Process innovation at Moe’s
As a user-centric strategist, I’m always on the lookout for business practices that improve on a standard experience. So I took note the last time I went to Uncle Moe’s, a Mexican restaurant near the Ai office.
Uncle Moe’s has a typical sandwich-shop production line, like Subway for Tex-Mex food. I ordered my sandwich and answered the requisite questions down the line: guacamole, please; no sour cream, etc. My sandwich passed from the welcome guy to the component guy to the cashier, who announced, “Seven thirty-two.”
All normal–except none of the employees said anything to each other. No calling down the burrito’s name, no questioning from the cashier to the team. My meal was wrapped in foil without any notes attached to it.
Confused, I asked the cashier how the heck he knew what I had ordered. He smiled and showed me this card.
Uncle Moe’s has a code and a visual for each of its sandwiches. The greeter uses a China Pencil to mark each order that comes in, and the card moves down the production line with the sandwich. The cashier can ring up an order at a glance. The card is then erased and used again.
This system is subtle and ingenious. Uncle Moe’s is small, and the card reduces unnecessary noise. With a rapid-fire production system, the card ensures orders are filled and charged properly. And the dry-erase card eliminates the need for paper, reducing waste.
UX folks in Manhattan would enjoy checking out Uncle Moe’s. I recommend the Watsonville, hold the sour cream.