What is one potential outcome of not preparing ingredients in advance?

Not preparing ingredients in advance can lead to longer wait times for customers. When ingredients are not prepped before service begins, kitchen staff must take additional time to slice, dice, marinate, or cook items as orders come in. This delay can disrupt the overall flow of service, leading to a backlog of orders and ultimately causing customers to wait longer for their meals. Preparing ingredients in advance helps streamline kitchen operations and enables faster service, as team members can focus on assembling and cooking rather than initial preparation tasks.

The other potential outcomes do not align with the reality of a kitchen lacking preparation. Greater customer satisfaction typically relies on efficient and timely service, which is compromised when ingredients aren't ready. Increased service speed is also contingent on having items prepped, as it allows cooks to quickly assemble dishes. Finally, fewer staff members are generally needed when processes are efficient and well-prepared, rather than the opposite, which is true when teams are bogged down by last-minute preparations.