Methods and apparatus for generating food brokering menus

• US 8,281,899 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Order Inn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Order Inn, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutcliffe, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US11/082,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20060090966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,763 Days
• Field of Search: 186/38, 186/35, 186/36, 705/1, 705/15, 705/53, 705/64, 705/77, 705/78, 705/300, 705/346, 434/82, 434/93, 434/127, 379/36, 379/133, 379/134, 379/201.01, 709/219, 709/239
• US Class Current: 186/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for brokering food services are disclosed. The methods and apparatus described herein provide quality controlled room service to guests of hotels that do not otherwise have traditional room service available. A call center operator routes each call to the appropriate restaurant and stays on the phone line to monitor the call. The restaurant delivers the order and collects the appropriate fee. Menus used by the system are generated by a process that maintains a consistent look and feel despite the fact that each area uses a unique menu.

Claims

1. A method of providing food delivery associated with a hotel room service menu, the method comprising:

supplying information for a food menu, the food menu bearing (i) a toll-free telephone number used to connect to a call center and (ii) a restaurant identifier;

receiving a call to an order taker at a restaurant from a hotel guest via a call center associated with the toll-free telephone number;

preparing a digital audio recording of at least a portion of a verbal exchange between the order taker and the hotel guest during said call;

delivering at least one food item associated with the verbal exchange from the restaurant to the hotel guest; and

transferring funds from a first account associated with the restaurant to a second account associated with a food services broker in an amount based on information in the digital audio recording.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center plays a recorded message to a hotel guest.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the call center connects the hotel guest to the first restaurant in response to the hotel guest entering a number associated with the first restaurant.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the call center makes a digital audio recording of a conversation between a hotel guest and a restaurant order taker.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the call center sends the digital audio recording to a food broker.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center connects a hotel guest to the first restaurant in response to the hotel guest entering a number associated with the first restaurant.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center makes a digital audio recording of a conversation between a hotel guest and a restaurant order taker.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records data related to brokerage fees.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records data related to customer service.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records an estimated delivery time.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records order taker comments.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records a complaint call from a hotel guest.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records a food item ordered by a hotel guest.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the record of the food item ordered by the hotel guest is used to calculate a cut owed to a food broker.

15. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center records a price quoted by a restaurant order taker.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the record of the price quoted by the restaurant order taker is used to calculate a cut owed to the food brokering operation.

17. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the call center plays a prerecorded message informing a hotel guest that the first restaurant is closed.

18. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a live operator at the call center monitors a verbal exchange associated with a food order between an order taker at the first restaurant and a guest at the first hotel.

19. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first menu includes a plurality of prices associated with the first food items, the plurality of prices being marked up relative to a plurality of corresponding restaurant prices associated with (i) the first food items and (ii) the first restaurant.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the plurality of prices are marked up by a particular percentage.

21. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the plurality of prices are not marked up by a particular percentage, the plurality of prices being marked up by different percentage amounts.