JP7486000B2 - Order management system and order management method - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. Published on the website (https://cms.fo.gnavi.co.jp/shop/) on September 27, 2022.

The present invention relates to an order management system and an order management method for managing the menus of food and beverage establishments.

In facilities such as restaurants, systems are known that allow customers to order from a menu by operating an ordering terminal installed at the table. There are also known systems that limit the number of menu items that can be ordered at one time to prevent monopolization of the kitchen (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-289207 A

In food and beverage facilities, it may be necessary to set a minimum order quantity for a menu item, taking into consideration the workload of the kitchen and staff. For example, in the case of a hot pot menu, it may be necessary to prohibit orders for one portion and allow orders for two or more portions. However, since the price per portion for each menu item is generally registered in POS data, it is possible to order from one portion at a time on the ordering terminal. For this reason, with conventional technology, food and beverage facility staff must verbally explain the minimum order quantity to customers and check the order quantity entered by customers on the ordering terminal, which creates a problem of reduced operational efficiency at the food and beverage facility. It also creates a problem of reduced convenience for customers when ordering from the menu.

The object of the present invention is to provide an order management system and method that can improve the operational efficiency of food and beverage facilities and improve the convenience of ordering operations for users.

The order management system according to the present invention includes a setting processing unit that can variably set the minimum number of orders that will be accepted from a customer for each menu item provided to the customer at a food and beverage facility.

The order management method of the present invention is a method in which one or more processors execute a process that can variably set the minimum number of orders that will be accepted from a customer of a food and beverage facility for each menu item offered to the customer.

The present invention provides an order management system and an order management method that can improve the operational efficiency of food and beverage facilities and improve the convenience of ordering operations for users.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an order management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of menu information used in the order management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of additional menu information used in the order management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a menu registration page displayed on the facility terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an order page displayed on the ordering terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an order page displayed on the ordering terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of an order management process executed by the order management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a menu registration page displayed on the facility terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings to facilitate understanding of the present invention. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[Order Management System 1]
1, an order management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an order management device 2, a facility terminal 3, and an order terminal 4. The order management device 2, the facility terminal 3, and the order terminal 4 are capable of communicating with each other via a communication network N1 such as the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a public telephone line.

The order management device 2 accepts registration operations by the manager of the dining facility regarding menu information related to the menu of the dining facility via the facility terminal 3, and manages the menu information. The order management device 2 also accepts operations for ordering menu items (products) by users (customers) using the dining facility via the order terminal 4, and manages the order information. The order management device 2 may also have an accounting function for payment of the price of the menu (food and drink charges).

In the following, in this embodiment, the order management system 1 will be described using an example in which the dining facility is a restaurant whose main business is providing food and beverages. Note that the dining facility of the present invention includes, for example, various facilities (such as amusement facilities) that can provide food and beverages.

The facility terminal 3 is an operation terminal (such as a management terminal or POS terminal) operated by the restaurant manager, staff, etc. For example, the restaurant manager operates the facility terminal 3 to register menu information (such as menu name, price, menu image, etc.) related to the menus provided to users at the restaurant. The manager also operates the facility terminal 3 to set the user ordering method for each menu (such as the minimum order quantity and how to order additional menu items). The facility terminal 3 may be a device installed in the restaurant office, or may be a mobile terminal that can be carried by restaurant staff. The facility terminal 3 is located in each of multiple restaurants.

The ordering terminal 4 is an operation terminal that is operated by the user when ordering a menu (food and drink) at a restaurant. The ordering terminal 4 may be a device owned by the user (e.g., a smartphone) or a device owned by the restaurant and lent to the user (e.g., a self-order terminal). When the ordering terminal 4 is a self-order terminal, the ordering terminal 4 is placed, for example, at each table in the restaurant. Users can operate the ordering terminal 4 at the restaurant to view the menu and order their desired menu items. Users can also use the ordering terminal 4 to pay for food and drink. In this way, the ordering terminal 4 can be used for menu ordering processing and accounting processing.

The order management system 1 includes one or more facility terminals 3 arranged at each restaurant, and one or more order terminals 4.

In this embodiment, the order management device 2 alone corresponds to the order management system of the present invention, but the order management system of the present invention may include one or more of the components of the order management device 2, facility terminal 3, and order terminal 4. For example, if the components of the order management device 2, facility terminal 3, and order terminal 4 work together to share and execute the order management process (see FIG. 7) described below, a system including multiple components that execute the process can be considered as the order management system of the present invention. For example, the order management device 2, facility terminal 3, and order terminal 4 may constitute the order management system of the present invention.

[Order management device 2]
1, the order management device 2 is a server (e.g., a cloud server) including a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation display unit 23, and a communication I/F 24. The order management device 2 is not limited to a single computer, and may be a computer system in which multiple computers work in cooperation. Furthermore, various processes executed by the order management device 2 may be executed in a distributed manner by one or multiple processors.

The communication I/F 24 is a communication interface that connects the order management device 2 to the communication network N1 by wire or wirelessly, and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol with external devices such as the facility terminal 3 and the order terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

The operation display unit 23 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations.

The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various information. Specifically, data such as menu information D1 and additional menu information D2 is stored in the storage unit 22. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of menu information D1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of additional menu information D2.

Menu information D1 is information (product information) about menus (food and drink) that can be provided at a restaurant. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, menu information D1 includes information such as "menu ID", "menu name", "price", and "minimum order quantity" for each menu. The menu ID is identification information for the menu, and any ID is registered. The menu name is the name of the menu. Menu information D1 includes information on multiple menus for each menu category (genre). For example, menu information D1 includes multiple menus classified by category, such as hot pot menus, a la carte menus, set menus, set meal menus, drink menus, and dessert menus. The price is the unit price of the menu (price per portion).

The minimum order quantity is the lower limit (minimum order quantity, minimum order quantity) of the number of orders that a user is permitted to order from a menu item. For menu items for which the minimum order quantity is set, orders below the minimum order quantity are prohibited, and orders above the minimum order quantity are permitted. For example, if the minimum order quantity for pot A is set to "2," users cannot order one serving of pot A, but can order two or more servings. For example, if the minimum order quantity for pot C is set to "3," users cannot order one or two servings of pot A, but can order three or more servings. Furthermore, if the minimum order quantity for sashimi is set to "1," users can order sashimi from one serving.

Each piece of menu information D1 is registered in advance by the restaurant manager and updated as necessary. For example, the manager registers the menu name, price, minimum order quantity, etc. on the menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4) displayed on the facility terminal 3. For example, for a hot pot menu, the manager may register a multiple order quantity (2 or more) as the minimum order quantity, taking into consideration the workload of the kitchen and staff.

Additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3) is information (additional product information) about additional menus (submenus, child menus) to be added to the main menu (parent menu). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, additional menu information D2 includes information such as "menu ID", "menu name", and "additional menu" for each main menu. Additional menus that may be ordered together with the main menu are registered in additional menu information D2 in association with the main menu. For example, "ramen", "udon", and "rice" are registered as additional menus in association with pot A as menus that may be ordered in addition to pot A (final menu). When registering an additional menu on menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4), the administrator presses the registration button K61 to register one or more additional menus (here, "ramen", "udon", and "rice").

The administrator can register additional menu items for each main menu item. Figure 3 shows an example of additional menu item information D2 for pot A, but multiple main menu items and their corresponding additional menu items may be registered in additional menu item information D2 in response to the administrator's registration operations.

In addition, in another embodiment, some or all of the information such as the menu information D1 and the additional menu information D2 may be stored in the facility terminal 3 or a server accessible from the order management device 2. In this case, the control unit 21 of the order management device 2 may acquire the information from the facility terminal 3 or the server, and execute various processes such as the order management process (see FIG. 7) described below.

The memory unit 22 also stores order data of the order information input to the ordering terminal 4. The order data includes data such as the user's table information (table number), the number of people using the table, the start time of use (time of arrival), and order history. The memory unit 22 also stores data of operation screens (web pages, etc.) such as the menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4) displayed on the facility terminal 3, the order page P2 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) displayed on the ordering terminal 4, and the accounting page (not shown).

Furthermore, the memory unit 22 stores control programs such as an order management program for causing the control unit 21 to execute the order management process (see FIG. 7) described below. For example, the order management program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB, CD, or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a USB drive, CD drive, or DVD drive electrically connected to the order management device 2 and stored in the memory unit 22. The order management program may also be downloaded from a server accessible from the order management device 2 and stored in the memory unit 22.

The control unit 21 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS for causing the CPU to execute various arithmetic processes are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the order management device 2 by executing the various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or the storage unit 22 by the CPU.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as a display processing unit 211, a reception processing unit 212, a setting processing unit 213, an order processing unit 214, an output processing unit 215, and an accounting processing unit 216. The control unit 21 functions as the display processing unit 211, the reception processing unit 212, the setting processing unit 213, the order processing unit 214, the output processing unit 215, and the accounting processing unit 216 by executing various processes according to the order management program with the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 21 may be configured with electronic circuits. The order management program may be a program for causing multiple processors to function as the various processing units.

The display processing unit 211 displays various operation pages (operation screens) on the facility terminal 3 and the order terminal 4. In addition, the reception processing unit 212 receives user operations (administrator operations, user operations) on each operation page.

For example, when a restaurant manager registers menu information, the display processing unit 211 displays a menu registration page P1 on the facility terminal 3 of the restaurant. FIG. 4 shows an example of the menu registration page P1. The menu registration page P1 includes multiple registration items K11 to K16. Registration item K11 indicates a menu ID, and the control unit 21 registers an arbitrary ID. Registration item K12 indicates a menu name, and the reception processing unit 212 accepts the administrator's input operation of the menu name. The administrator enters an arbitrary name into registration item K12.

Registration item K13 indicates a description of the menu, and the reception processing unit 212 accepts the administrator's input operation of the description. The administrator inputs a description of the menu into registration item K13. For example, the administrator inputs a description of how to order the menu into registration item K13.

Registration item K14 indicates the price (unit price) of the menu item, and the reception processing unit 212 accepts the administrator's input operation of the price. The administrator inputs the price including tax for one portion of the menu item into registration item K13.

Registration item K15 indicates the minimum order quantity for the menu item, and the reception processing unit 212 accepts the administrator's input operation of the minimum order quantity. The administrator inputs the minimum order quantity for the menu item into registration item K15. For example, the display processing unit 211 displays a list (pull-down menu display) of selection candidates K5 for the minimum order quantity, and the reception processing unit 212 accepts the administrator's selection operation of the minimum order quantity from selection candidate K5.

The registration item K16 indicates information about the additional menu, and the administrator selects the registration buttons K61 and K62 when registering information about the additional menu. For example, when registering an additional menu item of hot pot A, the administrator presses the registration button K61 to register the additional menu item (here, "ramen", "udon", and "rice") on the additional menu registration page (not shown). In addition, for example, the administrator presses the registration button K62 to switch the linking setting for the order number of the additional menu item. For example, if the user orders "three servings" of hot pot A, and the total number of orders of the additional menu item is permitted to start from "one serving" (permitting orders of any number of orders), the administrator sets "no linking of quantity of additional menu item" (registration button K62) to "ON". In addition, for example, if the user orders "three servings" of hot pot A, and the total number of orders of the additional menu item is permitted to start from "three servings" (prohibiting orders of items other than three servings), the administrator sets "no linking of quantity of additional menu item" to "OFF". FIG. 4 shows the state where "No linking of additional menu quantity" is set to "ON." In this way, the setting function of "No linking of additional menu quantity" is a switching unit for switching whether or not the order quantity of additional menu items is linked to the order quantity of the main menu item.

When the administrator has completed inputting information for each of the registration items K11 to K16, he or she presses the registration button K17. The setting processing unit 213 registers the information entered for each of the registration items K11 to K16. Here, the setting processing unit 213 registers each piece of information about pot A in menu information D1 (see FIG. 2). The setting processing unit 213 also registers the information about "ramen," "udon," and "rice," which have been entered as additional menu items for pot A, in association with pot A in additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3).

The control unit 21 may be capable of switching whether or not to link the order quantity of the additional menu to the order quantity of the main menu when an additional menu is associated with a menu and registered. In other words, the control unit 21 may display a registration button K62 for "additional menu quantity not linked" when an additional menu is associated with a menu and registered. In another embodiment, the order management system 1 may omit the function related to the registration item K16.

If the administrator subsequently wishes to register information for another menu, he or she presses the Add button K18 on the menu registration page P1. When the Add button K18 is pressed, the display processing unit 211 displays a new menu registration page P1 on the facility terminal 3, the reception processing unit 212 receives input operations from the administrator for the registration items K11 to K16, and the setting processing unit 213 registers the menu information in response to the input operations.

In this way, the setting processing unit 213 can set and update each piece of information for each menu item as appropriate. For example, the setting processing unit 213 can variably set the minimum order quantity for each menu item. In other words, the setting processing unit 213 can set and change the minimum order quantity without changing the price (unit price) of the menu item.

Here, the setting processing unit 213 may receive an operation from the administrator to select whether or not to set the minimum order quantity, and set the minimum order quantity in response to the administrator's operation. For example, the control unit 21 may display an operation unit for selecting whether or not to set a minimum order quantity on the menu registration page P1, and when the administrator presses the operation unit, display a selection candidate K5 to receive input of the minimum order quantity, and set the minimum order quantity in response to the administrator's operation. The control unit 21 may also display two or more values as candidates for the minimum order quantity in the selection candidate K5. The control unit 21 may also display a default value for the minimum order quantity in the input field in advance. For example, the control unit 21 may display a minimum order quantity that is preset according to the menu in the input field, and display the selection candidate K5 when the user changes the default value.

When the control unit 21 registers the menu information D1 (see FIG. 2) and the additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3) in response to the administrator's registration operation on the facility terminal 3, it displays the order page P2 on the order terminal 4 based on this information and accepts menu orders from users.

For example, the display processing unit 211 displays the order page P2 shown in FIG. 5 on the ordering terminal 4. For example, when a customer of a restaurant accesses (logs in to) an ordering site provided by the restaurant on the ordering terminal 4, the display processing unit 211 displays the order page P2 on the ordering terminal 4. The order page P2 shown in FIG. 5 includes menu information and a quantity input field K21 for inputting the number of items ordered. Note that FIG. 5 shows the order page P2 for hot pot A that is displayed when a user selects "hot pot A" from a menu list (not shown). The display processing unit 211 displays an image of hot pot A, a price (price including tax per portion), a description of hot pot A (see FIG. 4), a quantity input field K21, a total price, and the like on the order page P2. Also, the display processing unit 211 displays a cart button K22 for adding the selected menu to a cart on the order page P2. Note that the display processing unit 211 may display an order button for confirming the order instead of the cart button K22.

The display processing unit 211 also displays buttons for increasing or decreasing the order quantity (the increase button "+" and the decrease button "-") in the quantity input field K21, and the reception processing unit 212 receives the input operation of the order quantity from the user (the operation of pressing the increase button and the decrease button).

Here, for menu items for which a minimum order quantity has been set by the setting processing unit 213, the order processing unit 214 allows the user to place orders for more than the minimum order quantity, and prohibits the user from placing orders for less than the minimum order quantity. Here, since the minimum order quantity for pot A is set to "2" (see Figures 2 and 4), the order processing unit 214 allows the user to place orders for two or more servings, and prohibits the user from placing orders for one serving. Figure 5 shows the state in which the user has entered "3" (3 servings) as the number of servings of pot A to be ordered.

For example, the order processing unit 214 pre-displays the minimum order quantity of "2" (serves two) in the quantity input field K21, and sets the decrease button "-" to be hidden or unselectable (grayed out). In this case, the user can only select the increase button "+" in the quantity input field K21. Furthermore, if a quantity exceeding the minimum order quantity (here, "3" or more) is entered, the order processing unit 214 re-displays the decrease button "-" so that it can be selected, and makes the decrease button "-" unselectable if the minimum order quantity (here, "2") is entered.

In another embodiment, the order processing unit 214 may display the cart button K22 (or the order button) selectable on the condition that an order quantity equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity is input in the quantity input field K21. In addition, the order processing unit 214 may set the cart button K22 (or the order button) to be hidden or unselectable (grayed out) while an order quantity less than the minimum order quantity is input in the quantity input field K21.

In addition, when the order processing unit 214 receives an order from a user for a main menu item that is equal to or exceeds the minimum order quantity, it allows the user to order an additional menu item associated with the main menu item.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when a user orders three servings of hot pot A, which is more than the minimum order quantity ("2"), the display processing unit 211 displays "ramen," "udon," and "rice" associated with hot pot A as additional menu items on the order page P2. The display processing unit 211 also displays a quantity input field K23 for the additional menu items on the order page P2. As shown in FIG. 6, with the configuration in which the main menu and additional menu items are displayed on the same order page P2, the user can select the main menu and additional menu items together and add them to the cart or confirm the order.

The display processing unit 211 may display information about the additional menu (such as the additional menu name and quantity input field K23) on the condition that the order for the main menu (hot pot A) has been completed or the main menu has been added to the cart, or may display information about the additional menu on the condition that an order quantity equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity has been entered in the quantity input field K21 for the main menu (hot pot A). For example, when the order for the main menu has been completed, the display processing unit 211 may display a link to an order page for the additional menu, and when the user clicks on the link, display information about the additional menu.

Here, the order processing unit 214 may allow the acceptance of orders for additional menu items that are equal to or less than the number of orders for the main menu items from the user. For example, when three servings of hot pot A are ordered, the order processing unit 214 may allow the acceptance of orders for each additional menu item such that the total number of orders is one, two, or three servings. For example, when three servings of hot pot A are ordered, the order processing unit 214 may allow the acceptance of orders for one serving of ramen and one serving of udon (a total of two servings) (see FIG. 6), two servings of ramen, and one serving of rice.

In another embodiment, the order processing unit 214 may determine the number of additional menu items that can be ordered based on the setting state of "no linking of quantity to additional menu items" (see FIG. 4). For example, when "no linking of quantity to additional menu items" (register button K62) is set to "ON", the number of additional menu items ordered is not linked to the number of main menu items ordered. That is, as described above, when a user orders "three servings" of hot pot A, the order processing unit 214 allows orders of additional menu items starting from "one serving" (allowing orders of any number of orders). For example, the order processing unit 214 allows an order of one serving of ramen and one serving of udon (a total of two servings) (see FIG. 6), an order of two servings of ramen and two servings of rice (a total of four servings), an order of one serving of ramen, an order of one serving of udon, an order of one serving of rice, etc.

In contrast, for example, when "no quantity linking for additional menu items" is set to "OFF" (i.e., quantity linking for additional menu items), the number of additional menu items ordered is linked to the number of main menu items ordered. That is, when a user orders "three servings" of hot pot A, the order processing unit 214 allows only orders of "three servings" of additional menu items (orders for other than three servings are prohibited), or allows only orders of "three servings" or more (orders for less than three servings are prohibited). For example, the order processing unit 214 allows orders of three servings of ramen, two servings of ramen and one serving of udon (a total of three servings), one serving of ramen, one serving of udon and three servings of rice (a total of five servings), etc. Also, when "no quantity linking for additional menu items" is set to "OFF", the order processing unit 214 may allow only orders of the minimum number of main menu items (here, two servings) or more (orders for one serving are prohibited).

In another embodiment, when "No quantity linking for additional menu items" is set to "OFF", if a user orders "three servings" of hot pot A, the order processing unit 214 may accept orders for three servings of additional menu items. For example, if a user enters "1" in the ramen quantity input field K23, the order processing unit 214 accepts an order for three servings of ramen (1 x 3 servings), and if a user enters "2" in the ramen quantity input field K23, the order processing unit 214 accepts an order for six servings of ramen (2 x 3 servings).

In this way, the setting processing unit 213 may be able to set whether or not to link the number of orders for additional menu items to the actual number of orders for the main menu (three servings in the above example) depending on the administrator's registration operation (see FIG. 4). In another embodiment, the setting processing unit 213 may be able to set whether or not to link the number of orders for additional menu items to the minimum number of orders for the main menu (two servings in the above example). If the setting processing unit 213 links the number of orders for additional menu items to the minimum number of orders for the main menu, users will be able to order additional menu items for two or more people. In another embodiment, the setting processing unit 213 may set the upper limit of the number of orders for additional menu items to the actual number of orders for the main menu (e.g., three servings). In this case, users will be able to order up to three servings of additional menu items, and will be prohibited from ordering four or more servings.

In another embodiment, the setting processing unit 213 may automatically set "no quantity link for additional menu" to ON/OFF depending on the type of main menu or additional menu. For example, when an additional menu that upgrades the main menu (e.g., upgrading pot A) is associated with the main menu as an additional menu, the setting processing unit 213 sets "no quantity link for additional menu" to OFF, and the order processing unit 214 only allows orders of the additional menu ("upgrading pot A") in the same quantity as the main menu.

In another embodiment, the setting processing unit 213 may set a menu item for which a minimum order quantity is set so that orders less than the minimum order quantity for that menu item can be ordered as an additional menu item. For example, when the setting processing unit 213 sets the minimum order quantity for pot A to "2" (2 servings), it may set "one serving of pot A" as an additional menu item. This allows a user to, for example, order two servings of pot A, and then order one serving of pot A as an additional menu item. In this way, when the setting processing unit 213 sets a minimum order quantity for a menu item, the setting processing unit 213 may register the menu item with a quantity less than the minimum order quantity as an additional menu item.

The output processing unit 215 outputs the order data of the order accepted by the order processing unit 214 to the kitchen. Specifically, the output processing unit 215 outputs the order data to a kitchen terminal (not shown) of the restaurant. The order data includes information such as the order details of the menu corresponding to the user's order, the table number of the table used by the user, the order number, and the date and time when the order was accepted (order date and time). The output processing unit 215 may also cause an order form including the order data to be output (printed or displayed) from the kitchen terminal. When the kitchen staff receives the order form, they prepare the food and drink ordered.

The accounting processing unit 216 performs accounting for the price (food and drink price) of the menu ordered by the user. For example, when the user presses the payment button on the accounting page (not shown) displayed on the ordering terminal 4, the accounting processing unit 216 performs accounting (settlement) for the food and drink price. For example, the accounting processing unit 216 performs electronic payment (mobile payment) using the ordering terminal 4.

[Facility terminal 3]
1 , the facility terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, an operation display unit 33, and a communication I/F 34. The facility terminal 3 is an information processing device such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, or a tablet terminal. The facility terminal 3 may have the same functions as the order management device 2, or may be an information processing device integrated with the order management device 2.

The communication I/F 34 is a communication interface that connects the facility terminal 3 to the communication network N1 by wire or wirelessly and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol with external devices such as the order management device 2 and the order terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

The operation display unit 33 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations. The operation display unit 33 displays web pages such as the menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4). The operation display unit 33 is also configured, for example, as a touch panel, and accepts selection operations (touch operations) on various pages by the restaurant manager, staff, etc.

The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various information. For example, a control program such as a browser program is stored in the storage unit 32. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 31 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the order management device 2 according to a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). The browser program may also be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the order management device 2 according to a predetermined communication protocol.

The memory unit 32 may also store data related to management operations, such as reservation management data (reservation information) for managing reservations at restaurants and vacant seat management data for managing seat availability. For example, the reservation information may include information such as the name of the person making the reservation, the number of people using the restaurant, the date and time of visit, the table, and the course.

The control unit 31 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS for causing the CPU to execute various processes are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 31 controls the facility terminal 3 by executing the various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or the storage unit 32 with the CPU.

Specifically, the control unit 31 functions as a browser processing unit 311 by executing various processes according to the browser program stored in the memory unit 32. The browser processing unit 311 is capable of executing browser processing to display a web page provided from the order management device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 33 and input operations on the operation display unit 33 to the order management device 2. In other words, the facility terminal 3 can function as an operation terminal for the order management device 2 by the control unit 31 executing the browser program. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 31 may be configured with electronic circuits.

For example, in the facility terminal 3, when a user operation is performed to request access to a specific URL corresponding to a website of the order management service provided by the order management system 1, the control unit 31 acquires webpage data of the website from the order management device 2 and displays the webpage on the operation display unit 33. Note that the request to access the specific URL is made, for example, by a selection operation from a list of preregistered websites, a selection operation from search results on an information search site, or a text input operation. In addition, if a dedicated application corresponding to the order management device 2 is installed in the facility terminal 3, the user (administrator, staff) of the facility terminal 3 can launch the dedicated application to display the webpage of the order management site on the operation display unit 33.

For example, when an administrator logs in to the website using the facility terminal 3, the control unit 31 causes the operation display unit 33 to display menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4). In the menu registration page P1, the administrator inputs menu information for each of a number of menus that the restaurant will provide to customers. When the administrator inputs the menu information into the menu registration page P1 using the facility terminal 3, the control unit 21 of the order management device 2 acquires the menu information and registers it in menu information D1 (see FIG. 2) and additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3).

[Order terminal 4]
1, the order terminal 4 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, an operation display unit 43, and a communication I/F 44. The order terminal 4 is an information processing device such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer.

The communication I/F 44 is a communication interface that connects the order terminal 4 to the communication network N1 by wire or wirelessly and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol with external devices such as the order management device 2 and the facility terminal 3 via the communication network N1.

The operation display unit 43 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as an LCD display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations. The operation display unit 43 displays web pages such as the menu page, order page P2 (see Figures 5 and 6), and checkout page. The operation display unit 43 is also configured, for example, as a touch panel, and accepts selection operations (touch operations) by the user on various pages, etc.

The storage unit 42 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, a control program such as a browser program is stored in the storage unit 42. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 41 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the order management device 2 according to a communication protocol such as HTTP. The browser program may also be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the order management device 2 according to a predetermined communication protocol.

The control unit 41 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS for causing the CPU to execute various processes are stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information, and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 41 controls the order terminal 4 by executing the various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or the storage unit 42 with the CPU.

Specifically, the control unit 41 functions as a browser processing unit 411 by executing various processes according to the browser program stored in the memory unit 42. The browser processing unit 411 is capable of executing browser processing to display a web page provided from the order management device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 43 and input operations on the operation display unit 43 to the order management device 2. In other words, the order terminal 4 can function as an operation terminal for the order management device 2 by the control unit 41 executing the browser program. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 41 may be configured with electronic circuits.

For example, in the order terminal 4, when a user operation is performed to request access to a specific URL corresponding to the website of the order management service provided by the order management system 1, the control unit 41 acquires webpage data of the website from the order management device 2 and displays the webpage on the operation display unit 43. Note that, for example, the request to access the specific URL is made by a selection operation from a list of preregistered websites, a selection operation from search results on an information search site, or a text input operation. In addition, when a dedicated application corresponding to the order management device 2 is installed in the order terminal 4, the user of the order terminal 4 can perform an operation to launch the dedicated application, causing the webpage of the order management site to be displayed on the operation display unit 43.

For example, when a user uses the ordering terminal 4 to order a menu item, the user reads an information code placed on a table using the ordering terminal 4. This causes the control unit 41 to access the website and display a web page (menu page, order page P2) of the website. This allows the user to order the desired menu item on the order page P2 displayed on the ordering terminal 4. When the user places an order using the ordering terminal 4, the control unit 21 of the order management device 2 obtains the order data and executes the order process.

For example, when a user uses the ordering terminal 4 to make a payment, the user presses the payment button. This allows the user to pay for the food and drink on the payment page displayed on the ordering terminal 4.

[Order Management Processing]
Hereinafter, the order management process executed in the order management system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Specifically, in this embodiment, the order management process is executed by the control unit 21 of the order management device 2. The control unit 21 can also execute the order management process in parallel in response to access from each facility terminal 3. Note that the control unit 21 may end the order management process midway in response to a predetermined operation of the facility terminal 3.

The present invention can be understood as an invention of an order management method that executes one or more steps included in the order management process. One or more steps included in the order management process described here may be omitted as appropriate. The steps in the order management process may be executed in a different order as long as the same action and effect is achieved. Furthermore, although an example is described here in which each step in the order management process is executed by the control unit 21, another embodiment of the order management method can be one in which each step in the order management process is executed in a distributed manner by multiple processors.

In step S1, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 3 to display the menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4). For example, when a restaurant manager accesses the website of the order management service on the facility terminal 3, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 3 to display the menu registration page P1.

Next, in step S2, the control unit 21 acquires menu information. For example, when the administrator inputs menu information (menu name, description, price, etc.) on the menu registration page P1, the control unit 21 acquires the menu information.

Next, in step S3, the control unit 21 obtains the minimum order quantity. For example, when the administrator inputs the minimum order quantity on the menu registration page P1, the control unit 21 obtains the minimum order quantity. The control unit 21 may also display a list of minimum order quantity selection options K5 (see FIG. 4) and accept a selection operation of the minimum order quantity from the administrator.

The control unit 21 may also receive an operation from the administrator to select whether or not to set the minimum order quantity, and set the minimum order quantity in response to the administrator's operation. For example, the control unit 21 may display an operation unit for selecting whether or not to set a minimum order quantity on the menu registration page P1, and when the administrator presses the operation unit, may display an input field or selection options K5 for the minimum order quantity, receive input of the minimum order quantity, and obtain the minimum order quantity.

When the control unit 21 obtains the minimum order quantity corresponding to a menu item, it registers it in association with the menu information for that menu item (see Figure 2).

In another embodiment, the control unit 21 may automatically set the minimum order quantity based on the menu information. For example, when a specific menu (e.g., a hotpot menu) is registered, the control unit 21 may automatically set the minimum order quantity according to the menu. In this case, the administrator may be able to change the automatically set minimum order quantity.

Next, in step S4, the control unit 21 acquires additional menu information. For example, when the administrator inputs an additional menu on the menu registration page P1, the control unit 21 acquires the additional menu information. The control unit 21 registers the additional menu information in association with the main menu information (see FIG. 3). For example, the control unit 21 registers the additional menu items "Ramen," "Udon," and "Rice" in association with the main menu item "Hot Pot A."

The control unit 21 also acquires the setting status ("ON" or "OFF") of the linking setting for the order quantity of additional menu items (see FIG. 4). For example, the administrator sets "No linking of quantity for additional menu items" to "ON" when allowing any number of orders for additional menu items to be accepted regardless of the minimum order quantity for the main menu items. On the other hand, the administrator sets "No linking of quantity for additional menu items" to "OFF" when only allowing the acceptance of an order quantity corresponding to the number of orders for the main menu items (for example, the same number of orders as for the main menu items, or a number of orders greater than or equal to the number of orders for the main menu items).

As described above, the control unit 21 acquires additional menu information including the additional menu (menu name) and the linking setting for the order quantity of the additional menu.

Next, in step S5, the control unit 21 determines whether or not a menu registration operation has been received from the administrator. If the control unit 21 has received a menu registration operation from the administrator (S5: Yes), the control unit 21 transitions the process to step S6. On the other hand, if the control unit 21 has not received a menu registration operation from the administrator (S5: No), the control unit 21 transitions the process to step S2, where it receives the registration operations for the menu information, minimum order quantity, and additional menu information, and acquires each piece of information.

For example, when the administrator presses the registration button K17 on the menu registration page P1 (see FIG. 4), the control unit 21 determines that the registration operation has been accepted.

In step S6, the control unit 21 registers menu information. For example, the control unit 21 registers information about "Hot Pot A" (menu name, price, minimum order quantity, description, etc.) in menu information D1 (see FIG. 2). The control unit 21 also registers information about "Ramen," "Udon," and "Rice," which have been input as additional menu items for Hot Pot A, in association with Hot Pot A in additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3).

Next, in step S7, the control unit 21 determines whether or not an additional menu registration operation has been received from the administrator. If the control unit 21 receives an additional menu registration operation from the administrator (S7: Yes), the control unit 21 transitions the process to step S1 and displays a new menu registration page P1 on the facility terminal 3. For example, when the administrator presses the Add button K18 on the menu registration page P1, the control unit 21 determines that an additional menu registration operation has been received. If the control unit 21 does not receive an additional menu registration operation from the administrator (S7: No), the control unit 21 ends the process.

In this manner, the control unit 21 repeatedly executes the order management process for each menu item that the restaurant provides to customers, and registers menu information D1 (see FIG. 2) and additional menu information D2 (see FIG. 3).

As described above, the order management system 1 according to this embodiment has a configuration that allows it to variably set the minimum order quantity to be accepted from users for each menu item provided to patrons of a restaurant (dining facility). The order management system 1 also accepts an operation from a user (administrator) to select whether or not to set the minimum order quantity, and sets the minimum order quantity in response to the user's operation. When the order management system 1 accepts an operation from the user to set the minimum order quantity, it further accepts an operation from the user to select a minimum order quantity of 2 or more for the minimum order quantity, and sets the minimum order quantity in response to the user's operation.

When the order management system 1 performs the setting process, it allows the acceptance of orders from the user (customer) for the menu for which the minimum order quantity has been set, the minimum order quantity or more. Furthermore, when the order management system 1 accepts an order from the user for the menu for an amount equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, it allows the acceptance of an order from the user for an additional menu item associated with the menu. For example, the order management system 1 allows the acceptance of orders from the user for the additional menu item for an amount equal to or less than the order quantity for the menu.

According to the above configuration, for example, by setting a minimum order quantity for each menu item in advance, the user can input an order quantity equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity on the ordering terminal 4. This reduces the workload of staff at the dining facility and improves the operational efficiency of the restaurant. It also improves the convenience of ordering operations for users.

In addition, since staff members will receive orders less frequently via the staff terminal, communication traffic related to processing between the staff terminal and the order management device 2 can be reduced, and computer resources can be used more effectively.

[Other embodiments]
The order management system of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. An order management system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

For example, the control unit 21 may be able to select whether to allow only orders of the minimum number or more for a specific menu (e.g., hotpot) the first time, and allow orders below the minimum number from the next time onwards, or to allow only orders above the minimum number for the first and subsequent times, and always prohibit orders below the minimum number. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 21 displays a switch button K19 on the menu registration page P1 that switches between applying the minimum order condition to the first time only, or to the first and subsequent times onwards.

The administrator sets the switch button K19 to ON if the minimum order quantity condition is to be applied only to the first order, and sets the switch button K19 to OFF if the minimum order quantity condition is to be applied to the first order and subsequent orders. For example, if the switch button K19 is set to ON for pot A, when ordering pot A, the user can only place an order of more than the minimum order quantity (e.g., an order for two or more servings) when ordering the first time, but can also place an order of less than the minimum order quantity (e.g., an order for one serving) when placing additional orders from the next time onwards.

In contrast, when the switch button K19 for pot A is set to OFF, the user can only place an order for pot A that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity (e.g., an order for two or more servings) when first placing the order and for subsequent additional orders, and is prohibited from placing an order for less than the minimum order quantity (e.g., an order for one serving).

In this way, when the control unit 21 sets a minimum order quantity for a given menu, it may further set whether to prohibit the acceptance of orders for that menu from a user that are less than the minimum order quantity for the first order only, or to prohibit the acceptance of orders for that menu from a user that are less than the minimum order quantity for the first order and subsequent orders.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the minimum order quantity may be the minimum order unit. For example, when the minimum order unit for a certain menu (e.g., yakitori, sushi, etc.) is set to "2", the control unit 21 allows orders in units of "2" only and prohibits orders in units other than "2". For example, when the minimum order unit for yakitori is set to "2", a user is only allowed to order yakitori in units of two (orders of 2, 4, 6, etc.), and is prohibited from ordering in units of one (orders of 1, 3, 5, etc.). In this case, the control unit 21 may be able to select whether to only allow orders of the minimum order unit the first time and allow orders less than the minimum order unit from the next time onwards, or to only allow orders of the minimum order unit for the first and subsequent times and always prohibit orders less than the minimum order unit.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 21 may set a minimum order quantity according to the number of people at a table. For example, if the number of people using a table is four, the control unit 21 sets the minimum order quantity for a specific menu to "4" (4 servings). In this way, the control unit 21 may set a minimum order quantity according to the number of people visiting the restaurant.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the order terminal 4 may be an operation terminal (staff terminal) where restaurant staff verbally accept and input order details from customers. This makes it possible for staff to prohibit input of less than the minimum order quantity when inputting order details, and to input an appropriate order quantity for additional menu items, eliminating the need for checking.

Note that one or more processing units of the control unit 21 of the order management device 2 may be included in a device different from the order management device 2. For example, the setting processing unit 213 may be included in the order management device 2 or the facility terminal 3, and the order processing unit 214 may be included in the facility terminal 3 or the order terminal 4. For example, the order processing unit of the present invention may cause the order management device 2, the facility terminal 3, or the order terminal 4 to execute the process of accepting orders from users. In addition, the order processing unit of the present invention may cause the order management device 2, the facility terminal 3, or the order terminal 4 to execute the process of allowing and prohibiting the acceptance of orders according to the minimum order number. In this case, for example, the order management device 2 (e.g., a server) variably sets the minimum order number of orders to be accepted from users, and the order terminal 4 (e.g., a user terminal) allows or prohibits the acceptance of orders according to the minimum order number. Other processing units (such as the display processing unit 211, the acceptance processing unit 212, the output processing unit 215, and the accounting processing unit 216) may also be included in the order management device 2 or the facility terminal 3.

[Disclosure Addendum]
The following will provide an overview of the disclosure extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

<Appendix 1>
An order management system including a setting processing unit that can variably set the minimum number of orders that will be accepted from a user for each menu item provided to the user of a dining facility.

<Appendix 2>
the setting processing unit receives an operation from a user selecting whether or not to set the minimum order quantity, and sets the minimum order quantity in response to the user operation.
2. The order management system of claim 1.

<Appendix 3>
when the setting processing unit receives an operation to set the minimum order quantity from the user, the setting processing unit further receives an operation to select two or more minimum order quantities as the minimum order quantity from the user, and sets the minimum order quantity in response to the user operation.
3. The order management system of claim 2.

<Appendix 4>
an order processing unit that executes a process of receiving the order from the user,
the order processing unit executes a process of permitting acceptance of an order of the first menu, for which the minimum order quantity has been set by the setting processing unit, from the user in an amount equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity;
4. An order management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

<Appendix 5>
when an order of a first order quantity, which is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, is received from the user for the first menu item, the order processing unit executes a process of permitting the reception of an order of a second menu item associated with the first menu item from the user;
5. The order management system of claim 4.

<Appendix 6>
the order processing unit executes a process of permitting acceptance of an order for the second menu item from the user up to the first order quantity;
6. The order management system of claim 5.

<Appendix 7>
the setting processing unit, when accepting an order from the user for a first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity for a first menu, sets whether to permit acceptance of any order quantity from the user for a second menu associated with the first menu, or to permit acceptance of only the first order quantity from the user;
7. An order management system according to any one of appendix 1 to 6.

<Appendix 8>
When the setting processing unit sets the minimum order quantity for the first menu, it further sets whether to prohibit acceptance of an order for the first menu less than the minimum order quantity from the user for a first order only, or to prohibit acceptance of an order for the first menu less than the minimum order quantity from the user for a first order and subsequent orders.
8. An order management system according to any one of appendix 1 to 7.

<Appendix 9>
An order management method in which one or more processors execute a process that enables variably setting the minimum number of orders that will be accepted from a user for each menu item provided to the user of a food and beverage facility.

<Appendix 10>
An order support program for causing one or more processors to execute a process capable of variably setting the minimum number of orders to be accepted from a user for each menu item provided to a user of a dining facility.

1: order management system 2: order management device 3: facility terminal 4: order terminal 21: control unit 22: memory unit 31: control unit 41: control unit 211: display processing unit 212: reception processing unit 213: setting processing unit 214: order processing unit 215: output processing unit 216: accounting processing unit 311: browser processing unit 411: browser processing unit D1: menu information D2: additional menu information P2: order page

Claims (4)

a registration processing unit that registers a first menu and a second menu in association with each other based on a registration operation by a manager of the dining facility on a registration screen for registering a menu to be provided to patrons of the dining facility;
a setting processing unit that sets a minimum order quantity of orders that will be accepted from the user in the first menu in response to an operation by the administrator on the registration screen;
When an order for the first menu item is received from the user for a first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, (1) when the setting processing unit receives an order for the first menu item from the user for the first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, if an acceptance method that allows the acceptance of orders from the user for the second menu item equal to or less than the first order quantity is set by the setting processing unit, the order processing unit allows the acceptance of orders for the second menu item equal to or less than the first order quantity from the user; (2) when the setting processing unit receives an order for the first menu item from the user for the first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, if an acceptance method that allows the acceptance of orders from the user for the second menu item equal to or less than the first order quantity is set by the setting processing unit, the order processing unit allows the acceptance of orders for the second menu item equal to or less than the first order quantity from the user.
An order management system comprising: a registration processing unit that registers a first menu and a second menu in association with each other based on a registration operation by a manager of the dining facility on a registration screen for registering a menu to be provided to patrons of the dining facility;
a setting processing unit that sets a minimum order quantity of orders that will be accepted from the user in the first menu in response to an operation by the administrator on the registration screen;
Equipped with
The setting processing unit further receives an operation from the administrator on the registration screen to select whether to allow the acceptance of any order number from the user for the second menu or to allow the acceptance of only the first order number from the user when accepting an order from the user for a first order number that is equal to or greater than the minimum order number for the first menu, and sets a method for accepting orders from the user in accordance with the operation of the administrator. One or more processors
registering the first menu and the second menu in association with each other based on a registration operation by a manager of the dining facility on a registration screen for registering a menu to be provided to patrons of the dining facility;
setting a minimum order quantity of orders to be accepted from the user in the first menu in response to an operation of the administrator on the registration screen;
When an order for the first menu item is received from the user for a first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, (1) when an order for the first menu item is received from the user for the first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, if an acceptance method that allows the acceptance of orders from the user for the second menu item of the first order quantity or less is set, acceptance of orders for the second menu item of the first order quantity or less is permitted; (2) when an order for the first menu item is received from the user for the first order quantity that is equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, if an acceptance method that allows the acceptance of orders from the user for the second menu item of any order quantity is set, acceptance of orders from the user for the second menu item of any order quantity is permitted ;
Implement order management methods. One or more processors
registering the first menu and the second menu in association with each other based on a registration operation by a manager of the dining facility on a registration screen for registering a menu to be provided to patrons of the dining facility;
setting a minimum order quantity of orders to be accepted from the user in the first menu in response to an operation of the administrator on the registration screen;
on the registration screen, when accepting an order from the user for the first menu item of a first order quantity equal to or greater than the minimum order quantity, accepting an operation from the administrator to select whether to allow the acceptance of any order quantity from the user for the second menu item or to allow the acceptance of only the first order quantity from the user, and setting a method of accepting orders from the user in accordance with the operation of the administrator;
Implement order management methods.

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