The Impact of the Constraints of Class Scheduling on Campus Dining: A Simulation-based Case Study

Abstract

Waiting in queues in service systems is an inevitable part of the customer's everyday routine. Waiting time is an important indicator of a service system's performance. This paper studies the efficiency of service operations in a college campus dining setting. The authors implemented a discrete event simulation (DES) model in Simio to study how class scheduling may affect the overall customer waiting time and satisfaction at the college campus dining location. The results provide recommendations on how classes could be scheduled to optimize students' satisfaction with their lunchtimes and the quality of service. The results also provide valuable insights for operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, as campus dining locations have a decreased maximum capacity, which may lead to more bottlenecks than usual and increase waiting times. © 2021 The Authors.