Queueing with Cyclic Arrival Distributions and Variable Service Facilities: A Simulation Approach

This paper develops a near optimal policy for opening a second counter in a quick-service restaurant when n persons are in the first line, given that the arrival process is cyclic rather than purely stationary. A simulation was written in GPSS which permitted the use of different arrival generators during different time segments of the simulated day. Results indicate that as n is varied, waiting time and utilization levels exhibit an S-shaped curve between the pure 1 facility and the 2 facility cases. Results also indicate that a cyclic arrival process greatly increases (relative to the case of exponential arrivals) mean waiting time, facility utilization, and the range of n. Finding the optimal (least cost) value of n is illustrated for cases in which costs of customer waiting time can be meaningfully imputed.