Simulation based analysis of hierarchical timed colored petri nets model of the restaurant food serving process

Abstract

The major goal of establishing a restaurant is improved earnings making which can be jeopardized by customers' withdrawals due to lengthy ready lines. The above scenario was studied in this paper using simulation-based analysis of a Hierarchical Timed Coloured Petri Nets (HTCPN) model, which abstracted the serving operation of a renowned restaurant in the Ibadan metropolis. The restaurant was characterized by two or more servers that serially served each Customer from the multiple available servers at the four serving points. One hundred simulation runs were carried out on the HTCPN model using CPN Tools to determine the four (4) parameters, Customers' Average Flow Time (CAFT), Customers' Average Waiting Time (CAWT), Servers' Average Utilization Rate (SAUR) and Customers' Average Queue Length (CAQL) required in serving 567, 1100, 1103, 770 and 829 customers from Monday to Friday, respectively. The model was validated by carrying out a statistical analysis t-Test between the simulated and the actual customers' flow time and servers' utilization rate at a 5% significant level. The validation results showed no significant differences between the simulated and the actual customers' average flow time and servers' utilization rate at a 5% significance level. Hence, the model can represent the restaurant under consideration.