Fraunhofer Experts Launch YAZ Restaurant Concept in Stuttgart

30 Jan 2014 --- Food, glorious food. Not only must it taste good, but the service has to be right, too. And here’s a winning recipe: Before opening the doors of its flagship restaurant in Stuttgart in September 2013, the YAZ Company put a test version through its paces – in collaboration with service engineering experts from Fraunhofer IAO.

YAZ is a new concept that revolutionizes dining in the city. Its motto “A slice of the Orient” promises a finely balanced and modern interpretation of Oriental cuisine, served up in a unique atmosphere. The idea is for guests to experience the trademark hospitality of the Orient, all the way from the menu to the final morsel – for example through in-house technical innovations that allow guests to order at the bar, then be seated, and then have their freshly prepared order brought to them.

To ensure that the operation ran with the desired high level of professionalism and service from the get-go, Fraunhofer IAO service engineering experts got involved in the planning, performing the following project activities to help get YAZ off to a flying start:

• Advice and assistance in identifying customer segments,
• Working up process cycles in the restaurant using business process modelling (service blueprinting),
• 3D modeling of YAZ and simulation of operations in a virtual restaurant,
• Simulation and test of operations in a real-life restaurant using service theater,
• Applying a Service-FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) scientific method to optimize service operations, interactions and interfaces,
• Designing training schemes for YAZ employees.

Before YAZ opened its doors, the results and concepts generated by these activities were put through their paces and optimized using a specially built test restaurant in Immenhofer Strasse in Stuttgart. The final concept for the YAZ flagship restaurant in nearby Calwer Strasse was developed systematically with the help of an award-winning chef, IT experts, designers and Fraunhofer IAO’s service engineering experts.