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:
- at the quick-serve restaurant, 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;
at the quick-serve restaurant, 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, wherein the receiving of the request is performed at or near a point of sale device positioned at the quick-serve restaurant;
at the quick-serve restaurant, 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 as a to-go order; and
at the quick-serve restaurant, presenting the carry-out container to the customer in exchange for payment.
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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.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of providing breakfast cereal in a quick-serve restaurant setting, the method comprising:
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at the quick-serve restaurant, 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;
at the quick-serve restaurant, 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, wherein the receiving of the request is performed at or near a point of sale device positioned at the quick-serve restaurant;
at the quick-serve restaurant, 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 as a to-go order; and
at the quick-serve restaurant, 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)
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15. A retail restaurant method comprising:
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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 (16, 17)
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18. A method of providing food in a quick-serve food service setting, the method comprising:
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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 (19, 20)
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21. A method of providing food in a quick-serve food service setting, the method comprising:
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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 (22, 23)
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24. A method of selling breakfast cereal, the method comprising:
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providing a quick-serve restaurant, the quick-serve restaurant including a walk-up service counter;
at the walk-up service counter, displaying to customers retail-sale packages for multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals, wherein the multiple competitively-branded breakfast cereals include at least a first competitively branded cereal from a first manufacturer and a second competitively branded cereal from a second manufacturer;
at the walk-up service counter, displaying to customers a menu having at least one menu item composed of a first portion of the first competitively-branded cereal and a second portion of the second competitively-branded cereal combined together in a carry-out container;
at the walk-up service counter, receiving a request from a customer for the first menu item;
at the walk-up service counter, 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 the carry-out container as a to-go order; and
at the walk-up service counter, presenting the carry-out container to the customer in exchange for payment.
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Specification