Patent ID: 8446449

Claim:
A restaurant videoconferencing system comprising: a) a first plurality of booths installed as part of at least a first restaurant located in a first geographic location, a number of the first plurality of booths being located in an open area designed to promote high quality video conferencing dining, as well as to accommodate movement of restaurant workers and patrons, wherein the plurality of first booths are open to each other to promote a restaurant interactive social atmosphere; b) a second plurality of booths installed as part of at least a second restaurant located in a second geographic location, a number of the second plurality of booths being located in an open area sized to accommodate movement of restaurant workers and patrons, wherein the plurality of second booths are open to each other to promote social interaction; c) the number of booths in each of the first and second locations being equipped with at least one viewing screen and connected via a network providing both videoconferencing between booths in different geographic locations and multi-media access for each booth, wherein each booth has a table with a plurality of seating areas, the plurality of seating areas arranged so that viewing screen is sized and located to be visible from the plurality of seating areas, and the table is sized to accommodate serving a meal to a plurality of individuals in the seating areas; wherein each booth has high speed internet access and access to cable or satellite; wherein the booths in each of the restaurants: i) are equipped with videoconferencing equipment that is part of the restaurant and which enables booths to videoconference with other booths within the network, has internet functionality, and devices for multimedia access, and ii) are optionally connected to a point of sale system adapted to track and charge use of the multimedia access and videoconferencing by patrons in each booth.