Pooling Restaurant Reservations to Increase Service Efficiency
研究了餐厅预订是否应锁定特定餐桌还是实时整合分配，发现整合预订可减少15%以上的翻台时间，提高服务效率，尤其适用于高服务水平、大型餐厅和顾客迟到或到达时间变化大的情况。
This article examines whether restaurant reservations should be locked to specific tables at the time the reservation is made or whether the reservations should be pooled and assigned to tables in real time. In two motivating studies, the authors find that there is a lack of consensus in the restaurant industry on handling reservations. Contrary to what might be expected based on research that shows the benefits of resource pooling in other contexts, a survey of 425 restaurants indicated that more than 80% lock reservations to tables. In two simulation studies, the authors determine that pooling reservations enables a 15-minute reduction in table turn times more than 15% of the time, which consequently increases service efficiency and enables a restaurant to serve more customers during peak periods. Pooling had the most consistent advantage with higher customer service levels, larger restaurants, customers who arrive late, and larger variation in customer arrival time.