Restaurant Management System Drive-thru Reporting

Abstract

A restaurant management system and method interface is provided. In accordance with the invention, data from various restaurant operations is collected and stored for processing. The data is processed into useful metrics, such as those indicative of various categories of restaurant staffing, efficiency, performance and quality. The useful metrics can be displayed as a human-readable chart, graph or report. The data can be processed in real time, permitting managers to promptly make adjustments and to alert restaurant workers or crew members of deficiencies so that prompt and effective remedial action can be taken to improve restaurant performance. Reports may be generated that provide the performance of restaurants individually and as a combined group.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for restaurant management for a restaurant having a vehicle drive-thru service comprising
 a vehicle drive-thru order station having a customer order input device for transmitting drive-thru order data;   a service input interface for obtaining service data and comprising at least one vehicle detector;   a task completion input device, the task completion input device having a human readable display and an input interface capable of receiving an input from a human indicating completion of restaurant tasks, the input device having program code capable of indicating a task to be completed on the human readable display and program code for generating restaurant task completion data;   a computer system connected to the customer order input device, vehicle detector and the service input interface, the computer system capable of receiving drive-thru order data, vehicle data, service data and restaurant task completion data, the computer system having   computer program code capable of generating restaurant performance data based on data selected from the order data, the vehicle data, service data and the restaurant task completion data;   computer program code operable by the computer system and capable of receiving staffing level input or forecasting staffing level needs;   computer program code operable by the computer system and capable of transforming the order data, the vehicle data, the service data and the restaurant task completion data into metrics; and   computer program code operable by the computer system and capable of providing a report summarizing staffing levels, metrics and targets for metrics, the metrics including service times, and maintenance or food safety metrics.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the drive-thru order data is selected from the group consisting of elapsed time to complete preparation of an order and elapsed time for service of the order, each from the time the order is placed by the customer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the customer order input device is a customer operated order station having an order input interface for entry of an order for food and a display for displaying the price of the items ordered or the items ordered, the order input interface connected to the computer system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the customer order input device comprises a data transmitter for transmitting customer order data from a customer at the order station, the system further comprising a data display device for displaying the customer order to a restaurant worker located at the order input interface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the data transmitter is selected from the group consisting of a microphone and a keypad and the data display device is selected from the group consisting of a speaker and a human readable display.