ONLINE ORDERING FOR IN-SHOP SERVICE

• US 20150046271A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Scholl, Nathaniel Blake, Crawford, Jason, Puckett, Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 10,147,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Systems and related methods providing for online ordering of menu items from a merchant are discussed herein. Circuitry may be configured to generate an online menu based on menu information stored in a menu database. The menu information may be also configured to facilitate point-of-sale functionality at the merchant, such as by a point-of-sale device. The online menu may be provided to a consumer device. An online order may be received from the consumer device. The circuitry may be configured to process the online order, such as by facilitating a reservation, order preparation, and payment.

Claims

1. A method for ordering menu items from a restaurant, comprising:

receiving menu items offered for sale by the restaurant;

generating, by a networked processor, menu information based on the menu items, wherein the menu information is configured to facilitate point-of-sale functionality at the restaurant;

generating an online menu including a first set of menu items using the menu information;

providing the online menu to a consumer device;

receiving, from the consumer device, online order data associated with an online order indicating at least one item from the first set of menu items; and

receiving, from a restaurant device, in-restaurant order data associated with the online order indicating at least a second menu item.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting point-of-sale data indicating the least one item to the restaurant device; and

determining a trigger condition to begin preparation of the online order.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving an indication of a dine-in selection for the online order; and

wherein the trigger condition is based on one or more of a location of the consumer device, a reservation time for the dine-in selection, preparation time of the online order, and size of the online order.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

prior to receiving the online order data, associating the consumer with a payment account; and

subsequent to an occurrence of the trigger condition, facilitating a financial transaction using the payment account.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving an additional order of an additional item subsequent to receiving the online order data; and

associating the additional item with the payment account before facilitating the financial transaction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the additional order of the additional item is received from online.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the additional order of the additional item is received from a device in the restaurant.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising associating an unpaid amount with the payment account.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving an indication to cancel the online order; and

responsive to receiving the indication to cancel the online order, canceling preparation of the online order.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing a waitlist indicating table wait times;

adding an entry to the waitlist for a table based on a request received from the consumer device;

sending an estimated seating time for the table to the consumer device;

associating the online order data with the entry to the waitlist; and

sending an indication that the table is available to the consumer device.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

associating the online food order with a plurality of payment accounts;

receiving payment data indicating how to allocate payment amounts among the plurality of payment accounts; and

facilitating financial transactions using the plurality of payment accounts according to the payment data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the payment data indicates a ratio for allocating the payment amounts among the plurality of payment accounts.

13. A method for managing a menu database, comprising:

accessing menu information from the menu database, the menu information indicating amounts of menu items that are in stock, wherein the menu database is also configured to support displays presented by a point-of-sale device in a restaurant and an online menu accessible by a consumer device located remote from the restaurant;

updating the menu information; and

in response to the menu information being updated, updating menu items included in the online menu and the displays presented by the point-of-sale device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the updating of the menu information is based on an online order.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising removing at least one out-of-stock menu item from the online menu.

16. A system for ordering food from a restaurant, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

receive menu items offered for sale from a merchant device;

generate menu information based on the menu items, wherein the menu information is configured to facilitate point-of-sale functionality at the restaurant;

generate an online menu including a first set of menu items using the menu information;

provide the online menu to a consumer device;

receive, from the consumer device, online order data associated with an online order indicating at least one item from the first set of menu items; and

receive, from a restaurant device, in-restaurant order data associated with the online order indicating at least a second menu item.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

transmit point-of-sale data indicating the least one item to the restaurant device; and

determine a trigger condition to begin preparation of the online order.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the circuitry is further configured to receive an indication of a dine-in selection for the online order; and

the trigger condition is based on one or more of a location of the consumer device, a reservation time, preparation time of the online order, and size of the online order.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

prior to receiving the online order data, associate the consumer with a payment account; and

subsequent to an occurrence of the trigger condition, facilitate a financial transaction using the payment account.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive an additional order of an additional item subsequent to receiving the online order data; and

associate the additional item with the payment account before facilitating the financial transaction.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the additional order of the additional item is ordered online.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the additional order of the additional item is ordered at the restaurant.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry is further configured to associate an unpaid amount with the payment account.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

receive an indication to cancel the online order; and

responsive to receiving the indication to cancel the online order, canceling preparation of the online order.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

access a waitlist indicating table wait times;

add an entry to the waitlist for a table based on a request received from the consumer device;

send an estimated seating time for the table to the consumer device;

associate the online order data with the entry to the waitlist; and

send an indication that the table is available to the consumer device.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

associate the online food order with a plurality of payment accounts;

receive payment data indicating how to allocate payment amounts among the plurality of payment accounts; and

facilitate financial transactions using the plurality of payment accounts according to the payment data.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the payment data indicates a ratio for allocating the payment amounts among the plurality of payment accounts.

28. A system for managing a menu database, comprising:

circuitry configured to;

accessing menu information from the menu database indicating amounts of menu items that are in stock, wherein the menu database is also configured to support displays presented by a point-of-sale device in a restaurant and an online menu accessible by a consumer device located remote from the restaurant;

updating the menu information; and

in response to the menu information being updated, updating menu items included in the online menu and the displays presented by the point-of-sale device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the circuitry is further configured to update the menu information based on an online order.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the circuitry is further configured to remove at least one out of stock menu item from the online menu.