Final answer:
The local restaurant is currently in the critical zone because demand slightly exceeds their service capacity. If their customer base doubles in one year, they would end up in the zone of non-service without increasing their capacity. They need to increase service efficiency or capacity to provide quality service and meet the growing demand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The owners of a local restaurant who are serving customers during their busiest times, which are Friday and Saturday nights, are concerned about their capacity to provide quality service as they continue to grow. They have found that about 122 customers arrive per hour but they can serve only about 116 customers per hour. Currently, they are in the critical zone because the demand (122 customers per hour) is slightly exceeding their capacity (116 customers per hour).
Looking ahead, if the predicted demand doubles in one year, it implies that the restaurant will face substantial demand which far exceeds their current capacity, putting them into the zone of non-service. They will need to improve their service rate or expand their facility to meet the anticipated increase in demand in order to maintain their reputation for quality service and to accommodate the growth. Additionally, since customers are required to wait more than the average service time, this can deter customer satisfaction and future patronage. Thus, they would need to find ways to increase efficiency or expand their service capability to prevent long waiting times and ensure quality service to avoid slipping into the zone of non-service.