You and your spouse go out to dinner to your favorite restaurant, on a “date” no less, to celebrate a big anniversary. You have been looking forward to this evening all week, and after a long, hard day at work, you’re famished and excited to eat your favorite meal. As you order dinner, the waiter interrupts. With a sad face and a tilt of the head, he says, “I’m so sorry... we just ran out of that dish.” Arggghhhhh!

I’ve had the good fortune of applying 5S to many restaurants, banquet halls, and bars during the last few years, and yes, of course it has resulted in higher quality and productivity, more space, and higher levels of safety and customer satisfaction. As for the restaurant workers, they love it!

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