Abstract:
An automated restaurant including a plurality of food delivery locations and a food preparation area. A computer system is in electronic communication with the food delivery locations and the food preparation area. Visual content stored in the computer system is displayed on display screens at each of the food delivery locations. The visual content may include information relating to a customer food order which is stored in the computer system for later delivery to a corresponding food delivery location as well as entertainment. The customer may directly enter a food order and pay for the order at the food delivery location.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/364,690 filed Feb. 27, 2006 and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/657,493, filed Mar. 1, 2005 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to systems and methods for serving food to customers, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for ordering, preparing and delivering food to customers in a restaurant setting. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Restaurants are increasingly faced with the challenge of serving the very best foods in a very short time frame to meet the needs of the consuming public. In addition, there is often the need to serve large numbers of people in high traffic areas in a cost effective manner. 
     In the early part of the last century, a concept was introduced to the restaurant industry called “The Automat”. These restaurants which appeared in the New York City and Philadelphia area were capable of serving food, which by the standards of the day, was considered very good. Perhaps more importantly, these restaurants were capable of serving food in relatively short time frames to large numbers of people in busy metropolitan areas. To achieve these objectives, “The Automat” restaurants of that era employed small enclosures with glass doors where food from the kitchen was delivered to the customers. The doors would only open when a customer inserted a coin in a slot thereby allowing the food to be retrieved from the enclosure. 
     While “The Automat” restaurant of its day was considered state of the art, aspects of the food delivery system would be considered antiquated by today&#39;s standards. First, current health laws do not permit heated food to stand for any length of time before serving. It would therefore be impossible to deliver hot food to an enclosure for an indeterminate period of time before a patron inserts his or her nickel to retrieve the food from the enclosure. Second, the use of coins would be cumbersome given the cost of food as compared with the low value of coinage today. Third, while the old “Automat” restaurants did serve food expeditiously for the time, today&#39;s world operates at a much faster pace, especially in high traffic areas. 
     Yet, the basic concept of delivering high quality food to restaurant patrons from small enclosures in high traffic areas remains appealing today if health law issues, payment/currency issues and speed of delivery issues could somehow be addressed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method for operating restaurant comprising a plurality of food delivery locations and a food preparation area includes the step of receiving a food order entered by a customer and transmitting a an electronic signal to a computer system representing the food order. The computer system electronically stores the food order and a corresponding food delivery location for the food order. A display screen at each food delivery location displays visual content stored in the computer system to the customer. Food corresponding to the food order in the food preparation area and the food is then delivered to the corresponding delivery location. A customers may pay the bill at the corresponding food delivery location by, for example using, a credit card reading device. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the visual content displayed on the screen may comprise information related to the customer order of food. In addition or in the alternative, the visual content may comprise entertainment for the customer. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the customer may enter an order using a touch screen. The touch screen may be located in area separate from the food delivery locations and therefore different from the display screens at the food delivery locations. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the food delivery locations may comprise food enclosures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing summary as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a restaurant including a schematic representation of customer flow through various areas in the restaurant; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of customer actions, kitchen actions and customer/kitchen interactions in the restaurant; 
         FIG. 3  block diagram of information technology system in the restaurant; 
         FIG. 4  is a three dimensional view of an array of food enclosures in which food is delivered to customers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged three dimensional view of one of the enclosures of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a restaurant  10  includes a kitchen or food production area  12 , a customer food acquisition area  14 , a customer dining area  16 , a customer retail area  17   a  and a customer checkout area  17   b . In accordance with one aspect of invention, the food acquisition area includes an array of food enclosures  18  for receiving food from the kitchen  12  which is inserted into the enclosures  18  through food supply openings and delivering food to the customers in the food acquisition area through customer access openings in the enclosures  18  as will now be described in greater detail with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the array of enclosures  18  is arranged in rows and columns. Each enclosure  18  includes a food access opening  20  which is normally closed by a hinged closure  22  but shown in the open position in  FIG. 5  so as to permit removal of the food by the customer. Prior to such removal and before of opening of the closure  22 , the food is supplied from the kitchen  12  to the enclosure through a food supply opening  24  and placed on a shelf  26  at the base of the enclosure  18 . In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the array of enclosures  18  includes an area shown as a card swipe slot  28  for receiving and communicating with a customer authorization device shown as a card  30  and activating a closure enabling system so as to allow the customer to open the closure  22  of the enclosure  18 . 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the closure  22  may compromise an LCD display which is viewable by the customer when the closure  22  is in the closed position. The display may be used for a variety of purposes including entertainment, images of the food in preparation, other information which may be of interest to the customer as well as advertising. The content of the visual display may be stored at a CPU as shown in  FIG. 3  in the form of, for example, a CD. 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the food acquisition area includes a station  31  for dispensing the customer authorization device or card  30  to the customer. As used in this embodiment of the invention, the card  30  is a restaurant credit card which is used by the customer during his or her visit to the restaurant. The customer first uses the card  30  at an order area or order entry board  32  which comprises an order entry system such as a touch screen. After the card  30  is read at the order board  32 , the customer may enter his or her order using the touch screen and the card  30  is charged for the value of the food ordered. The customer then advances to a status area where the status of the customer order is displayed on a suitable display device such as a status board  34  comprising one or more LCD displays. The status board communicates with the order board through a CPU so as to enable the status board to display each order by identifying the customer using the identification on the card  30  (e.g. a number), a description of items ordered by the customer, identification of specific food enclosures which will receive the items ordered by the customer, and an estimated time of arrival of the items ordered at the food enclosures  18 . Since the customer is kept advised of the status of his or her order by the status board  34 , the customer is free to access his or her order at the array  16  as the items ordered are delivered to the appropriate enclosures  18 . 
     While the customer awaits the delivery of any item to an enclosure  18 , the customer is free to proceed to a beverage dispensing area  36 . The beverage area  36  may be automated to the extent that the customer inserts his or her card in to a slot so that the card  30  can be charged for the value of the beverage automatically dispensed. The customer is also free to advance to the dining area  16  to locate a table  38  at which to dine. The customer can then return to the array of food enclosures  18  at the appropriate time to retrieve his or her order knowing that the item ordered is secure since the designated food enclosure cannot be opened without the customer&#39;s card  30 . Although this embodiment has been described in terms of automatically billing the customer&#39;s credit card at the time of ordering at the order board  18 , it is also possible that such automatic billing can occur at the time of accessing the food in an enclosure  18 . 
     If a customer requires an additional food item during the course of the meal which has not previously been ordered at the order board  32 , this can be accomplished by summoning a member of the wait staff who carries a wireless device for placing the customer&#39;s new order. The wireless device includes a card swipe slot for receiving the customer&#39;s card  30  so that the card can be appropriately charged. The food may be delivered by the wait staff or the customer may be advised by the wait staff of the particular enclosure  18  where the order will be delivered and the customer can then retrieve the order from that enclosure  18 . 
     After the customer is through dining and all food ordered has been charged to his card or her card  30 , the customer proceeds to the retail section  17   a  and the check out station  17   b . Note that the retail section could include take out food but this is preferably made available in another area not shown so as eliminate take out traffic through the restaurant proper. The customer&#39;s card  30  is read at the check out station and the charges to the customer&#39;s card are displayed to the customer on a screen or by other suitable means. The customer then pays the displayed amount with cash, a third party credit card, a third party debit card or any other acceptable vehicle for payment which is acceptable to the restaurant. 
     The embodiment described above in connection with  FIG. 1  employs a restaurant credit card. In another embodiment of the invention, the restaurant depicted in  FIG. 1  could use third party credit and/or debit cards rather than restaurant credit cards which would eliminate the need for the card dispenser  31 . In yet another embodiment of the invention, both restaurant credit cards and third party credit and/or debit cards could be used so as to provide the ability to pay by credit card or cash at the time of check out, in which case the card dispenser  31  will be required. In still another embodiment of the invention, the dispenser  31  can dispense debit cards which are purchased by the customer. The debit cards can be purchased in any amount and can be used by the customer in return visits to the restaurant and the check out station could be eliminated unless the restaurant also permitted the use of third party credit and/or debit cards for ordering and accessing the food in the enclosures  18 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, a bank of enclosures  18  may be provided which is constantly stocked with relatively nonperishable items which do not need to be made to order. For example, food items such as sandwiches and pastries can be stored for extended periods of time in room temperature enclosures  18  or enclosures  18  which are refrigerated. Such enclosures  18  may be constantly stocked so as to permit customers to bypass the order board  32  and the status board  34  and access the food in the enclosure by simply using the appropriate authorization device, e.g., a restaurant credit card or debit card dispensed from the card dispenser  31  or a third party credit card or debit card. 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 2  so as to show the interaction between the customer food acquisition area  14  and the food supply area  12  as the customer moves through the restaurant  10 . After the customer enters the restaurant  10 , the customer proceeds to the card dispenser (step  42 ) regardless of whether the card to be utilized is a credit card or a debit card. Of course, in the case of a debit card, the card will actually purchased at the dispenser  31 . The customer then receives a card from the dispenser  31  (step  44 ). 
     The customer then proceeds to the order entry board  32  at the order station (step  46 ) and inserts his or her credit or debit card into a swipe slot (step  48 ) of a card reader so as to permit the customer to enter an order on a touch screen or other order entry device (step  50 ). A signal identifying the customer by card account and the food items ordered is then transmitted to the kitchen (step  52 ) where specific enclosures  18  for receiving each of the food items ordered by the customer are designated (step  54 ) and estimated times of arrival for those food items at the designated enclosures are determined (step  55 ). 
     A signal representing the designated enclosures  18  and the estimated time of arrival of the foods items along with customer identifying information is then transmitted to the status board  32  (step  56 ). Simultaneously, the customer proceeds to the status board  32  (step  58 ) and locates his or her displayed identification on the board  32  as well as the estimated time of arrival of the food items ordered at the designated enclosures  18  (step  60 ). 
     The customer is now free to go directly to the enclosures  18  (step  62 ) to access food which is continuously restocked by the kitchen in dedicated but undesignated enclosures or locate and go to designated enclosures  18  (step  64 ) where food is delivered in response to the customer&#39;s order (step  65 ). The customer is also free to proceed to the beverage area (step  66 ) or go directly to the dining area  16  (step  68 ) and return later to the designated enclosures for items ordered (step  70 ). Where a wait staff is provided to take subsequent orders on a wireless device, the customer may return to a designated enclosure to access such a subsequent order or ask the wait staff to deliver such an order. In both the beverage area and the food enclosure area, the customer inserts his or her credit card (step  71 ) and accesses the food or beverage (step  72 ). 
     After the customer has completed his or her dining experience, the customer proceeds to the retail and check out area (step  74 ). Before the customer reaches the checkout area, it is possible to provide access to a retail section selling food and/or other items which may be paid for at check out. Signals corresponding to the value of food ordered by the customer are transmitted from the kitchen (step  76 ) to the check out area so as to permit the customer to pay for the food ordered displayed at check out as well as well as any retail items selected (step  78 ). 
     It will be appreciated that where the card is a debit card, there is no need to transmit signals from the kitchen to the check out area since the debit card has been purchased in advance and the card itself carries the information concerning the status of the customer&#39;s account. The check out area merely provides the customer with yet another opportunity to use the value of the debit card purchased upon entering the restaurant. 
     Where a restaurant credit card is used, the card dispenser  31  shown in  FIG. 1  comprises apparatus for encoding account identification information of the type well known in the art. This may be done by encoding a magnetic strip or using an optical encoding scheme such as a bar code where the encoding corresponds to human readable information such as a number which appears on the card so as to permit the customer to identify his or her order on the status board. Where a restaurant debit card is used, the dispenser  31  must also be capable of encoding a value on the card which may be modified as the value of the card is decremented while in use at the restaurant. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the order entry station includes a card reader  80  of a type well known in the art which may, for example, comprise a device for magnetically reading a magnetic strip or optically reading an optical bar code when the card is inserted in a swipe slot at the order entry station. Insertion of the card in the slot permits the food ordered on a touch screen to be charged to the customer&#39;s account by transmitting a corresponding signal to a restaurant CPU  82  which stores each order and the value of the order under the customer&#39;s identification so as to permit retrieval of the information by the check out station  17   b . Of course, where a debit card is used, such information need not be maintained at the CPU  82  since the value of the debit card will be debited each time it is used in the restaurant. 
     The CPU  82  also generates a signal designating an enclosure or enclosures to receive a customer&#39;s order(s) as well as the estimated time of arrival of the order(s) at the enclosure(s)  18  which is transmitted to an LCD display  84  at the order status board. This signal in combination with an enabling signal from the card reader  85  which is also supplied to a closure enabling mechanism  86  permits the customer to gain access to the food within the enclosure by enabling the customer to open the door  22  of the enclosure  18 . The enabling mechanism  86  may control an electromagnetically actuated latch. The designated enclosure(s) and the estimated time of arrival of the order(s) may be generated automatically by the CPU  82  or manually by use of a touch screen  87  in the kitchen or food supply area  12  in response to the information appearing on the order display screen  88  after manually estimating the time for delivery and designating the enclosure(s) from an inventory of undesignated enclosures. The CPU  82  may also receive signals from card reader  85  at a bank of dedicated enclosures for food items that are continually restocked by the food supply area so as to provide ready access to customers without ordering at the order board  32 . Such signals advise the CPU of the charge to a customer&#39;s account as well as advising the food supply area of the need to restock and/or create an inventory of such items so as to assure that the customers always have ready access to such food items. 
     It is also desirable to provide a wait staff in the dining area with a portable wireless order entry terminals  89  which includes a card swipe slot so as to appropriately charge or debit the customer&#39;s account for the food item(s) ordered from the dining area. As noted above, these food items can be delivered to the table of the customer by the wait staff or to an enclosure  18  designated by the CPU  82  which may also appear on the LCD display of the status board. A card reader  90  and the CPU  82  provide a signal to the account display  92  so as to advise the customer of the amount due on the customer&#39;s account. 
     Although the customer authorization device described has been referred to as a restaurant credit or debit card, it will be appreciated that the device may take other forms including but not limited to wand of the type used at gasoline pumps. It is only necessary that the device identify the customer&#39;s account when received at the ordering station, the food enclosures, the wireless wait staff devices and the check out area, and in the case of a debit device, be capable of being encoded with a value that may be debited as the device is used in the restaurant. 
     It will be appreciated that various aspects of the invention may be accomplished in a completely automated way, a partially automated way or manually. For example, production, supply and delivery of the food may be accomplished robotically or with a robotic and manual combination or entirely manually. 
     Various aspects of the invention have been described in terms of a restaurant. In using the word restaurant, it is not intended to limit the invention to a stand alone restaurant. Rather, any facility which includes dining for patrons could embody the invention including, but without limitation, casinos, theme parks, hotels and transportation terminals. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments have been shown in the drawings and accompanying detailed description. It should be understood, however that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific construction disclosed herein. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention.