SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING EXCESS CAPACITY FOR RESTAURANTS AND OTHER INDUSTRIES DURING OFF-PEAK OR OTHER TIMES
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented system for reducing excess capacity for one or more restaurants that experience periods of peak demands and periods of non-peak demands and for collecting information about at least one user, the system comprising:
- a server configured to execute computer program modules corresponding to a website, the computer program modules comprising;
a request module configured to present an interface to a user via the website through which user requests are received for incentives for dining at restaurants corresponding to one or more user selected restaurant characteristics;
an incentive module configured to concomitantly present to a user via the website, in response to receipt of a user request for incentives through the interface, a plurality of incentives for dining at any of a set of two or more restaurants that correspond to the one or more user selected restaurant characteristics included in the received user request for incentives,wherein the incentives are subject to restrictions,wherein the incentive module is configured to provide the incentives with restrictions specifying valid dates and/or times that correspond to non-peak demand periods of the restaurants associated with the incentives to incentivize dining at the restaurants during non-peak demand, andwherein the incentive module is configured such that responsive to a first restaurant of the set of restaurants having a different non-peak demand period than a second restaurant of the set of restaurants the incentive module concomitantly presents to the user via the website a first incentive associated with the first restaurant that is subject to different restrictions than a second incentive associated with the second restaurant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for reducing excess capacity for restaurants and other industries during off-peak hours is provided. Customers or potential customers may bid on gift certificates redeemable at restaurants during a predetermined time. Users may register with the system and provide identification and demographic information which may be used by restaurants for targeted marketing strategies, promotions, and special offers. The system may include a registration module, an auction module, a restaurant guide module, a restaurant manager module, rewards and referral center module, restaurant reservation module, and advertisement displays.
66 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented system for reducing excess capacity for one or more restaurants that experience periods of peak demands and periods of non-peak demands and for collecting information about at least one user, the system comprising:
a server configured to execute computer program modules corresponding to a website, the computer program modules comprising; a request module configured to present an interface to a user via the website through which user requests are received for incentives for dining at restaurants corresponding to one or more user selected restaurant characteristics; an incentive module configured to concomitantly present to a user via the website, in response to receipt of a user request for incentives through the interface, a plurality of incentives for dining at any of a set of two or more restaurants that correspond to the one or more user selected restaurant characteristics included in the received user request for incentives, wherein the incentives are subject to restrictions, wherein the incentive module is configured to provide the incentives with restrictions specifying valid dates and/or times that correspond to non-peak demand periods of the restaurants associated with the incentives to incentivize dining at the restaurants during non-peak demand, and wherein the incentive module is configured such that responsive to a first restaurant of the set of restaurants having a different non-peak demand period than a second restaurant of the set of restaurants the incentive module concomitantly presents to the user via the website a first incentive associated with the first restaurant that is subject to different restrictions than a second incentive associated with the second restaurant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented method of reducing excess capacity for one or more restaurants that experience periods of peak demands and periods of non-peak demands and for collecting information about at least one user, wherein the method is implemented in a server configured to execute one or more computer program modules corresponding to a website, the method comprising:
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receiving a user request for incentives for dining at restaurants corresponding to one or more user selected restaurant characteristics, wherein the user request for incentives is received via the website, and specifies the one or more user selected restaurant characteristics; concomitantly presenting to a user via the website, in response to the received user request for incentives, incentives for dining at individual ones of a set of two or more restaurants that correspond to the one or more user selected restaurant characteristics, wherein the incentives are subject to restrictions, wherein the restrictions of the incentives specify valid dates and/or times that correspond to non-peak demand periods of the restaurants associated with the incentives to incentivize dining at the restaurants during non-peak demand, and wherein responsive to a first restaurant of the set of restaurants having a different non-peak demand period than a second restaurant of the set of restaurants a first incentive associated with the first restaurant is presented on the website concomitantly with a second incentive associated with the second restaurant such that the first incentive is subject to different restrictions than the second incentive.
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Specification