System and method for improving customer wait time, customer service, and marketing efficiency in the restaurant, retail, travel, and entertainment industries

Abstract

A system and method including an Internet preordering system accessible online or onsite at a free-standing kiosk located in or near client properties in which customers may create profiles for the requested services and provide such information to the service provider in advance of the customer's arrival for the requested services. When the customer arrives, the customer identifies himself/herself and the preorder is accessed, verified and/or modified. The preorder is then forwarded to the service provider and the delivery of the service is optimally timed to the readiness of the customer. The customer's profile and preorder information are maintained in a database and used for in-house precision marketing campaigns and cross-promotional opportunities. For example, in a restaurant embodiment, a registered customer is given access to menus and may create menu preferences for a participating restaurant. The registered customer may also make a reservation at a participating restaurant for a party of any size in advance (for example, up to 24 hours) of the reservation time. The food and/or drink preorder for each guest in the party may be completed in advance and maintained on the server, with the reservation time, for access when the party arrives at the designated reservation time. After a verification process, the customer may retrieve the party's preorder, make any desired changes, and then verify the preorder at the kiosk. Once the preorder is verified, the customer may finalize the preorder and proceed to the hostess kiosk where the preorder is accessed by the restaurant staff. Either when the party is seated or at an appropriate time prior to seating (based on a comparison of the seating wait queue to the kitchen wait queue), the preorder is forwarded for preparation so that the ordered food and/or drink arrives shortly after the customer's party is seated.

1 . A method for improving efficiency of providing a service to customers, comprising:
 a customer creating a reservation including designation of the service the customer wishes to have provided by a service provider at a particular time, the reservation including customer preferences for the services to be purchased;   the service provider initiating the designated service prior to a time at which the customer is in a location to receive the designated service;   validating the reservation once the customer has arrived at the location for receiving the designated service from the service provider; and   completing delivery of the designated service to the customer once the reservation is validated.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the designated services include the provision of food and/or drinks at a restaurant or bar and the customer preferences include a preorder of food and/or drink items selected from the restaurant menu, and wherein the preorder of food and/or drink items is submitted at or prior to the time the customer is seated in the restaurant. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the designated services include the sales of retail goods at a retail store and the customer preferences include a preorder of items the customer wishes to consider for purchase that satisfy specified customer preferences, and wherein the preorder of items is submitted to the retail store at or prior to the time the customer arrives at the retail store for review of the preordered items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a customized profile including at least the customer's preferences for restaurants, shopping, travel, entertainment, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method for improving efficiency of servicing customers in a restaurant, comprising:
 a customer creating a reservation including a preorder of food and/or drink for members of a party;   validating the reservation when at least one member of the party is present at the restaurant and available for seating at the restaurant; and   when a wait time for the party is determined to be less than or equal to a preparation time for preparing the preorder of food and/or drink, forwarding the preorder of food and/or drink to a kitchen, a kitchen management system, and/or a bar for preparation.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reservation is created by the customer accessing a web site including a menu for the restaurant from which one or more members of the party create the preorder of food and/or drink. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising selecting at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink from a list of favorite menu items off of the restaurant menu for at least one member of the party, said list of favorite menu items being stored in a customized profile for said least one member of the party. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reservation is created by the customer accessing a kiosk or computer terminal located at or near the restaurant including a menu for the restaurant from which one or more members of the party create the preorder of food and/or drink. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising selecting at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink from a list of favorite menu items off of the restaurant menu for at least one member of the party, said list of favorite menu items being stored in a customized profile for said least one member of the party. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the reservation is accessed by the customer and the presence of said at least one member of the party at the restaurant is validated using a kiosk or computer terminal located at or near the restaurant, and the contents of the reservation are modified as appropriate, approved, and confirmed by said at least one member of the party. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the confirmed reservation is forwarded to a hostess for placing the party in a queue to be seated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the preorder of food and/or drink is manually communicated to the kitchen and/or bar. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the preorder of food and/or drink is communicated to the kitchen and/or bar by a seating management system when the seating management system determines that the wait time for the party is less than or equal to the preparation time for preparing the preorder of food and/or drink. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the customer maintains a customized profile in a database, said customized profile identifying preferences of the customer including a list of favorite menu items available from said restaurant. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the customer is offered special offers from the restaurant based on the contents of the customer's customized profile. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the customized profile is linked to a unique customer identifier and access to the customized profile is denied without said unique customer identifier. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the unique customer identifier comprises a biometric scan, an access card, a retinal scan, a password, or a key fob. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising storing the customer's preorder in a database and using the customer's preorder in precision marketing to the customer and/or providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting options to the customer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising committing to payment for the preorder of food and/or drink prior to being seated. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, shopping preferences, entertainment preferences, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A system for improving efficiency of servicing customers in a restaurant, comprising:
 a customer kiosk or customer terminal located at or near the restaurant through which a customer creates a reservation including a preorder of food and/or drink for members of a party and through which the presence of one or more members of the party at the restaurant is validated; and   a hostess kiosk or terminal that accepts the reservation from the customer kiosk or computer terminal and, when a wait time for the party is determined to be less than or equal to a preparation time for preparing the preorder of food and/or drink, forwards the preorder of food and/or drink to a kitchen, a kitchen management system, and/or a bar for preparation.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a web server including software that is used by the customer to create the reservation including the preorder of food and/or drink and to store the reservation at least until one or more members of the party is validated as present at the restaurant. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the web server further comprises a customized profile for at least one member of the party, said customized profile including a list of favorite menu items off of a restaurant menu for said at least one member of the party from which at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink may be selected. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the customer kiosk or computer terminal further comprises a customized profile for at least one member of the party, said customized profile including a list of favorite menu items off of a restaurant menu for said at least one member of the party from which at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink may be selected. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a seating management system that communicates the preorder of food and/or drink to the kitchen, kitchen management system, and/or bar when the seating management system determines that the wait time for the party is less than or equal to the preparation time for preparing the preorder of food and/or drink. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a customized profile in a database accessible by said customer at said customer kiosk or computer terminal, said customized profile identifying preferences of the customer including a list of favorite menu items and preferred services available from said restaurant. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a database management system that provides special offers from the restaurant to the customer based on the contents of the customer's customized profile. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26  further comprising customer authentication means for authenticating the customer using a unique customer identifier. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the unique customer identifier comprises a biometric scan, an access card, a retinal scan, a password, or a key fob. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the database management system stores the customer's order in the database and uses the customer's order in precision marketing to the customer and/or in providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting options to the customer. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the hostess kiosk or terminal comprises means for committing at least one member of the party to payment for the preorder of food and/or drink prior to being seated. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, shopping preferences, entertainment preferences and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         33 . A computer readable storage device comprising first executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a first processor causes said first processor to enable a customer to create a reservation including a preorder of food and/or drink for a member or members of a party and to validate the presence of one or more members of the party at a location of the first processor, and second executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a second processor causes said second processor to accept the reservation from the first processor and, when a wait time for the party is determined to be less than or equal to a preparation time for preparing the preorder of food and/or drink, to cause the preorder of food and/or drink to be forwarded to a kitchen, kitchen management system, and/or bar for preparation. 
     
     
         34 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 33 , wherein the first executable instructions present a menu for the restaurant to the customer for preordering of food and/or drink and including said preorder in said reservation. 
     
     
         35 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 34 , wherein the first executable instructions select at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink from a list of favorite menu items off of the restaurant menu for at least one member of the party, said list of favorite menu items being stored in a customized profile for said least one member of the party. 
     
     
         36 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 33 , wherein the first executable instructions access the reservation, validate the presence of said at least one member of the party at the restaurant, and permit said at least one member of the party to modify the contents of the reservation as appropriate and approve and confirm the reservation. 
     
     
         37 . A web server comprising a processor, a first memory including executable instructions stored therein that when executed by said processor causes said processor to enable a customer to create a reservation including a preorder of food and/or drink for members of a party, and a second memory that stores the reservation at least until one or more members of the party is validated to be at the restaurant. 
     
     
         38 . The web server of  claim 37 , further comprising a customized profile for at least one member of the party, said customized profile including a list of favorite menu items off of a restaurant menu for said at least one member of the party from which at least a portion of the preorder of food and/or drink may be selected. 
     
     
         39 . The web server of  claim 38 , further comprising a database management system that provides special offers from the restaurant to the at least one member of the party based on the contents of the customized profile. 
     
     
         40 . The web server of  claim 39 , wherein the database management system stores the customer's preorder in the database and uses the customer's preorder in precision marketing to the customer and/or providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting option to the customer. 
     
     
         41 . The web server of  claim 38 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, shopping preferences, entertainment preferences, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         42 . A method for improving efficiency of servicing customers shopping in a store, comprising:
 a customer creating a shopping reservation including a preselection of items of interest available from the store for purchase at a particular time as well as customer preferences for characteristics of said items;   validating the shopping reservation when the customer is present at the store and available to evaluate the preselected items; and   a clerk preparing the preselected items for evaluation by the customer at or before said particular time.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the customer maintains a customized profile in a database, said customized profile identifying preferences of the customer including a list of said characteristics of said items. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the customer is offered special offers from the store based on the contents of the customer's customized profile. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the customized profile is linked to a unique customer identifier and access to the customized profile is denied without said unique customer identifier. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the unique customer identifier comprises a biometric scan, an access card, a retinal scan, a password, or a key fob. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising storing the customer's shopping reservation in a database and using the customer's shopping reservation in precision marketing to the customer and/or providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting options to the customer. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, restaurant preferences, entertainment preferences, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         49 . A system for improving efficiency of customers shopping in a store, comprising:
 a customer kiosk or customer terminal located at or near the store through which a customer creates a shopping reservation including a preselection of items of interest available from the store for purchase at a particular time as well as customer preferences for characteristics of said items, said customer kiosk or terminal further including means for validating the shopping reservation when the customer is present at the store and available to evaluate the preselected items; and   a point of sale device that accepts the reservation from the customer kiosk or computer terminal, facilitates purchase of one or more of said items, and creates a record accessible by said customer kiosk or computer terminal identifying the purchased item(s).   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a web server including software that is used by the customer to create the reservation including the shopping reservation and to store the reservation at least until the customer is validated as present at the store. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the web server further comprises a customized profile for the customer, said customized profile including a list of said customer preferences for said characteristics of said items. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a customized profile in a database accessible by said customer at said customer kiosk or computer terminal, said customized profile including a list of said customer preferences for said characteristics of said items. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , further comprising a database management system that provides special offers from the store to the customer based on the contents of the customer's customized profile. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 49  further comprising customer authentication means for authenticating the customer using a unique customer identifier. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the unique customer identifier comprises a biometric scan, an access card, a retinal scan, a password, or a key fob. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the database management system stores the customer's shopping reservation in the database and uses the customer's shopping reservation in precision marketing to the customer and/or in providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting options to the customer. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, restaurant preferences, entertainment preferences, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         58 . A computer readable storage device comprising executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor causes said processor to enable a customer to create a shopping reservation including a preselection of items of interest available from the store for purchase at a particular time as well as customer preferences for characteristics of said items, said executable instructions further including means for validating the shopping reservation when the customer is present at the store and available to evaluate the preselected items and means for storing a record of any purchased item(s). 
     
     
         59 . The computer readable storage device of  claim 58 , wherein the executable instructions create a customized profile in a database accessible by said customer, said customized profile including a list of said customer preferences for said characteristics of said items. 
     
     
         60 . A web server comprising a processor, a first memory including executable instructions stored therein that when executed by said processor causes said processor to enable a customer to create a shopping reservation including a preselection of items of interest available from the store for purchase at a particular time as well as customer preferences for characteristics of said items, and a second memory that stores a record of any purchased item(s). 
     
     
         61 . The web server of  claim 60 , further comprising a customized profile in a database accessible by said customer, said customized profile including a list of said customer preferences for said characteristics of said items. 
     
     
         62 . The web server of  claim 61 , further comprising a database management system that provides special offers from the store to the customer based on the contents of the customer's customized profile. 
     
     
         63 . The web server of  claim 62 , wherein the database management system stores the customer's shopping reservation in the database and uses the customer's shopping reservation in precision marketing to the customer and/or providing discount offers, special offers, and/or gifting option to the customer. 
     
     
         64 . The web server of  claim 61 , wherein the customized profile further includes the customer's travel preferences, restaurant preferences, entertainment preferences, and/or combinations thereof.