Merchandising – Customer service – Dining room service
Patent
1997-11-24
1999-11-09
Ellis, Christopher P.
Merchandising
Customer service
Dining room service
186 50, E04H 304
Patent
active
059796049
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products or goods sales services, which has been designed to appreciably increase productivity in serving and to meet the following customer requirements for catering or bar services for example to enter the premises and immediately find somewhere to sit, without having to wait and join long queues by the till, such as is the case at present with self-service and fast food restaurants; to find someone to take the order immediately; to receive the items ordered in a relatively short time; to be able to manage the waiting time freely and to the optimum extent; to have a public information and remote service facility, also providing a bar and catering service; and finally, to be able to leave the restaurant avoiding long queues at the till.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Basically the equipment as per the invention consists of a tunnel that is generally in a straight line, with the entry to the restaurant at one end where the service staff are posted, such as the kitchen for example, and with a longitudinal conveyor with lateral flaps opposite and lateral horizontal shelves, served by comfortable seats for the customers who can access the line directly, without waiting at the till.
In the most simplified form, opposite each seat on the side wall of the tunnel there is a call button and an intercom or equivalent means with which the customer can communicate with a central operator who takes the orders and inputs them in the system by PC.
There is no reason why, as an alternative to or in combination with the intercom, there should not be a function key which identifies each seat by a code and with which the customer can input the order into the system automatically, identifying each dish with a code which appears on the menu displayed, for example, on an illuminated board affixed to the wall of the service bay. The tunnel projects slightly above the shelves to act as a table, so that those seated on either side of the tunnel can see each other and converse.
Special serving lines are also envisaged in which a terminal is provided at each position arranged laterally in relation to the tunnel, to read and write discount or subscription cards which the customer can purchase at the entrance to the restaurant or from any other authorized center and on the tunnel there is a PC with associated keyboard and mouse at each position. The customer on this line can use the PC to obtain more details on the menu and to place his order remotely, and while waiting for the items he has ordered, the customer can use the PC for different types of service for which the equipment is designed.
In the kitchen at the end of each serving line, there is a PC with keyboard and mouse and a printer. The VDU of this PC displays the various line orders in chronological order. The operator concerned prepares and places on a tray what the customer has ordered, together with any items necessary for their consumption, and with the bill produced by the printer, and then places the tray at this end of the tunnel conveyor and by activating a control, actuates the conveyor in the direction of the customer. Controlled by sensors and a simple automated system, the conveyor stops with the tray opposite the seat for which it is intended and the side flap on the tunnel opens automatically beside the customer who placed the order, and he then removes the tray after which the flap closes automatically and the kitchen operator can repeat the procedure described to serve the various customers on that line. After finishing the meal, the customer can leave the restaurant by passing via the till where he presents the bill for payment. Customers on lines with PC's who have discount or subscription cards on which the cost of the service used is automatically debited can pass through a quick check at a dedicated till or can leave the restaurant without waiting at the till, by means of a gate which opens automatically using the same card.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TH
REFERENCES:
patent: 2489732 (1949-11-01), Trimble
patent: 2640581 (1953-06-01), Abitz
patent: 4019605 (1977-04-01), Kropf
patent: 4071710 (1978-01-01), Burnett
patent: 4553222 (1985-11-01), Kurland et al.
patent: 4582172 (1986-04-01), Takeuchi et al.
patent: 4675515 (1987-06-01), Lucero
patent: 4722053 (1988-01-01), Dubno et al.
patent: 4899666 (1990-02-01), Meier
patent: 5113970 (1992-05-01), Bavis
patent: 5128862 (1992-07-01), Mueller
patent: 5280266 (1994-01-01), Kao
Monfasani Roberto
Pinna Genesia
Ellis Christopher P.
Genesia Pinna
Jaketic Bryan
Spencer George H.
Wood Allen
LandOfFree
Equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products , we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1444352