System and method for accelerating on-site delivery of goods and services

Abstract

A system and method for providing location and time-based scheduling of preparation and delivery of goods and/or services. Specifically for multiple customers in a group (some ordering from an “invite” sent by a first customer in the group). Bill sharing/dividing is also enabled. Customers' apps on personal devices and service-side software, with a transaction server (Eatelli) provide ordering, geo-location, estimated arrival, delivery of order goods with little to no interaction with service personnel. Automatic location and check-in is facilitated via geo-location or scanning of location-sensors/markers. Service attendants can provide delivery of goods without engaging the customer and be directed to the location of the customer at the servicing institution. Management of ordering, billing, re-ordering, up-keep of the customer can be adjudicated via the software and location markers. The system and method avoids queuing delays typically found in restaurants and take-out/pick-up orders.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for location and time-based scheduling of preparation and delivery of goods and/or services by a provider of the goods and/or services to customers at the provider's site, comprising:
 ordering, by a first customer of a plurality of customers in a customer-formed group, a good or service via a customer-side software application resident on a portable smart device of the first customer;   forwarding by the first customer to another customer in the customer-formed group, an invite to enable the another customer to add, via an another customer-side software application resident on a portable smart device of the another customer, at least one of another order of a good or service and an option to split a total bill of the orders;   communicating information of the orders and at least one of the first and another customer's current location information to a transaction server, wherein, when the at least one of the first and another customer is at the provider's site, their current location is determined from scanning, via the portable smart device of an on-site customer of the customer-formed group, a location-specific code situated at a pre-determined location at the provider's site, wherein a plurality of the location-specific codes are distributed at seating areas at the provider's site, a precise location of each location-specific code being a priori known to the transaction server prior to being scanned by the customer;   receiving through a telecommunications link the orders and at least one of the first and another customer's location information on the transaction server;   forwarding through the telecommunications link the orders and customers' account information to a provider-side software application on a computer of the provider of the good or service, wherein at least one of the provider-side software application and transaction server automatically determines an on-site location based on the location of the location-specific code scanned by the customer;   processing the orders, by the provider of the good or service, via at least the provider-side software application and transaction server; and   acknowledging the orders, by the provider of the good or service, via at least the provider-side software application and transaction server by sending a confirmation to the customer-side software; and   wherein the method reduces a wait time for a receipt of the ordered good or service at the provider's site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a scheduling time for beginning preparation of the orders, comparing a preparation completion time and the estimated time of arrival of the customers at the provider's site or the customers' current location information at the provider's site. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location-specific code is at least one of a barcode, RFID, QR code, photograph, picture, and unique sound, the specific location at the site being at least one of an entrance, pickup location, table, bar position or seat, and room. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the invite will expire after a specified period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customers' account information includes at least one of banking, credit card, email, phone number and billing information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein provider-side software application communicates the customer's order and customer's current location information to a personal provider device in possession by service personnel at the provider's site. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein billing information is electronically processed by the either the provider-side software application or transaction server. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an order receipt is emailed or electronically sent to the customer's smart device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customer order is a reservation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the another customer is at different location than the first customer when the invite is sent to the another customer and the customer group is ordering from a single provider. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein while different orders are being made by customers in the customer group, the orders are managed by the provider-site to enable a common time frame for delivery of the ordered goods or services to the on-site customer group. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, sending from the customer-side software a request for “do not disturb” to the provider-side software application. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, in the customer-side software application, a list of goods or services that are available based on designated time periods by different providers. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the provider-side software application exchanges the customers' order between at least one of a server, cook, and manager at the provider of the good or service and the customer-side software application is updated with a status of the customers' orders from at least one of the server, cook, and manager. 
     
     
         15 . A system for providing location and time-based scheduling of preparation and delivery of goods and/or services, comprising:
 a customer-side software application resident on a plurality of customers' portable smart devices, configured to receive a first customer's order of a good or service, wherein the first customer is able send an invite to at least one of order and split a bill to another customer within a designated customer group, and communicate the orders' information and at least one of the first and another customer's current location information to a transaction server, wherein, when the at least one first and another customer is not at the provider's site, their current location is geo-located and, when the at least first and another customer is at the provider's site, their current location is from scanning via an on-site customer's portable smart device a location-specific code situated at a pre-determined location at the provider's site, wherein a plurality of the location-specific codes are distributed at seating areas at the provider's site, a precise location of each location-specific code being a priori known to the transaction server prior to being scanned;   a transaction server; and   a telecommunications link between the customers' portable smart devices and the transaction server, the link forwarding the orders, customers' current location information to the transaction server, and customers' account information to a provider-side software application on a computer of the provider of the good or service,   wherein at least one of the provider-side software application and transaction server automatically determines an estimated time of arrival of the at least one first and another customers at the provider's site or, if at the provider's site, their on-site location based on the location of the location-specific code scanned by the on-site customer and wherein at least one of the provider-side software application and transaction server processes the orders, and   wherein the provider-side software application schedules a time for beginning preparation for the ordered good or service by the provider by comparing a preparation completion time and the estimated time of arrival of the customers at the provider's site or the customers' current location information at the provider's site, and   wherein at least one of the provider-side software application and transaction server acknowledges the customers' order by sending a confirmation to the customer-side software;   wherein the system reduces a wait time for a receipt of the ordered good or service at the provider's site.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the location-specific code is at least one of a barcode, RFID, QR code, photograph, picture, and unique sound, the specific location at the site being at least one of an entrance, pickup location, table, bar position or seat, and room. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, the customers' account information includes at least one of banking, credit card, email, phone number and billing information. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an order receipt which is emailed or electronically sent to the customer's smart device. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the provider site is a restaurant. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a menu of the restaurant displayed on the customer-side software application.