Process Design and Analysis

Carl’s Jr. Switches to Make-to-Order Burgers

Carl’s Jr. is a fast-food restaurant known for its charbroiled burgers.

It has over 1,000 restaurants, primarily in the Western and Southwestern United States. Recently, it switched to a make-to-order process that cooks fresh hamburger meat once the order is placed.

This departs from their batch process, which used frozen hamburger patties. Their batch process cooked several hamburgers at once through a conveyor broiler. They then held the cooked hamburger patties in a warmer […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-10-07T02:28:18+00:00October 7, 2026|Tags: assemble-to-order, batch system, inventory management, make to order, process, product design|

Fuel Surcharges Push Florists to Optimize Deliveries

Fuel price increases affected delivery businesses in general, and florists in particular ahead of Mother’s Day.

Orders for flower deliveries peak in the days ahead of Mother’s Day. Florists also saw increases from flower suppliers, and fuel and other surcharges from other suppliers, which cut into their profit margin.

To adjust for the cost impacts of rising fuel prices, many florists raised their delivery charges and worked to plan delivery routes more efficiently.

Video Spotlight:

Rising gas prices […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-07-13T03:01:18+00:00July 12, 2026|Tags: delivery, job design, perishable inventory management, sourcing strategy, transportation, work design|

Regulations May Restrict Pricing Tactics and Technology

Various technologies now enable retailers to change product pricing in ways that have raised questions about ethics and legality.

Many states have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, legislation to address the use of technology in changing prices. In 2025, over 100 price transparency bills were introduced across 33 states. Several states enacted laws requiring firms to disclose when prices are adjusted using real-time data or algorithms.

Specific pricing tactics include dynamic, algorithmic, and surveillance pricing. Dynamic pricing involves real-time […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-05-10T09:47:30+00:00May 10, 2026|Tags: artificial intelligence, dynamic pricing, ethics, inventory management, process design, surge pricing, technology|

PepsiCo Uses AI to Model Possible Facility Changes

PepsiCo is testing AI and “digital twin” technologies before making any physical changes. The company is assessing its effectiveness in simulating, validating and optimizing plant and warehouse facilities.

A digital twin is a real-time virtual model of a physical asset, system or process, which companies use to simulate the effects of possible operational changes or additions. PepsiCo plans to first simulate upgrades to its U.S. facilities, then expand globally.

PepsiCo is partnering with AI chipmaker Nvidia and global industrial technology company Siemens […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2026-02-20T08:20:19+00:00February 20, 2026|Tags: artificial intelligence, logistics, operations, process design, system design, technology|