This post is brought to you in cooperation with… just kidding.
The other day, I took my kids to McDonald’s here in Bandung. For some reason, it’s still a cause for celebration for them. “Yay! Soft burgers with hard-pressed meat!” And me? Well, I’m happy when they’re happy.
As I stood in line, I noticed a problem: the queue of customers kept piling up, but no one was getting served. Being the analytical type, I tried to dissect the situation and realized that a McDonald’s restaurant is actually a great way to explain flow.
In this post, I’ll attempt to elucidate what I mean.
One peculiar thing I noticed was that there were people at every cash register, feverishly taking orders and fetching drinks. But still, no one was getting served.
Instead, we all stood around the counter waiting, inadvertently blocking access for other customers. The cashiers kept taking orders,...