Method for providing information

Abstract

A method for providing information in an information management system that manages taste information regarding a user including an order record at a first restaurant and that associates the taste information with identification information identifying the user. The method includes obtaining, from a terminal apparatus, the identification information and a store identifier indicating a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to which the first restaurant belongs, arranging, on a basis of the taste information associated with the identification information and menu information regarding the second restaurant, first and second menu items included in the menu information in order according to the taste information, and transmitting menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order to the terminal apparatus to display the menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order on a display screen of the terminal apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing information in an information management system that manages taste information regarding a user including an order record at a first restaurant and that associates the taste information with identification information for identifying the user, the method comprising:
 obtaining, from a terminal apparatus, the identification information and a store identifier indicating a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to which the first restaurant belongs;   arranging, on a basis of the taste information associated with the identification information and menu information regarding the second restaurant indicated by the store identifier, using order records of the user about items of the first restaurant that are the same as or similar to first and second items included in the menu information, the first and second items included in the menu information in order according to the taste information based on a position of priority, each of the first and second items being food and drink, the menu information being obtained, over a network, from a server relating to the second restaurant indicated by the store identifier; and   transmitting menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order to the terminal apparatus to display the menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order on a display screen of the terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second restaurant includes a coffee shop in a chain different from the chain to which the first restaurant belongs.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second restaurant includes a hamburger shop in a chain different from the chain to which the first restaurant belongs.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining positional information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user; and   providing, on a basis of the positional information, the terminal apparatus with restaurant information indicating one or more restaurants in an area including a position indicated by the positional information,   wherein the store identifier is selected on the terminal apparatus on a basis of the restaurant information.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the positional information regarding the terminal apparatus of the user is obtained using a global positioning system.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, the information management system manages an order record at the second restaurant and associates the order record at the second restaurant with identification information for identifying the user, and   wherein, when there is no order record of the user at the second restaurant in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste information associated with the identification information and the menu information regarding the second restaurant.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein, when there is an order record of the user at the second restaurant in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order record about the first and second items at the second restaurant on a basis of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu information regarding the second restaurant.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, the information management system manages an order record at the second restaurant and associates the order record at the second restaurant with identification information for identifying the user, and   wherein, when a number of order records of the user at the second restaurant is smaller than a certain value in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste information.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein, when the number of order records of the user at the second restaurant is larger than or equal to the certain value in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order record about the first and second items at the second restaurant on a basis of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu information regarding the second restaurant.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, the information management system manages an order record at the second restaurant and associates the order record at the second restaurant with identification information for identifying the user, and   wherein, when a latest order record of the user at the second restaurant precedes a certain period of time in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste information.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein, when the latest order record of the user at the second restaurant is within the certain period of time in the information management system, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in order according to the order record about the first and second items at the second restaurant on a basis of the order record at the second restaurant and the menu information regarding the second restaurant.   
     
     
         12 . A method for providing information in an information management system that manages taste information regarding a user including an order record at a first restaurant and that associates the taste information with identification information for identifying the user, the method comprising:
 obtaining positional information regarding a terminal apparatus of the user;   providing, on a basis of the positional information, the terminal apparatus with restaurant information indicating one or more restaurants in an area including a position indicated by the positional information;   obtaining, from the terminal apparatus, the identification information and a store identifier indicating, among the one or more restaurants, a second restaurant in a chain different from a chain to which the first restaurant belongs;   arranging, on a basis of the taste information associated with the identification information and menu information regarding the second restaurant indicated by the store identifier, using order records of the user about items of the first restaurant that are the same as or similar to first and second items included in the menu information, the first and second items included in the menu information in order according to the taste information based on a position of priority, each of the first and second items being food and drink, the menu information being obtained, over a network, from a server relating to the second restaurant indicated by the store identifier; and   transmitting menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order to the terminal apparatus to display the menu information including the first and second items arranged in the order on a display screen of the terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, the information management system manages an order at the second restaurant and associates the order at the second restaurant with identification information for identifying the user, and   wherein, when, in the information management system, a number of orders at the second restaurant within a set period of time is determined smaller than or equal to a certain value, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste information.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, the information management system manages an order at the second restaurant and associates the order at the second restaurant with identification information for identifying the user, and   wherein, when, in the information management system, a number of orders at the second restaurant within a set period of time is determined smaller than or equal to a certain value, the first and second items included in the menu information regarding the second restaurant are arranged in the order according to the taste information.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the information management system, the order record at the first restaurant and a store identifier indicating the first restaurant are stored and are associated with each other.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, in the information management system, the order record at the first restaurant and a store identifier indicating the first restaurant are stored and are associated with each other.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the store identifier is selected on the terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the display of the menu information, first and second objects respectively corresponding to the first and second items are arranged in a first direction on the display screen.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the menu information further includes third and fourth items, each of which is food and drink, and   wherein, in the display of the menu information, third and fourth objects respectively corresponding to the third and fourth items are displayed with the first and second objects on the display screen.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein, in the display of the menu information, the third and fourth objects are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction on the display screen.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the store identifier is selected on the terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein, in the display of the menu information, first and second objects respectively corresponding to the first and second items are arranged in a first direction on the display screen.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the menu information further includes third and fourth items, each of which is food and drink, and   wherein, in the display of the menu information, third and fourth objects respectively corresponding to the third and fourth items are displayed with the first and second objects on the display screen.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein, in the display of the menu information, the third and fourth objects are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction on the display screen.