Apparatus and method for delivering freshly-prepared fine food

• US 7,716,083 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fine Food-To-Go, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fine Food-To-Go, Inc.
• Inventors: Stouvenot, Gilbert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US11/056,087
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 705/15, 705/16, 705/22, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0078 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

A food service system and method utilizing a food carrier for the delivery of high quality meals that are hot and safe to eat. The food carrier preferably comprises a body having an interior, an exterior and an opening, said interior defining a compartment; sealing means disposed around said opening; a door that covers said opening, said door being configured to seal against said sealing means when a partial vacuum or pressure is created in said compartment; a passageway connecting said interior and said exterior; a valve on said passageway; and a dish configured to fit within said compartment. The method comprises collecting data on favorite prepared foods from pre-registered households in predetermined communities and utilizing the data to purchase, prepare and deliver, with the utmost convenience utilizing the food carrier, ready-to-eat dishes at affordable prices.

Claims

1. A method for operating a food preparation and delivery service, said method comprising:

inviting a plurality of households within a delivery zone to register for the service by mailing a password to each selected household within said delivery zone via U.S. mail;

accepting a first input from a particular selected household via a website, said first input comprising the password, a name and address for said particular selected household, a rating of the favorite foods of said particular selected household and an agreement that said particular selected household will comply with a plurality of rules of the service, and storing said first input;

at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a menu for each day in a current time period via said website, each said menu being capable of serving about two people;

at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a dish for each day in a first future time period via said website, accepting a first order from said particular selected household for delivery of one or more portions of said dish at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first order;

at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a list of possible menus for a second future time period, accepting a second input from said particular selected household of a vote identifying the favored dishes of said particular selected household on said list and storing said second input; and

at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a description of a plurality of guest chef signature specials, accepting a third input from said particular selected household of a favorite signature special and storing said third input.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

at the request of any household, displaying a plurality of catering-to-go choices, accepting a fourth input comprising a selected choice and a zip code of said any household and storing said fourth input; and

using said zip code to determine a delivery distance and calculating a delivery cost based on said delivery distance.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

delivering said dish to said particular selected household in a food carrier that is adapted for reuse by the food preparation and delivery service.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

delivering said dish to said particular selected household.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

delivering said dish to said particular selected household in said delivery zone.

6. A method for operating a food preparation and delivery service, said method comprising:

a step for inviting a plurality of households within a delivery zone to register for the service by providing a password to each selected household within said delivery zone;

a step for accepting a first input from a particular selected household via a website, said first input comprising the password, a name and address for said particular selected household, an agreement that said particular selected household will comply with a plurality of rules of the service, and storing said first input;

a step for, at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a dish for each day in a first future time period via a said website, accepting a first order from said particular selected household for delivery of one or more portions of said dish at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first order;

a step for, at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a list of possible menus for a second future time period via a said website, accepting a second input from said particular selected household of a vote identifying the favored dishes of said particular selected household on said list and storing said second input; and

a step for delivering said dish to said particular selected household.

7. A food preparation and delivery service, said food preparation and delivery service comprising:

means for allowing a plurality of households within a delivery zone to register for the service by providing a password to each selected household within said delivery zone, said delivery zone consisting of all the communities to be served from a particular centrally-located production kitchen;

means for accepting a first input from a particular selected household via a website, said first input comprising the password, a name and address for said particular selected household, an agreement that said particular selected household will comply with a plurality of rules of the service, and storing said first input;

means for, at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a dish for each day in a first future time period via said website, accepting a first order from said particular selected household for delivery of one or more portions of said dish at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first order;

means for, at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a list of possible menus for a second future time period via a said website, accepting a second input from said particular selected household of a vote identifying the favored dishes of said particular selected household on said list and storing said second input; and

means for delivering said dish to said particular selected household.

8. A method for operating a food preparation and delivery service, said method comprising:

inviting a plurality of households within a delivery zone to register for the service by providing a password to each selected household within said delivery zone;

accepting a first input from a particular selected household via a website, said first input comprising the password, a name and address for said particular selected household, an agreement that said particular selected household will comply with a plurality of rules of the service, and storing said first input to produce a registered household;

at the request of said registered household, displaying a dish for each day in a first future time period via a said website, accepting a first order from said registered household for delivery of one or more portions of said dish at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first order; and

at the request of said registered household, displaying a list of possible menus for a second future time period via a said website, accepting a second input from said registered household of a vote identifying the favored dishes of said registered household on said list and storing said second input.

9. A method for operating a food preparation and delivery service, said method comprising:

inviting a plurality of households within a delivery zone to register for the service;

at the request of a particular selected household, displaying a dish via a website for each day in a first future time period, accepting an order as a first input from said particular selected household for delivery of one or more portions of said dish at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first input; and

at the request of said particular selected household, displaying a list of possible menus via a said website for a second future time period, accepting a second input from said particular selected household of a vote identifying the favored dishes of said particular selected household on said list and storing said second input.

10. A method for operating a food preparation and delivery service, said method comprising:

inviting a plurality of households within blocks in a delivery zone to register for the service;

accepting a registration and associating a registered household with a particular block;

at the request of a registered household, displaying a meal for each day in a first future time period on a mobile computing device or a personal computer that is connected to a network, accepting an order as a first input from said registered household for delivery of one or more portions of said meal at a desired time and a payment for said first order, and storing said first input;

in response to a notification, displaying a list of possible future meals on said mobile computing device or said personal computer for a second future time period, accepting a second input from said registered household of a vote identifying the favored possible future meals of said registered household on said list and storing said second input;

delivering said order to said registered household; and

considering said vote in deciding which meals to offer to said registered household in

said second future time period.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said delivery zone comprises areas to be served by a single production kitchen.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said inviting step comprises using the U.S. postal system to deliver the invitations.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said particular block comprises a plurality of registered households, deliveries to which can be accomplished in a single delivery window.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said notification is made in an email message.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said network is the Internet.