Patent ID: 8261980

Claim:
A method of delivering food at a restaurant comprising a plurality of food delivery enclosures having customer access openings covered by lockable closures through which food is accessible by customers and a food supply area from which food is delivered to the enclosures, the method comprising: providing at least one customer ordering terminal for entering a food order; providing a computer system in electronic communication with the at least one ordering terminal; electronically transmitting the food order entered by a customer to the computer system; electronically receiving the food order from the computer system in the food supply area; electronically storing the food order entered by the customer and a corresponding one of the enclosures in the computer system; delivering food for the food order to the corresponding one of the enclosures; electronically displaying to the customer the identity of the stored corresponding one of the enclosures; and electronically transmitting a signal from the computer to the corresponding one of the enclosures enabling the customer to open the lockable closure on the corresponding one of the enclosures.