Can Six Sigma Be Used In a Restaurant?

Six Sigma is a methodology that is strongly rooted in reducing waste and increasing the efficiency of processes. When looking at it this way, rather than focusing on its origins in manufacturing, it is easy to see that it can be applied in almost any industry, including the foodservice industry. Indeed restaurant owners can use Six Sigma to great effect in their establishments and see great results.

Here’s how restaurant owners stand to benefit from implementing Six Sigma in their restaurants.

Reducing waste

One thing customers hate is when servers get their order wrong. It is a waste of time and resources for the restaurant as well since the order needs to be corrected for customer satisfaction to not take a huge hit. Six Sigma can be used to improve the accuracy of orders in several ways. For example, you can tell servers to repeat the order to the customer, on top of writing it down.

If you run a fast-food joint, you can use Six Sigma to anticipate demand throughout the day. This means that you can have food ready when customers arrive so they don’t spend a long time waiting. Also, you can ensure that you aren’t overpreparing food or leaving it out to sit for too long before it is prepared.

Another thing customers hate, on top of wrong orders, is badly-prepared food. Since Six Sigma can’t work without a team, you can standardize procedures that team members can follow to ensure quality. For instance, one team can prepare the food while another team checks if the order is up to standard with what the customers expect.

Cutting Costs

With Six Sigma helping restaurants get more orders right and serving quality food, among other things, there is a significant reduction in mistakes. As you know, in business, mistakes are costly. With fewer mistakes being made, as well as making the food-making process more efficient, restaurants can significantly cut down on costs.

Increasing Profits

There are few ways in which Six Sigma can cut costs for the restaurant owners. For one, since it is helping the restaurant cut down on costs, the business can realize more of its profits rather than worry about spending money on fixing mistakes. Furthermore, efficient processes mean that more customers will be served – more customers, more money.

Increasing customer satisfaction

If customers are getting great service, they will be satisfied. You can then use Six Sigma to improve processes within the restaurant, from order processing to food preparation to food storage (using takeaway boxes that keep food hotter for longer), to increase customer satisfaction. Ultimately, this will lead to customers coming back to your restaurant just to receive great service, which means more money for you and a competitive edge.

Conclusion

Six Sigma is a great help in almost any industry, including the foodservice industry. If you are a restaurant owner, it is worth looking at the processes within your restaurant to figure out which ones can be improved to reduce waste and increase efficiency. That way, you can cut costs, as well as increase profits and customer satisfaction.

Learn more about our Six Sigma webinar program and Lean Six Sigma Online courses.