | | | you, you have been told SOS is more important than |
| the drinks before ordering any food will make a huge | | | | real guest service. This restaurant wants the timer to |
| difference in the two timers. | | | | stop rather than really measure how long it takes to |
| Once the cashier totals the order and asks the guest | | | | serve you. If this happens more than once at the |
| to pull to a cashier window a third SOS timer begins | | | | same restaurant you should really reconsider your |
| and it will end once the cashier has completed the | | | | patronage. Because if a restaurant consistently |
| money transaction. This time will reveal how fast | | | | demonstrates a "cheating" mentality it should make |
| your cashier may be as well as if a separation of the | | | | you wonder what other important things they are |
| order taking and cashier is needed. All the major | | | | willing to "cheat". Food safety? Holding times? Hand |
| chains use the 2 window system most of the day. | | | | washing? |
| Even some local restaurants have taken to using this | | | | In review, using the measurements properly will assist |
| system. Don't sweat it if you do not have 2 | | | | you in making decisions regarding: |
| windows. In my opinion (backed by 33 years of fast | | | | - Staffing |
| food experience) it is easier to operate a single | | | | - Training |
| window with the proper car spacing than it is to | | | | - Prep |
| operate 2 windows with cramped car spacing. | | | | - Cooking and holding product |
| At some point the kitchen will have cleared the order | | | | - Organization of your restaurant |
| off the video system and the kitchen SOS is over. | | | | The timing information should tell you: |
| Properly doing this step tells you if you have a slow | | | | - How long it is taking your cashiers to take an order |
| point in the kitchen, if you need additional staff, if | | | | - How long it takes to transact the cash |
| you need more prep or held product or if you need | | | | - How long it takes the kitchen to produce the food |
| additional training. DO NOT ALLOW your staff to | | | | - How long it takes the expeditor to gather the food |
| cheat this number by clearing off the screen just to | | | | after it is prepared |
| lower the supposed SOS. This number will help you, if | | | | - How long it takes from gathering the food to |
| it is accurate, to improve your over all SOS. If you | | | | presenting it to the guest |
| allow your staff to cheat the timer you are cheating | | | | Looking it these specific points in the SOS process |
| your customers and giving your competitors a | | | | you can establish service standards and set |
| chance to take your guests. I personally know of a | | | | improvement goals. |