Methods and apparatus for facilitation of orders of food items

• US 9,159,094 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panera LLC (Panera Bread Company)
• Original Assignee: Panera LLC (Panera Bread Company)
• Inventors: Hurst, Blaine E., Shaich, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Danneman, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/840,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20140279092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques which aid in correctly capturing what a restaurant customer intends to order, and may enhance the customer'"'"'s satisfaction with the ordering and dining process overall. For example, an interface may be provided through which a customer may specify an order, and the interface may clearly convey such information as each ordered item'"'"'s ingredients and nutritional content. The interface may enable the customer to customize ordered items, and may clearly convey any changes that the customer has made, allowing the customer to make informed choices about the items included in an order. The interface may embody a design which enables the customer to quickly and easily customize items, and/or to re-order previously customized items.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating an order of a food item by a customer, comprising acts of:

(A) causing a plurality of images each representing an ingredient of the food item to be displayed to the customer via a screen interface;

(B) receiving input from the customer specifying a change to at least one ingredient of the food item; and

(C) in response to receiving the input in the act (B), causing at least some of the plurality of images caused to be displayed in the act (A) to be modified to reflect the change to the at least one ingredient of the item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the food item is a sandwich made with a first type of bread having a first set of dimensions, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying that a second type of bread, having a second set of dimensions different than the first set of dimensions, is to be substituted for the first type of bread, and the act (C) comprises re-scaling the at least some images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises modifying a spacing of at least some of the plurality of images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises modifying how the plurality of images are arranged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises re-scaling at least some of the plurality of images.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying a change to an amount of a first ingredient in the food item, and the act (C) comprises exchanging one or more images for the first ingredient caused to be displayed in the act (A) for another one or more images, and causing the other one or more images to be displayed.

7. A computer system for facilitating an order of a food item by a customer, the computer system comprising:

at least one processor programmed to;

cause a plurality of images each representing an ingredient of the food item to be displayed to the customer via a screen interface;

receive input from the customer specifying a change to at least one ingredient of the food item; and

in response to receiving the input, cause at least some of the plurality of images caused to be displayed to be modified to reflect the change to the at least one ingredient of the item.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the food item is a sandwich made with a first type of bread having a first set of dimensions, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to receive input specifying that a second type of bread, having a second set of dimensions different than the first set of dimensions, is to be substituted for the first type of bread, and to re-scale the at least some images.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the food item is a salad, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to receive input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and to modify a spacing of at least some of the plurality of images.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the food item is a salad, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to receive input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and to modify how the plurality of images are arranged.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the food item is a salad, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to receive input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and to re-scale at least some of the plurality of images.

12. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to receive input specifying a change to an amount of a first ingredient in the food item, to exchange one or more images for the first ingredient caused to be displayed for another one or more images, and to cause the other one or more images to be displayed.

13. At least one computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon which, when executed, perform a method for facilitating an order of a food item by a customer, the method comprising acts of:

(A) causing a plurality of images each representing an ingredient of the food item to be displayed to the customer via a screen interface;

(B) receiving input from the customer specifying a change to at least one ingredient of the food item; and

(C) in response to receiving the input in the act (B), causing at least some of the plurality of images caused to be displayed in the act (A) to be modified to reflect the change to the at least one ingredient of the item.

14. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the food item is a sandwich made with a first type of bread having a first set of dimensions, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying that a second type of bread, having a second set of dimensions different than the first set of dimensions, is to be substituted for the first type of bread, and the act (C) comprises re-scaling the at least some images.

15. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises modifying a spacing of at least some of the plurality of images.

16. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises modifying how the plurality of images are arranged.

17. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the food item is a salad, the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying an addition of at least one ingredient to, or a removal of at least one ingredient from, the salad, and the act (C) comprises re-scaling at least some of the plurality of images.

18. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the act (B) comprises receiving input specifying a change to an amount of a first ingredient in the food item, and the act (C) comprises exchanging one or more images for the first ingredient caused to be displayed in the act (A) for another one or more images, and causing the other one or more images to be displayed.