Methods and systems for providing food, beverages, and associated goods and services in a retail environment
First Claim
1. A method of providing breakfast cereal in a quick-serve restaurant setting, the method comprising:
- displaying to customers retail-sale packages for multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals, wherein the multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals are manufactured by at least two different cereal manufacturers;
receiving a request from a customer for a first portion of a first one of the competitively-branded breakfast cereals and a second portion of a second one of the competitively-branded breakfast cereals;
in response to receiving the request from the customer, combining the first and second portions of the first and second competitively-branded breakfast cereals together in a carry-out container; and
presenting the carry-out container to the customer in exchange for payment.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing food, beverages, and associated goods and services are described herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for providing breakfast cereal in a quick-serve restaurant setting includes displaying multiple readily-recognizable, competitively-branded, breakfast cereal boxes in view of customers. The method further includes receiving a request from a customer for a first portion of a first one of the breakfast cereals and a second portion of a second one of the breakfast cereals. In response to receiving the request from the customer, the method additionally includes combining the first and second portions of the breakfast cereals together in a carry-out container and presenting the container to the customer in exchange for payment.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method of providing breakfast cereal in a quick-serve restaurant setting, the method comprising:
-
displaying to customers retail-sale packages for multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals, wherein the multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals are manufactured by at least two different cereal manufacturers;
receiving a request from a customer for a first portion of a first one of the competitively-branded breakfast cereals and a second portion of a second one of the competitively-branded breakfast cereals;
in response to receiving the request from the customer, combining the first and second portions of the first and second competitively-branded breakfast cereals together in a carry-out container; and
presenting the carry-out container to the customer in exchange for payment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of providing food in a retail setting, the method comprising:
-
displaying retail-sale packages for multiple competitively-branded, single food category, packaged food products;
receiving a request from a customer for a first portion of a first one of the competitively-branded, packaged food products and a second portion of a second one of the competitively-branded, packaged food products;
in response to receiving the request from the customer, placing the first and second portions of the competitively-branded, packaged food products together in a container; and
presenting the container to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
18. The method of clam 15 wherein receiving a request from a customer includes receiving an order from a stand-alone kiosk with which the customer placed the order.
-
19. The method of clam 15 wherein receiving a request from a customer includes receiving an order from a stand-alone kiosk having user interface with which the customer manually placed the order.
-
27. A retail restaurant method comprising:
-
providing a quick-serve restaurant having a front counter at a point-of-sale and signage behind the counter displaying a menu having multiple menu items, wherein a majority of entree food items on the menu include multiple independently branded food items in a same food category, wherein the independently branded food items are manufactured by at least two different manufacturers;
receiving from a walk-up customer a food order selected from the menu items, wherein the food order includes a designation by the customer of at least two different food items selected from the multiple independently branded food items;
preparing the order by combining a predetermined portion of each of the two different food items selected by the customer from the multiple independently branded food items; and
providing the order to the customer in exchange for payment. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. A computer-implemented system for placing a cereal order, the system comprising:
-
means for displaying a menu for viewing by a customer, the menu including at least one menu item composed of a first competitively-branded breakfast cereal combined with a second competitively-branded breakfast cereal;
means for receiving a customer selection identifying a first competitively-branded breakfast cereal and a second competitively-branded breakfast cereal; and
means for transmitting the customer selection for preparation. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A method of providing food in a quick-serve food service setting, the method comprising:
-
providing to a customer a first portion of a first competitively-branded, dry food product in a take-out container, wherein the first competitively-branded, dry-food product is manufactured by a first manufacturer;
combining a second portion of a second competitively-branded, dry food product with the first portion of the first competitively-branded, dry food product in the take-out container, wherein the second competitively-branded, dry-food product is manufactured by a second manufacturer;
receiving payment from the customer in exchange for the take-out container with the combination of the first portion of the first competitively-branded, dry food product and the second portion of the second competitively-branded, dry food product; and
wherein the payment is associated with a preset price for the take-out container with the combination of the first portion of the first competitively-branded, dry food product and the second portion of the second competitively-branded, dry food product. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
-
38. A method of providing food in a quick-serve food service setting, the method comprising:
-
displaying to a customer multiple competitively-branded, dry food products, wherein the competitively-branded, dry food products are from a single food category;
providing to the customer a first portion of a first one of the competitively-branded, dry food products in a take-out container, wherein the first competitively-branded, dry-food product is manufactured by a first manufacturer;
combining a second portion of a second one of the competitively-branded, dry food products with the first portion of the first competitively-branded, dry food product in the take-out container, wherein the second competitively-branded, dry-food product is manufactured by a second manufacturer; and
receiving payment from the customer in exchange for the take-out container with the combined first and second portions of the first and second competitively-branded, dry food products. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
Specification