
16 THE LEAN ANTHOLOGY
MANAGING VARIABILITY IN LUNCH
ORDERS AT THE WALDEN- ASTER
Accommodating Variability in Demand
There are three ways to accommodate a
given level of variability of demand:
1. Inve nto r y
2. Capacity
3. Le ad ti me
Any one of the three options can replace
the other two. Customer orders can be
(1) fulfilled from a make- to- stock strat-
egy using inventory, (2) fulfilled from a
make- to- order strategy using capacity,
or (3) fulfilled by having customers wait
using lead time. Make to order and make
to stock are two options for filling cus-
tomer orders that have been described
in the story entitled “Theron Hunter’s
Coffee Sho