Methods and apparatus for generating food brokering menus

• US 20060090966A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Order Inn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Order Inn, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutcliffe, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for brokering food services are disclosed. The methods and apparatus described herein provide quality controlled room service to guests of hotels that do not otherwise have traditional room service available. A call center operator routes each call to the appropriate restaurant and stays on the phone line to monitor the call. The restaurant delivers the order and collects the appropriate fee. Menus used by the system are generated by a process that maintains a consistent look and feel despite the fact that each area uses a unique menu.

Claims

1. A method of creating area-specific menus for a food brokering operation, the method comprising:

brokering food delivery services between a first restaurant in a first geographical area and a first hotel in the first geographical area;

brokering food delivery services between a second restaurant in a second geographical area and a second hotel in the second geographical area;

taking a first picture of a first food item at the first restaurant;

using the first picture as a first guide to create a first mockup of the first food item;

taking a second picture of the first mockup;

including the second picture in a first menu associated with the first restaurant;

taking a third picture of a second food item at the second restaurant;

using the third picture as a second guide to create a second mockup of the second food item;

taking a fourth picture of the second mockup; and

including the fourth picture in a second menu associated with the second restaurant.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising placing the first menu in the first hotel.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising placing the second menu in the second hotel.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising selecting a stock photo from a plurality of stock photos for inclusion in the first menu.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising recording restaurant owner approval information identifying a first selected photograph for a first menu section and a second selected photograph for a second menu section.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein a food services broker selects only one of the a first selected photograph and the a second selected photograph for inclusion in the first menu.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first picture comprises a digital picture.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising transferring the digital picture to a food services broker electronically.

9. A method of creating area-specific menus for a food brokering operation, the method comprising:

brokering food delivery services between a first restaurant in a first geographical area and a first hotel in the first geographical area using an integrated call center;

brokering food delivery services between a second restaurant in a second geographical area and a second hotel in the second geographical area using the integrated call center;

generating a first menu including first food items associated with the first restaurant; and

generating a second menu including second food items associated with the second restaurant, the first restaurant being different than the second restaurant, the first food items being different than the second food items.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein an operator at the integrated call center monitors a verbal exchange associated with a food order between an order taker at the first restaurant and a guest at the first hotel.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising transmitting information associated with the food order from a computer associated with the call center operator to a computer associated with a food services broker in real-time.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising displaying a restaurant-specific menu on a computer screen associated with the call center operator based on a geographical identifier.

13. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the geographical identifier is determined by asking a customer for an area number printed on a menu.

14. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein the geographical identifier is determined by reading caller identification.

15. A method as defined in claim 12, wherein data used to generate the restaurant-specific menu is transmitted from a computer associated with the food services broker to a computer associated with the call center operator in real time.