Faculty & Research
Restaurant Table-Mix Optimizer
By: Gary M. Thompson Ph.D.
Executive Summary: The Restaurant Table-Mix Optimizer (RTMO) is designed to help managers find the best mix of tables for their restaurants, in terms of revenue (or contribution margin). As inputs, the RTMO requires information that most managers already have available: the percentage of total parties that fall in each size (e.g., parties of one constitute 20 percent of total parties); the average dining duration by party size; the average check by party size; the space to be allocated in the restaurant; which table sizes can be used; and the space required by each table size allowed.
As outputs, the RTMO identifies the maximum number of parties that can be served per hour; the maximum average value (contribution margin or revenue) per available space-hour (VPASH) that the restaurant can achieve; and which table combinations are best used to serve each size party. RTMO is a web-based tool that allows you to create, evaluate, and save different scenarios. This enables you to determine the effect on performance of such things as changing which table sizes you have in your dining room.
To view the tool, please click on the link below
Restaurant Table-Mix Optimizer
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