Simple, Brilliant, Error Proofing at the Amazing In-N-Out Burger

A little help for the not-so-common sensible

Mon, 04/11/2011 - 05:30

I was in Los Angeles on Tuesday, and I had a little extra time on my way to the Burbank airport, which meant a rare treat—lunch at the famed In-N-Out Burger. I don’t mean to be that guy who tweets what he eats, but my lunch is pictured at right.

The main picture I wanted to share is a simple example of perfect mistake-proofing (aka error proofing or “poka-yoke”). There is a possible customer error that could be made in many fast-food or deli restaurants: throwing the reusable tray into the trash bin.

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Ineffective organizations post signs, warning, and exhortations. Smart organizations error-proof.

Here is the error proofing—the hole that you throw your wrapper, cup, and food waste into is round and smaller than the rectangular reuseable tray.

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Comments

Submitted by ScottK on Mon, 04/11/2011 - 09:36

5 Guys Burgers 'n Fries goes one better - all orders, whether take out or eat in, are put in a brown paper bag.

No trays to worry about.

Leaner - but not as environmentally friendly since paper greasy with food oils is not good for recycling.

Choose your evil.

 

Submitted by ahoryza on Mon, 04/11/2011 - 10:18

The hole that the garbage goes into is very small compared to the tray. I would expect many messy fingers trying to push the waste through the hole. Why not scrap the rectangular tray for a round one designed on the same principle as a manhole cover. That would make for a waste hole at the garbage almost the same size as the tray making the tray very easy to empty and the tray design would make it impossible to push it through the hole. Need to think "out side the box'.

I disagree, AHORYZA.  It's a good tray design -- a manageable size that can be dumped one-handed, and deep so as to minimize the liklihood of items falling off in tranist.  PLUS, In 'n' Out doesn't put any kind of paper "place mat" onto the tray the way McDonald's and other chains do.  Those paper mats serve no purpose other than advertising -- they don't beautify the presentation of the food in any way, nor do they provide any kind of sanitation assurance.  In 'n' Out limits its "on-tray" advertising to a couple of brief messages on the burger wrappers and the beverage cups.  And when dumping the contents of the tray at McDonald's, more often than not that paper mat adheres to the plastic tray, increasing the amount of time I have to spend cleaning and emptying it, and frequently requiring a 2nd hand in order to free the mat from the tray.

This is an example of Henry Ford's safety principle "Can't rather than don't."

 

Instead of reminding people, "Don't throw the tray away," the design means they can't throw it away.

5 guys uses NO trays--I wonder if which is greener:  disposing of the bag with food oils or washing trays.  It would be interesting to see the trays someone tries to trash at In-N-Out--my experience has been, when you make something "idiot-proof, the idiots simply mutate...

I love this place.  They have a terrific product, process, and they treat their people well.  I live in Washington State - not blessed with this chain yet.  However, I've visited In-N-Out's in AZ, NV, and CA - each time the place is busy, and unbelievably clean.  Even the bathroom.  IMO, 5-Guys - while a descent burger - doesn't touch In-N-Out.

Brian Hughes
Vice President
Apollo Associated Services, LLC
bhughes@apollorca.com

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