The article describes the main mechanisms on which the technology of "lean production" is based, as well as the concrete examples of their direct implementation in practice. The lean production principles used for the first time by T.Oto, the head of the Toyota company, were demonstrated in the 1970s, allowing the company, even in times of crisis, to increase its output and, as a result, the profit of its shareholders. The example of the company "McDonald's" in the article shows how these rules continue to remain relevant in our days.