DINING EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140122263A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Padgett, John M., Butler, Bart D., Jungen, Michael G., Spivey, Bonnie J., Chancey, Randy, Heard, Lawrence Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,659,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system configured to manage a dining experience for guests at a food service establishment. In some implementations, the system may comprise one or more guest identification devices, one or more sensors, one or more host systems, and one or more processors. The system may be configured such that real-time detailed information about the food service establishment, guests of the food service establishment, food orders placed by guests of the food service establishment, table states of the tables in the food service establishment, and tasks performed by staff members is provided to the staff members of the food service establishment. The information may facilitate a unique guest experience for guests of the food service establishment wherein the guests may place a food order remotely, arrive at the food service establishment and self-select a table, and receive delivery of their food order at their selected table.

Claims

1. A dining experience management system configured to manage a dining experience for guests at a food service establishment, the system comprising:

guest identification devices associated with guests within the food service establishment who have placed food orders, the guest identification devices including a first guest identification device associated with a first guest who has placed a first food order;

one or more sensors configured to generate output signals related to locations of the guest identification devices within the food service establishment; and

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

an association module configured to associate the guest identification devices with stations in the food service establishment based on the output signals of the one or more sensors to facilitate delivery of the food orders to the corresponding guests such that association of the first identification device with a first station by the association module facilitates delivery of the first order to the first guest at the first station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a timing module configured to determine persistence information related to the guest identification devices associated with the stations based on the output signals of the sensors, the persistence information related to a length of time the guest identification devices are associated with the stations such that the persistence information for the first guest identification device associated with the first station is related to a first length of time the first guest identification device is associated with the first station.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the food orders include party size information, the party size information comprising information corresponding to a quantity of guest identification devices associated with a related group of guests such that a first party size comprises a first quantity of guest identification devices associated with a first related group of guests.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the stations correspond to individual tables having table seat capacities such that the first station corresponds to a first table having a first table seat capacity.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer program modules further comprise a capacity module configured to automatically determine an available capacity in the food service establishment, the determination based on one or more of the table seat capacities, persistence information, or party size information,

wherein the persistence information is related to a length of time the guest identification devices are associated with the stations that correspond to the individual tables, and

wherein the party size information is indicative of a party size and comprises information corresponding to a quantity of guest identification devices associated with a related group of guests,

the capacity module configured to automatically determine a first available capacity based on one or more of the first table seat capacity, first persistence information, or a first party size.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a seating capacity interface configured to display information related to the seat capacity of the tables, wherein the capacity module is configured to provide the seating capacity interface with an indication of whether additional guests should be permitted to enter the food service establishment based on the available capacity, the capacity module configured to provide a first indication of whether a second guest should be permitted to enter the food service establishment.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a preliminary association module configured to make a preliminary association of guest identification devices with individual tables having available seating capacity based on the party size information and the information from the capacity module, wherein the capacity module is configured to temporarily reduce the available capacity based on the preliminary association, and, responsive to the association module associating one or more of the guest identification devices with stations corresponding to one or more of the individual tables, revise the available capacity based on the association made by the association module,

wherein the preliminary association module is configured to make a first preliminary association of the first guest identification device with the first table, the capacity module is configured to temporarily reduce the first available capacity based on the first preliminary association, and responsive to the association module associating the first guest identification device with the first table, revise the reduced first available capacity based on the association by the association module.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more sensors include a bridge exit reader configured to generate output signals conveying information related to guest identification devices associated with guests leaving the food service establishment, the capacity module further configured to adjust the available capacity based on the information from the bridge exit reader, such that the capacity module adjusts the first available capacity responsive to the first guest identification device associated with the first guest leaving the food service establishment.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the capacity module is configured to determine available capacity based on persistence information that indicates individual tables will have available capacity in a relatively short length of time such that the first available capacity is determined based on information that indicates the first table will have available capacity in a relatively short first length of time.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the capacity module is further configured to account for breakage responsive to the association module associating the quantity of the guest identification devices with a station corresponding to an individual table having a quantity of available seats that is greater than the quantity of associated guest identification devices, such that the capacity module accounts for breakage responsive to the association module associating a first quantity of guest identification devices with the first station corresponding to the first table having a first quantity of available seats that is greater than the first quantity of guest identification devices.

11. A method to manage a dining experience for guests at a food service establishment, the method comprising:

associating guest identification devices with guests within the food service establishment who have placed food orders, the guest identification devices including a first guest identification device associated with a first guest who has placed a first food order;

generating output signals related to locations of the guest identification devices within the food service establishment; and

associating the guest identification devices with stations in the food service establishment based on the output signals to facilitate delivery of the food orders to the corresponding guests such that association of the first identification device with a first station facilitates delivery of the first order to the first guest at the first station.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining persistence information related to the guest identification devices associated with the stations based on the output signals, the persistence information related to a length of time the guest identification devices are associated with the stations such that the persistence information for the first guest identification device associated with the first station is related to a first length of time the first guest identification device is associated with the first station.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the food orders include party size information, the party size information comprising information corresponding to a quantity of guest identification devices associated with a related group of guests such that a first party size comprises a first quantity of guest identification devices associated with a first related group of guests.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the stations correspond to individual tables having table seat capacities such that the first station corresponds to a first table having a first table seat capacity.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining an available capacity in the food service establishment, the determination based on one or more of the table seat capacities, persistence information, or party size information,

wherein the persistence information is related to a length of time the guest identification devices are associated with the stations that correspond to the individual tables, and

wherein the party size information is indicative of a party size and comprises information corresponding to a quantity of guest identification devices associated with a related group of guests,

the automatically determined available capacity including a first available capacity based on one or more of the first table seat capacity, first persistence information, or a first party size.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying information related to the seat capacity of the tables, the information related to the seat capacity of the tables including an indication of whether additional guests should be permitted to enter the food service establishment based on the available capacity, the indication including a first indication of whether a second guest should be permitted to enter the food service establishment.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising making a preliminary association of guest identification devices with individual tables having available seating capacity based on the party size information and the available capacity information, wherein the available capacity is temporarily reduced based on the preliminary association, and, responsive to associating one or more of the guest identification devices with stations corresponding to one or more of the individual tables, revising the available capacity based on the association,

the preliminary association including a first preliminary association of the first guest identification device with the first table, wherein the first available capacity is temporarily reduced based on the first preliminary association, and responsive to associating the first guest identification device with the first table, the reduced first available capacity is revised based on the association of the first guest with the first table.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating output signals conveying information related to guest identification devices associated with guests leaving the food service establishment, and adjusting the available capacity based on the leaving information such that the first available capacity is adjusted responsive to the first guest identification device associated with the first guest leaving the food service establishment.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining available capacity based on persistence information that indicates individual tables will have available capacity in a relatively short length of time such that the first available capacity is determined based on information that indicates the first table will have available capacity in a relatively short first length of time.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising accounting for breakage responsive to associating the quantity of the guest identification devices with a station corresponding to an individual table having a quantity of available seats that is greater than the quantity of associated guest identification devices, such that breakage is accounted for responsive to associating a first quantity of guest identification devices with the first station corresponding to the first table having a first quantity of available seats that is greater than the first quantity of guest identification devices.