An evaluation of the operational efficiency of pizza restaurants in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study sought to test the industry wide claim in the fast-food restaurant industry that they deliver pizza within 10 minutes of waiting. The study further sought to assess the extent to which the actual waiting period for pizza differs from the perceived waiting time. A sample of 500 pizza transactions had their order cycle time measured, and the corresponding perceived waiting time was also recorded from the surveyed respondents who had initiated the transactions. The study revealed that there are statistically significant differences between the prescribed standard waiting time and actual waiting time, and between the actual waiting time and perceived waiting time. This study therefore recommends that restaurateurs in the pizza industry must assess their human and equipment resources in order to reduce the variances in lead times. They must as well provide various materials and activities that occupy customers in order to reduce the perceived waiting time.