Case Notes/Answers
Asian Grill Finding the Optimal Table Mix By Kyle
Maclean, Srinivas Krishnamoorthy
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the possible advantage of changing the table mix in the restaurant?
2. Create a simulation model to evaluate the current seating mix compared to the proposed seating
mix. What advantages/disadvantages does the proposed mix offer compared to the current mix?
3. Is there any other table mix that is better than the proposed mix?
4. As Sarah Richards, what would you do?
, W17057
Teaching Note
ASIAN GRILL: FINDING THE OPTIMAL TABLE MIX
SYNOPSIS
Sarah Richards, owner of the popular Asian Grill restaurant, must decide whether to change her table
layout and table mix to ensure that seats at large tables do not remain empty during the restaurant’s
busiest evenings. She has a proposed new table layout before her, and she must evaluate whether this will
allow the restaurant to seat more customers on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, or whether a
different table layout could be even better.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This case provides students with an opportunity to model a complicated yet common service-industry
problem. From a technical side, it presents an easy-to-understand and common situation that can be used
for creating and developing a queuing simulation. After working through the case and assignment
questions, students will be able to do the following:
• Understand how modelling techniques can be used in operations.
• Identify a variety of situations where modelling can be useful.
• Explain the benefits of variance-reduction techniques.
POSITION IN COURSE
This case is intended for use in either an advanced undergraduate business course or an MBA
environment. The content requires familiarity with modelling and analytics content (queuing simulations).
More advanced students can use this case to practice simulation optimization through the use of third-
party software such as @RISK.
This Teaching Note is authorized for use only by ELENA PIKULINA, University of British Columbia until Feb 2025. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.
or 617.783.7860.
Asian Grill Finding the Optimal Table Mix By Kyle
Maclean, Srinivas Krishnamoorthy
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the possible advantage of changing the table mix in the restaurant?
2. Create a simulation model to evaluate the current seating mix compared to the proposed seating
mix. What advantages/disadvantages does the proposed mix offer compared to the current mix?
3. Is there any other table mix that is better than the proposed mix?
4. As Sarah Richards, what would you do?
, W17057
Teaching Note
ASIAN GRILL: FINDING THE OPTIMAL TABLE MIX
SYNOPSIS
Sarah Richards, owner of the popular Asian Grill restaurant, must decide whether to change her table
layout and table mix to ensure that seats at large tables do not remain empty during the restaurant’s
busiest evenings. She has a proposed new table layout before her, and she must evaluate whether this will
allow the restaurant to seat more customers on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, or whether a
different table layout could be even better.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This case provides students with an opportunity to model a complicated yet common service-industry
problem. From a technical side, it presents an easy-to-understand and common situation that can be used
for creating and developing a queuing simulation. After working through the case and assignment
questions, students will be able to do the following:
• Understand how modelling techniques can be used in operations.
• Identify a variety of situations where modelling can be useful.
• Explain the benefits of variance-reduction techniques.
POSITION IN COURSE
This case is intended for use in either an advanced undergraduate business course or an MBA
environment. The content requires familiarity with modelling and analytics content (queuing simulations).
More advanced students can use this case to practice simulation optimization through the use of third-
party software such as @RISK.
This Teaching Note is authorized for use only by ELENA PIKULINA, University of British Columbia until Feb 2025. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright.
or 617.783.7860.
