Excerpts from the report: The purpose of the study was to measure labor utilization and to obtain data on operating characteristics, facility layout, and operating methods in commercial cafeterias. These data may be used as a basis for determining the current level of labor utilization in any specific cafeteria compared with those cafeterias who participated in this research study and the potential savings available by improving management practices. The objectives of this study were (1) to develop labor man-hours per 100 customers for single-line and double-line commercial cafeterias as a tool to improve scheduling, and (2) to evaluate operating methods observed in the 12 cafeterias to determine which were conducive to increasing labor productivity through better layouts, equipment, and work methods.