Order support system, order support method, and order support program

Abstract

To provide an order support system configured to properly provide food and drink to a user while improving work efficiency of a kitchen in a facility, an order support method, and an order support program.SOLUTION: In an order support system 1, a control unit of an order support apparatus includes: a reception processing unit 212 which receives an order of food and drink for each table of a facility which provides the food and drink; a calculation processing unit 213 which calculates a difference of time when each of ordered food and drink is provided for each table; a determination processing unit 214 which determines whether time differences for a first table and a second table for food and drink included in a first order corresponding to the first table and food and drink included in a second order corresponding to the second table, which are cooked at a time, fall within a set time or not; and an output processing unit 215 which outputs order information including the first order and the second order when the time differences for the first table and the second table fall within the set time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an order support system, an order support method, and an order support program for receiving orders for food and beverages that can be provided at a facility.

Background Art

[0002] In facilities such as restaurants, for example, when a customer service staff receives an order from a user, the order details are transmitted to the kitchen, the kitchen staff performs cooking etc. according to the order, and the customer service staff serves the cooked dishes to the user. Conventionally, a technique has been proposed for supporting kitchen staff by displaying the ordered dishes as images in the kitchen of a restaurant (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, in a facility, from the viewpoint of the work efficiency of cooking operations in the kitchen, when a plurality of users order the same menu, it is desirable for the kitchen staff to cook the menu together. However, when trying to improve the work efficiency in the kitchen, problems such as a delay in the time to provide food and beverages to the users or a large time difference in the timing of providing food and beverages at the same table occur. Thus, it is difficult to appropriately provide food and beverages to the users while improving the work efficiency of the kitchen.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an order support system, an order support method, and an order support program that can appropriately provide food and beverages to users while improving the work efficiency of the kitchen in a facility.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The order support system according to the present invention comprises: a reception processing unit that receives orders for food and beverages corresponding to tables in a facility that provides food and beverages; a calculation processing unit that calculates a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the time the first food and beverage is served to the time the last food and beverage is served, based on the cooking time of multiple food and beverages included in a single order at the table; and an output processing unit that outputs the order information for the multiple food and beverages together when the time difference falls within a set time, and outputs the order information for the multiple food and beverages separately when the time difference does not fall within the set time.

[0007] The order support method according to the present invention is a method in which one or more processors execute: a reception step of receiving orders for food and beverages corresponding to tables in a facility that provides food and beverages; a calculation step of calculating a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the time the first food and beverage is served to the time the last food and beverage is served, based on the cooking time of multiple food and beverages included in a single order at the table; and an output step of outputting the order information of the multiple food and beverages together if the time difference falls within a set time, and outputting the order information of the multiple food and beverages separately if the time difference does not fall within the set time.

[0008] The order support program according to the present invention is a program that causes one or more processors to execute the following steps: a reception step of receiving orders for food and beverages corresponding to tables in a facility that provides food and beverages; a calculation step of calculating a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the time the first food and beverage is served to the time the last food and beverage is served, based on the cooking time of multiple food and beverages included in a single order at the table; and an output step of outputting the order information of the multiple food and beverages together if the time difference falls within a set time, and outputting the order information of the multiple food and beverages separately if the time difference does not fall within the set time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, an order support system, an order support method, and an order support program are provided that can improve the work efficiency of the kitchen in a facility while appropriately providing food and beverages to users. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of product information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of order acceptance information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of cooking time information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of order acceptance information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of order acceptance information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of setting information used in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a display in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a display in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a display in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an example of an order form in an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12]Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of an order support process performed by an order support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings to facilitate understanding of the invention. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the invention.

[0012] [Order Support System 1] As shown in Figure 1, the order support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an order support device 2, an order terminal 3, and a kitchen terminal 4. The order support device 2, the order terminal 3, and the kitchen terminal 4 can communicate with each other via a communication network N1 such as the Internet, LAN, WAN, or public telephone line. Multiple order support devices 2, order terminals 3, and kitchen terminals 4 may be provided.

[0013] Order terminal 3 is installed at each table (seat, room) in facilities that can serve food and beverages, such as restaurants and karaoke bars. Order terminal 3 is an operating terminal (self-ordering terminal, tabletop terminal, etc.) that allows facility users to place orders for their desired food and beverages. Order terminal 3 may also be an operating terminal (facility terminal) operated by the facility's service staff, and may be an operating terminal (handheld terminal, etc.) that the service staff uses to input orders received from users. Alternatively, order terminal 3 may be a user terminal (smartphone, etc.) owned by the user, and may be an operating terminal that allows the user to access the facility's website and input orders for their desired food and beverages. In other words, order terminal 3 includes various operating terminals that can accept food and beverage orders from users.

[0014] The order support device 2 receives orders from the order terminal 3 and outputs the order information to the kitchen terminal 4. The order support device 2 may be installed in the facility, or it may be installed outside the facility and communicate with the order terminal 3 and the kitchen terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

[0015] Similar to the order terminal 3, the kitchen terminal 4 is installed in a facility that can provide food and beverages, such as a restaurant or a karaoke bar. The kitchen terminal 4 acquires order information from the order support device 2 and outputs (prints or displays) an order slip on which the order information is displayed.

[0016] In this embodiment, the order support device 2 alone corresponds to the order support system according to the present invention. However, the order support system according to the present invention may include one or more components among the order support device 2, the order terminal 3, and the kitchen terminal 4. For example, when a plurality of components among the order support device 2, the order terminal 3, and the kitchen terminal 4 cooperate to share and execute various order support processes (see FIG. 12) described later, a system including the plurality of components that execute the processes can be regarded as the order support system according to the present invention. For example, the order support system according to the present invention may be constituted by the order support device 2 and the kitchen terminal 4.

[0017] Hereinafter, an example will be given and described in which the order terminal 3 is installed on each table in a restaurant that provides food and beverages, one or more users using each table input an order to the order terminal 3, and the order support device 2 acquires the order from the order terminal 3 and causes the kitchen terminal 4 to output order information. The restaurant is an example of the facility of the present invention.

[0018] [Order Support Device 2] As shown in FIG. 1, the order support device 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an operation display unit 23, a communication I / F 24, and the like. The order support device 2 may be an information processing device such as a tablet terminal or a personal computer. Also, various processes executed by the order support device 2 may be distributed and executed by one or more processors.

[0019] The communication I / F 24 is a communication interface for connecting the order support device 2 to the communication network N1 by wire or wirelessly and performing data communication according to a predetermined communication protocol with external devices such as the order terminal 3 and the kitchen terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

[0020] The operation display unit 23 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various types of information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts input.

[0021] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 22 includes product information D1, order acceptance information D2, cooking time information D3, and setting information D4. Figure 2 shows an example of product information D1, Figures 3, 5, and 6 show examples of order acceptance information D2, Figure 4 shows an example of cooking time information D3, and Figure 7 shows an example of setting information D4.

[0022] Product information D1 is information (menu information) about products (food and beverages) that can be offered at a restaurant. As shown in Figure 2, product information D1 includes information such as product ID, product name, price, image, and cooking time. The product ID is the identification information for the food or beverage. The product name is the name of the food or beverage. The image is a photograph or illustration representing the food or beverage. In this embodiment, for convenience, the image is referred to by its image name.

[0023] Furthermore, product information D1 registers information for multiple products for each menu category (genre). For example, food and beverages with product ID "A..." belong to the "set meal menu" category, products with product ID "B..." belong to the "à la carte menu" category, products with product ID "C..." belong to the "dessert menu" category, and products with product ID "D..." belong to the "drink menu" category. Each category contains multiple specific food and beverage items. For example, the "set meal menu" includes "daily special set meal," "sashimi set meal," and "boiled fish set meal."

[0024] The aforementioned cooking time refers to the time required from the start to the end of the preparation of food and beverages. For food and beverages such as drink menus and dessert menus that do not require much time for preparation, the aforementioned cooking time does not need to be registered.

[0025] Product information D1 is pre-registered by the restaurant manager and updated as needed. For example, the restaurant manager can access the menu registration page managed by the order support device 2 to register and edit product information D1.

[0026] Order reception information D2 is information about orders received from users via the order terminal 3. As shown in Figure 3, order reception information D2 includes information such as table number, number of people, order number, ordered items, quantity ordered, and serving time difference. The table number is identification information that identifies the table from which the order was received. The number of people is the number of users using the table. The information on the number of people is included in the information obtained from the order terminal 3. Note that the information on the number of people may also be included in the information obtained from a facility terminal (not shown) operated by restaurant staff, a management terminal (not shown) for managing reservations, etc. For example, when a service staff member guides a customer to a table in a restaurant, they ask the customer how many people are using the table and input the table number and the number of people into the facility terminal. When the control unit 21 obtains the table number and the number of people from the facility terminal, it registers the table number and the number of people in relation to each other in order reception information D2. Furthermore, when a user registers the number of people when making a reservation at a restaurant, the facility terminal obtains user information (user name, number of people, etc.) from the management terminal and associates this user information with the table number of the table assigned to the user. When the control unit 21 obtains the table number and the number of people from the facility terminal, it registers the table number and the number of people in the order acceptance information D2, associating them with each other.

[0027] The aforementioned order number is identification information that identifies the user's order. The control unit 21 registers the numbers (order numbers) in the order in which orders are received from the user, i.e., in the order in which orders are received from the order terminal 3, in the order in which they are received, in the order received information D2. The aforementioned ordered products are information that indicates the contents of the order. The ordered products are registered with the product names of the products (food and beverages) selected by the user from among the product names included in the product information D1. The aforementioned order number is associated with each ordered product.

[0028] The aforementioned order quantity is information indicating the number of orders for each food and beverage item. For example, when the control unit 21 receives an order for two "Daily Special Set Meals" at table number "3", it registers "2" as the order quantity for "Daily Special Set Meals". Subsequently, when the control unit 21 receives one order each for "Sashimi Set Meal", "Daily Special Set Meal", "Beer", and "Oolong Tea" at table number "2", it registers "1" as the order quantity for each item. If multiple orders for the same item are received at the same table, the total order quantity is registered as the order quantity for that item.

[0029] The aforementioned serving time difference is information indicating the time difference between the serving of multiple ordered food and beverages at each table. The serving time difference corresponds to the elapsed time from the time the first food or beverage is served to the user to the time the last food or beverage is served to the user among the multiple food or beverages included in a single order at a table. The serving time difference is calculated based on the cooking time for each food or beverage (see Figure 2) and the cooking time when multiple food or beverages are cooked together (see Figure 4). Furthermore, the serving time difference is calculated based on the cooking time of the multiple food or beverages included in a single order at a table. In addition, the serving time difference may be calculated by excluding certain food or beverages from the multiple food or beverages included in a single order at a table. Such specific food or beverages may be, for example, desserts or drinks.

[0030] The control unit 21 registers order confirmation information D2 each time it receives an order from the order terminal 3. Order confirmation information D2 shows the information as of the current time and is updated in real time. Order confirmation information D2 may also be used for accounting processing related to the user's usage fees. Order confirmation information D2 may also be deleted when accounting processing is completed, etc.

[0031] Cooking time information D3 is information about the cooking time when multiple food items are cooked together. For example, in Figure 4, "Ts11" represents the cooking time when two "Daily Special Set Meals" are cooked together, and "Ts12" represents the cooking time when a "Daily Special Set Meal" and a "Sashimi Set Meal" are cooked together. Each cooking time is set based on the cooking time of each food item in product information D1. In other words, each cooking time in cooking time information D3 is the cooking time corresponding to the combination of orders of multiple food items. Also, although the cooking time for a combination of two food items is shown here, the cooking time for a combination of three or more food items is calculated based on the cooking time for each food item registered in product information D1 and the cooking time registered in cooking time information D3.

[0032] Here, the serving time difference shown in the order acceptance information D2 of Figure 3 may be the time difference when the food and beverages included in each order corresponding to multiple tables are cooked together. For example, if the first order corresponding to table number "3" is received, but the order information for the first order is not output to the kitchen terminal 4, the second order for table number "2" is received, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference corresponding to each table when the food and beverages for the first order and the food and beverages for the second order are cooked together, and registers it in the order acceptance information D2. In the order acceptance information D2 of Figure 5, "ta3" indicates the serving time difference corresponding to table number "3" when the food and beverages for the first order corresponding to table number "3" and the food and beverages for the second order corresponding to table number "2" are cooked together, and "ta2" indicates the serving time difference corresponding to table number "2" when the food and beverages for the first order and the food and beverages for the second order are cooked together.

[0033] For example, if the first order corresponding to table number "3" is received, but the order information for the first order is not output to the kitchen terminal 4, and then the second order for table number "2" and the third order for table number "4" are received, the control unit 21 calculates the difference in serving time for each table when the food and beverages for the first, second, and third orders are cooked together and registers this in the order reception information D2. In the order reception information D2 in Figure 6, "tc3" indicates the difference in serving time for table number "3" when the food and beverages for the first, second, and third orders are cooked together, "tc2" indicates the difference in serving time for table number "2" when the food and beverages for the first, second, and third orders are cooked together, and "tc4" indicates the difference in serving time for table number "4" when the food and beverages for the first, second, and third orders are cooked together. In this way, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference corresponding to a table (see Figure 3) each time an order corresponding to a table is received, and further calculates the serving time difference corresponding to each table (see Figures 5 and 6) each time an order is accumulated.

[0034] The setting information D4 is setting time (threshold) information that defines the conditions for outputting order information corresponding to an order received from a user to the kitchen terminal 4. That is, the control unit 21 outputs the order information to the kitchen terminal 4 when the difference in serving time falls within the setting time. The setting time is set by the control unit 21 according to predetermined conditions when the control unit 21 receives an order from a user. Specifically, the setting time is set for each table corresponding to the received order. For example, the setting time for a table with many users is set to be longer than the setting time for a table with few users. The setting time may also be set based on the cooking order of the food and beverages. For example, if the order corresponding to a table includes hot food and beverages such as hot pot dishes and cold food and beverages such as salads, and the cooking order is set to cook the cold food and beverages first and the hot food and beverages later, the setting time will be set to a shorter time (e.g., "5 minutes"). On the other hand, if the cooking order is set to cook the hot food and beverages first and the cold food and beverages later, the setting time will be set to a longer time than in the former case (e.g., "10 minutes").

[0035] In this way, when the control unit 21 receives an order from a table user, it sets the corresponding time for that table based on information such as the number of people at the table, the contents or type of food and beverages included in the order, and the cooking order, and registers it in the setting information D4. The control unit 21 may also set the time for each table based on information such as the time of day when the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy hours, off-peak hours, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion level of the restaurant. Alternatively, a common time may be set for all tables in advance as the set time.

[0036] In another embodiment, some or all of the information such as product information D1, order acceptance information D2, cooking time information D3, and setting information D4 may be stored on a server accessible from the order terminal 3 or the order support device 2. In this case, the control unit 21 of the order support device 2 may acquire the information from the order terminal 3 or the server and execute various processes such as the order support processing described later (see Figure 12).

[0037] Furthermore, the memory unit 22 also stores data such as the top screen (see Figure 8), menu screen (see Figure 9), order screen (see Figure 10), and payment screen (not shown) displayed on the ordering terminal 3.

[0038] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 stores control programs, such as an order support program, which causes the control unit 21 to execute the order support processing described later (see Figure 12). For example, the order support program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a USB drive, CD, or DVD, and is read by a reader (not shown), such as a USB drive, CD drive, or DVD drive, which is electrically connected to the order support device 2, and stored in the storage unit 22. Alternatively, the order support program may be downloaded from a server accessible from the order support device 2 and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0039] The control unit 21 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit that stores control programs such as a BIOS and OS in advance to allow the CPU to perform various arithmetic operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various processes performed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the order support device 2 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or memory unit 22 using the CPU.

[0040] Incidentally, in restaurants, from the perspective of efficiency in kitchen operations, it is desirable for kitchen staff to prepare multiple orders of the same menu item at once. However, when trying to improve kitchen efficiency, problems arise such as delays in serving food and drinks to customers, or large time differences in when food and drinks are served at the same table. Thus, it is difficult to improve kitchen efficiency while providing food and drinks to customers appropriately. In contrast, the order support device 2 according to this embodiment makes it possible to improve kitchen efficiency in restaurants while providing food and drinks to customers appropriately.

[0041] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as an acquisition processing unit 211, a reception processing unit 212, a calculation processing unit 213, a determination processing unit 214, an output processing unit 215, and a setting processing unit 216. The control unit 21 functions as the acquisition processing unit 211, reception processing unit 212, calculation processing unit 213, determination processing unit 214, output processing unit 215, and setting processing unit 216 by executing various processes in accordance with the order support program using the CPU. Furthermore, some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 21 may be composed of electronic circuits. The order support program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as the various processing units.

[0042] The data acquisition processing unit 211 acquires information on the number of users (number of occupants) using the restaurant and information on the table number of the table used by those users. For example, when a service staff member guides a customer who has come to the restaurant to a designated table, they ask the customer how many people are in their party and input the table number and number of occupants into the facility terminal. The data acquisition processing unit 211 acquires the table number and number of occupants from the facility terminal. Also, when a customer registers the number of people when making a reservation at the restaurant, the facility terminal acquires customer information (customer name, number of people, etc.) from the management terminal and registers the customer information and the table number of the table assigned to the customer in the reservation management ledger, associating them with each other. The data acquisition processing unit 211 acquires the table number and number of occupants from the reservation management ledger. Once the data acquisition processing unit 211 acquires the table number and number of occupants, it registers the table number and number of occupants as associations with each other in the order acceptance information D2 (see Figure 3).

[0043] When the table number and the number of users corresponding to a table are registered in the order acceptance information D2, the control unit 21 authorizes the acceptance of orders from the users of that table. For example, the control unit 21 displays the top screen shown in Figure 8 on the order terminal 3. The control unit 21 can display each page on the order terminal 3 by generating a top page corresponding to the top screen (see Figure 8), a menu page corresponding to the menu screen (see Figure 9), an order page corresponding to the order screen (see Figure 10), and an accounting page corresponding to the accounting screen (not shown), and sending the information of these pages to the order terminal 3.

[0044] The top screen shown in Figure 8 displays menu buttons M1 for each category ("Set Meals," "A La Carte," "Desserts," and "Drinks"). The menu screen shown in Figure 9 displays information about specific food and beverage items included in the categories shown on the top screen in Figure 8. For example, the menu screen for "Set Meals" (see Figure 9) displays information such as "Daily Special Set Meal," "Sashimi Set Meal," "Boiled Fish Set Meal," and "...". If multiple food and beverage items do not fit on one page in the menu screen, they will be displayed across multiple pages. For example, if the user selects "Next" on the menu screen, the menu screen for the next page will be displayed.

[0045] Furthermore, the menu screen shown in Figure 9 displays the menu button M1 from the top screen shown in Figure 8, and multiple food and beverage information items (image M3, product name M4, price, etc.) displayed in the menu field M2. Image M3 represents an image of food and beverages and also functions as a selection button for the user to choose food and beverages. The menu screen also includes a favorites page button M5 for moving to the favorites page, an order page button M6 for moving to the order screen (see Figure 10), and a checkout button M7 for moving to the checkout screen.

[0046] Furthermore, the order screen shown in Figure 10 displays a list of food and beverages selected by the user on the menu screen. The order screen includes an order confirmation button M8 for confirming the order of the food and beverages displayed in the list. On the order screen, the user can perform operations such as confirming the order of selected food and beverages by pressing the order confirmation button M8, changing the quantity of selected food and beverages, or deleting them.

[0047] Thus, when a user orders food or beverages using the ordering terminal 3, they select the desired food or beverage on the menu screen and then confirm the order for the selected food or beverage on the ordering screen.

[0048] The reception processing unit 212 receives user input on various screens displayed on the ordering terminal 3. For example, the reception processing unit 212 receives user selection operations (such as touch operations) on each screen shown in Figures 8 to 10. The reception processing unit 212 may receive food and beverage orders from the user's mobile device (e.g., a smartphone), from a mobile device (e.g., a handheld terminal) owned by a facility staff member, or from a self-ordering terminal (tabletop terminal) installed on a table in the facility. The reception processing unit 212 is an example of the reception processing unit of the present invention.

[0049] For example, if a user selects "Set Meal Menu" on the top screen shown in Figure 8, the reception processing unit 212 accepts the category selection operation. In this case, the control unit 21 displays the menu screen shown in Figure 9 on the ordering terminal 3, corresponding to the category selection operation. Also, for example, if a user selects "Daily Special Set Meal" on the menu screen shown in Figure 9, the reception processing unit 212 accepts the product selection operation. Furthermore, for example, if a user confirms their order on the ordering screen shown in Figure 10 (by pressing the order confirmation button M8), the reception processing unit 212 accepts the order confirmation operation. Here, when the reception processing unit 212 accepts an order from a user, it accepts that user's order. For example, for a table of a user group containing multiple users, if each user in the user group selects food and drinks and then confirms their order, the reception processing unit 212 accepts the order from that user group. If each user in the user group individually selects products and confirms their order, the reception processing unit 212 accepts each user's order. In other words, a single order received by the reception processing unit 212 may include one food or beverage item for one user, or it may include multiple food or beverage items for one or more users.

[0050] Furthermore, when the order processing unit 212 receives an order from a user, it registers the order number and information about the ordered items in the order reception information D2 (see Figure 3), associating them with the table number of the table used by that user. Each order terminal 3 is pre-associated with a table number, and the orders received by the order processing unit 212 from the order terminals 3 include information about the table number. Therefore, the order processing unit 212 can determine the table number corresponding to each order.

[0051] The setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time according to predetermined conditions. Specifically, the setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time for each table corresponding to an order received from a user. The setting time is the time from when the first food or drink is served to the user until the last food or drink is served to the user when multiple food or drinks are ordered together at a table, and is set to a time that users generally do not find unsatisfactory in terms of waiting time. For example, the setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time for tables with many users to be longer than the setting time for tables with few users. The setting processing unit 216 may also set the setting time based on the contents, type, cooking time, etc., of each of the multiple food and drink items included in the order corresponding to the table. The setting processing unit 216 may also set the setting time based on the cooking order of the food and drink items included in the order corresponding to the table. For example, if the order corresponding to the table includes hot food or drink items such as hot pot dishes and cold food or drink items such as salads, and the cooking order is set so that the cold food or drink items are cooked first and the hot food or drink items are cooked later, the setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time to a short time (for example, "5 minutes"). On the other hand, if the cooking order is set to cook hot food and beverages first and cold food and beverages later, the setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time to a longer time (for example, "10 minutes").

[0052] Thus, when the reception processing unit 212 receives an order corresponding to a table, the setting processing unit 216 sets the setting time corresponding to that table based on information such as the number of people using the table, the contents or type of food and beverages included in the order, and the cooking order, and registers it in the setting information D4 (see Figure 7). As described above, the setting processing unit 216 may also set the setting time for each table based on information such as the time of day when the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy hours, off-peak hours, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion of the restaurant.

[0053] The calculation processing unit 213 calculates the difference in serving time (corresponding to the time difference in this invention) for each table where the order has been received by the reception processing unit 212. Specifically, the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the serving time difference as the elapsed time from when the first food or beverage item in a single order at the table is served to the user until when the last food or beverage item is served to the user. The elapsed time can be expressed as the difference between the cooking completion time of the first food or beverage item to be cooked among the multiple food or beverage items in the order at the table and the cooking completion time of the last food or beverage item to be cooked among the multiple food or beverage items. The calculation processing unit 213 calculates the serving time difference based on the cooking time for each food or beverage item (see Figure 2) and the cooking time when multiple food or beverage items are cooked together (see Figure 4). The calculation processing unit 213 also calculates the serving time difference based on the cooking time of the multiple food or beverage items in a single order at the table. Furthermore, the calculation processing unit 213 may calculate the serving time difference by excluding specific food and beverage items, such as dessert menus or drink menus, from among the multiple food and beverage items included in a single order at a table. The calculation processing unit 213 registers the calculated serving time difference in the order acceptance information D2 (see Figure 3).

[0054] Furthermore, the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the difference in serving time when the food and beverages included in each order corresponding to multiple tables are cooked together. As described above, for example, if the reception processing unit 212 receives a first order corresponding to table number "3" and before the output processing unit 215 outputs the order information F1 for the first order to the kitchen terminal 4, the reception processing unit 212 then receives a second order for table number "2", in which case the food and beverages of the first order and the food and beverages of the second order are cooked together, and the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the difference in serving time for each table and registers it in the order reception information D2 (see Figure 5). For example, if the reception processing unit 212 receives a first order corresponding to table number "3," but before the output processing unit 215 outputs the order information F1 for that first order to the kitchen terminal 4, the reception processing unit 212 then receives a second order for table number "2" and a third order for table number "4," the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the difference in serving times for each table when the food and beverages for the first, second, and third orders are cooked together, and registers this in the order reception information D2 (see Figure 6). The calculation processing unit 213 is an example of the calculation processing unit of the present invention.

[0055] The determination processing unit 214 determines whether the difference in serving times for each table when multiple food and beverages included in each order corresponding to multiple tables are within the set time. For example, the determination processing unit 214 determines whether the difference in serving time "ta3" (see Figure 5) for table number "3" (when the food and beverages included in the first order corresponding to table number "3" and the food and beverages included in the second order corresponding to table number "2" are within the set time "T3" (see Figure 7), and whether the difference in serving time "ta2" (see Figure 5) for table number "2" (when the food and beverages from the first and second orders are cooked together) is within the set time "T2" (see Figure 7). The determination processing unit 214 is an example of the determination processing unit of the present invention.

[0056] The output processing unit 215 outputs order information (order information F1) received by the reception processing unit 212 to the kitchen terminal 4. Specifically, the output processing unit 215 outputs order information F1 to the kitchen terminal 4, which includes the order details of the food and beverages ordered by the user, the table number of the table used by the user, and the order number. The order information F1 may also include the order date and time (reception date and time). That is, the output processing unit 215 may display the order information and the reception time when the reception processing unit 212 received the order on an order form. The output processing unit 215 also outputs (prints or displays) the order form including the order details, the table number, and the order number from the kitchen terminal 4. The output processing unit 215 is an example of the output processing unit of the present invention.

[0057] Here, the output processing unit 215 outputs order information F1 for an order when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reception processing unit 212 received the order. For example, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the reception processing unit 212 received the order for table number "3", the output processing unit 215 outputs the order information F1 for that order to the kitchen terminal 4. As a result, each piece of order information F1 is stored in the order support device 2 for a predetermined time. Therefore, if the order support device 2 receives an order for table number "2" before a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the order for table number "3", it becomes possible to store the information for these orders. When order information F1 for multiple tables has been stored, the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the difference in serving times for each table when cooking multiple food and beverages included in these orders together (see Figures 5 and 6), and the determination processing unit 214 determines whether each serving time difference is within the set time (see Figure 7). In another embodiment, the output processing unit 215 may output order information F1 for an order when the number of food and beverage orders included in an order received by the reception processing unit 212 exceeds a predetermined number.

[0058] The output processing unit 215 outputs order information F1, including these orders, to the kitchen terminal 4 when the serving time difference for each table, when multiple food and beverages included in each order corresponding to multiple tables are cooked together, falls within the set time. For example, when the food and beverages included in the first order corresponding to table number "3" and the food and beverages included in the second order corresponding to table number "2" are cooked together, and the serving time difference "ta3" (see Figure 5) for table number "3" falls within the set time "T3" (see Figure 7), and the serving time difference "ta2" (see Figure 5) for table number "2" is cooked together, the output processing unit 215 outputs the order information F1 corresponding to table number "3" and the order information F1 corresponding to table number "2" together to the kitchen terminal 4.

[0059] For example, when the food and beverages included in the first order corresponding to table number "3", the food and beverages included in the second order corresponding to table number "2", and the food and beverages included in the third order corresponding to table number "4" are cooked together, the serving time difference "tc3" (see Figure 6) corresponding to table number "3" is within the set time "T3" (see Figure 7), and the serving time difference "tc2" (see Figure 6) corresponding to table number "2" when the food and beverages of the first, second, and third orders are cooked together is within the set time "T2" (see Figure 7), and furthermore, the serving time difference "tc4" (see Figure 6) corresponding to table number "4" when the food and beverages of the first, second, and third orders are cooked together is within the set time "T4" (see Figure 7), the output processing unit 215 outputs the order information F1 corresponding to table number "3", the order information F1 corresponding to table number "2", and the order information F1 corresponding to table number "4" together to the kitchen terminal 4.

[0060] For example, if the reception processing unit 212 does not receive orders from other tables within a predetermined time after receiving an order for table number "3", the output processing unit 215 will output only the order information F1 corresponding to the order for table number "3" to the kitchen terminal 4. Also, if the difference in serving times for each table corresponding to orders where multiple food and beverages included in each order for multiple tables are cooked together, the output processing unit 215 will output the order information for each of the multiple orders separately to the kitchen terminal 4.

[0061] In this manner, the control unit 21 outputs one or more order information F1s to prevent delays in serving food and beverages to users (waiting time) due to the difference in serving time calculated for each table exceeding the set time. Furthermore, the control unit 21 outputs the order information F1s from multiple tables together to the kitchen terminal 4 to improve kitchen work efficiency while taking into account the waiting time of users.

[0062] [Ordering Terminal 3] As shown in Figure 1, the ordering terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, an operation display unit 33, and a communication interface 34, etc. The ordering terminal 3 is a self-ordering terminal installed, for example, at each table in a restaurant.

[0063] Communication I / F34 is a communication interface for connecting the order terminal 3 to the communication network N1 by wire or wireless connection, and for performing data communication with external devices such as the order support device 2 and the kitchen terminal 4 via the communication network N1, in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0064] The operation display unit 33 is a user interface comprising a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or organic EL display that displays various information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts user input. The operation display unit 33 displays a top screen (see Figure 8), a menu screen (see Figure 9), and an order screen (see Figure 10) that accepts user input for ordering food and beverages, as well as a payment screen (not shown) that accepts user input for payment. The operation display unit 33 is, for example, composed of a touch panel and accepts user touch input.

[0065] The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 32 stores control programs such as a browser program. 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 support device 2 in accordance with a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).

[0066] The control unit 31 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and OS are pre-stored to cause the CPU to perform various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various operations performed by the CPU. The control unit 31 controls the order terminal 3 by executing various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or memory unit 32 using the CPU.

[0067] 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 can display various information (top screen, menu screen, order screen, payment screen, etc.) provided from the order support device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 33 and perform browser processing to input operations on the operation display unit 33 to the order support device 2. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 31 may be composed of electronic circuits.

[0068] [Kitchen Terminal 4] As shown in Figure 1, the kitchen terminal 4 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, an operation display unit 43, and a communication interface 44, etc. The kitchen terminal 4 is an information processing device such as a printer, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer. The kitchen terminal 4 may also have the same functions as the order support device 2, or it may be an information processing device integrated with the order support device 2. Here, we assume that the kitchen terminal 4 is a printer installed in the kitchen of a restaurant.

[0069] Communication I / F44 is a communication interface for connecting the kitchen terminal 4 to the communication network N1 by wire or wireless connection, and for performing data communication with external devices such as the order support device 2 and the order terminal 3 via the communication network N1, in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0070] The operation display unit 43 is a user interface comprising 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 input.

[0071] The storage unit 42 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 42 stores control programs for sending and receiving various types of information between the order support device 2 and the order terminal 3. For example, the control program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown), such as a CD drive or DVD drive, electrically connected to the kitchen terminal 4, and stored in the storage unit 42. The storage unit 42 may also store control programs such as order support programs that cause the control unit 41 to execute the order support processing described later (see Figure 12).

[0072] The control unit 41 includes control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM. The CPU is a processor that performs various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile memory unit that stores control programs such as a BIOS and OS in advance to allow the CPU to perform various arithmetic operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile memory unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary memory (work area) for the various processes performed by the CPU. The control unit 41 controls the kitchen terminal 4 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM or memory unit 42 using the CPU.

[0073] Specifically, the control unit 41 includes various processing units, such as an acquisition processing unit 411 and an output processing unit 412, as shown in Figure 1. The control unit 41 functions as these various processing units by executing various processes according to the control program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units may be composed of electronic circuits. The control program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as processing units.

[0074] The acquisition processing unit 411 acquires the order information F1 output from the order support device 2. For example, if the order support device 2 outputs the order information F1 corresponding to table number "3" and the order information F1 corresponding to table number "2" together (see Figure 5), the acquisition processing unit 411 acquires the order information F1 for table numbers "3" and "2". Also, for example, if the order support device 2 outputs the order information F1 corresponding to table number "3", the order information F1 corresponding to table number "2", and the order information F1 corresponding to table number "4" together (see Figure 6), the acquisition processing unit 411 acquires the order information F1 for table numbers "3", "2", and "4".

[0075] The output processing unit 412 outputs the information acquired by the acquisition processing unit 411 to the outside. Specifically, the output processing unit 412 causes the order information F1 acquired by the acquisition processing unit 411 to be output to the outside. The kitchen terminal 4 is equipped with, for example, a roll of paper, a transport unit (not shown) for transporting the roll of paper, an image forming unit (not shown) for forming an image on the roll of paper, and a cutting unit (not shown) for cutting the roll of paper at a predetermined position.

[0076] For example, as shown in Figure 11, when the acquisition processing unit 411 acquires order information F1, the output processing unit 412 causes the image forming unit to perform a printing process to print the order information F1 onto the order form T1 (in black and white). Specifically, each time image data corresponding to the order information F1 is input, the output processing unit 412 causes the image forming unit to perform a printing process to form an image of the order content corresponding to the image data onto a roll of paper (in black and white). After that, the cutting unit performs a cutting process to cut the roll of paper at a predetermined position and discharge it to the outside. In this way, one order form T1 is created for each order.

[0077] Figure 11 corresponds to the order information F1 shown in Figure 5, and the order slips T1 for order information F1 of table numbers "3" and "2" are output together, and the order slips T1 for order information F1 of table numbers "4" and "1" are output together.

[0078] When kitchen staff receive an order form T1, they prepare the food and drinks ordered. For example, as shown in Figure 11, when kitchen staff receive order forms T1 for the "Daily Special Set Meal" for table numbers "3" and "2", they prepare a total of three "Daily Special Set Meals". The service staff then serve two "Daily Special Set Meals" to the customer at table number "3" and one "Daily Special Set Meal" to the customer at table number "2". Similarly, when kitchen staff receive an order form T1 for the "Sashimi Set Meal", they prepare the "Sashimi Set Meal", and the service staff serve it to the customer at table number "2". Furthermore, when kitchen staff receive order forms T1 for "Beer" and "Oolong Tea", they prepare these, and the service staff serve the "Beer" and "Oolong Tea" to the customer at table number "2". In this way, kitchen staff can prepare multiple orders (food and beverages) at once, and service staff can serve those orders all at once.

[0079] Each order form T1 includes the date and time the order was received (reception date and time, order date and time). This allows kitchen staff to track the time elapsed since each customer actually placed their order (the time the order was confirmed), enabling them to adjust the priorities for cooking and preparing the ordered food and beverages.

[0080] [Order support processing] Next, with reference to Figure 12, the order support processing performed in the order support system 1 will be described. Specifically, in this embodiment, the order support processing is performed by the control unit 21 of the order support device 2. Furthermore, the control unit 21 can execute order support processing in parallel in response to access from each order terminal 3. Note that the control unit 21 may terminate the order support processing midway through based on a predetermined operation of the order terminal 3.

[0081] Furthermore, the present invention can be understood as an invention of an order support method that performs one or more steps included in the order support process. Also, the one or more steps included in the order support process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the execution order of each step in the order support process may differ to the extent that similar effects are produced. In addition, although the case in which each step in the order support process is executed by the control unit 21 is described here as an example, an order support method in which each step in the order support process is executed in a distributed manner by multiple processors can also be considered as another embodiment.

[0082] In step S11, the control unit 21 obtains the number of customers who have come to the restaurant (number of customers) and the table number of the table that the customers are using. For example, when the restaurant staff registers information indicating that a customer has come to the restaurant, the control unit 21 obtains the number of customers and the table number corresponding to that customer from the facility terminal (reservation management ledger).

[0083] Next, in step S12, the control unit 21 displays an order acceptance screen (top screen, menu screen, etc.) for accepting orders for food and beverages provided by the restaurant on the order terminal 3. For example, the control unit 21 displays the top screen shown in Figure 8 on the order terminal 3 installed at the table with the table number used by the user. Also, if any menu button M1 is selected on the top screen shown in Figure 8, the control unit 21 displays the menu screen shown in Figure 9 on the order terminal 3.

[0084] Next, in step S13, the control unit 21 determines whether or not it has received the user's order via the ordering terminal 3. If the control unit 21 determines that it has received the user's order (S13: Yes), the process proceeds to step S14. The control unit 21 waits until it has received the user's order (S13: No). For example, if a user at table number "3" uses the ordering terminal 3 to select and order two "daily specials," the control unit 21 accepts the user's order. The control unit 21 also registers the order number, the ordered item "daily special," and the order quantity "2" in the order acceptance information D2 (see Figure 3), associating them with table number "3." Step S13 is an example of the acceptance step of the present invention.

[0085] In step S14, the control unit 21 starts measuring the elapsed time since the order was received. For example, when a user at table number "3" confirms an order for two "daily specials," the control unit 21 receives the order and starts measuring the elapsed time. The control unit 21 may also register the measured elapsed time information in order acceptance information D2 (see Figure 3) in association with table number "3."

[0086] Next, in step S15, the control unit 21 sets the setting time for the table corresponding to the received order. Specifically, the control unit 21 sets the setting time based on the number of users using the table, the contents and type of food and beverages included in the table's order, cooking time, cooking order, etc. The control unit 21 may also set the setting time for each table based on information such as the time of day when the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy time, off-peak time, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion of the restaurant. For example, the control unit 21 sets the setting time "T3" corresponding to table number "3". The control unit 21 registers the information of the set setting time "T3" in setting information D4 (see Figure 7) in association with table number "3". The control unit 21 may also pre-set a common setting time for each table.

[0087] Next, in step S16, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference corresponding to the table of the received order. For example, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference ("t3") for providing two "daily specials" corresponding to the order at table number "3". Typically, the serving time difference is shorter for identical or similar menus. The control unit 21 may also calculate the serving time difference by excluding certain food and beverages, such as desserts or drinks, from the multiple food and beverages included in a single order at a table. For example, in the case of an order at table number "2" (see Figure 3), the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference ("t2") as the difference between the serving time of the "sashimi set meal" to the customer and the serving time of the "daily special" to the customer, excluding "beer" and "oolong tea". Step S16 is an example of the calculation steps of the present invention.

[0088] Next, in step S17, the control unit 21 determines whether the elapsed time since the order was received is equal to or greater than the predetermined time. If the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the predetermined time (S17: Yes), the process proceeds to step S18. If the elapsed time is not equal to or greater than the predetermined time (S17: No), the control unit 21 proceeds to step S171.

[0089] In step S171, the control unit 21 determines whether or not it has received an order from a user of another table via the order terminal 3. That is, the control unit 21 determines whether or not it has received an order from a different table (e.g., table number "2") than the table (e.g., table number "3") from which the order received in step S13 was received. If the control unit 21 determines that it has received an order from a user of another table (S171: Yes), the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the control unit 21 determines that it has not received an order from a user of another table (S171: No), the process proceeds to step S17.

[0090] Returning to step S15, the control unit 21 sets the setting time corresponding to the other table. In the above example, the control unit 21 sets the setting time "T2" corresponding to table number "2". The control unit 21 registers the set setting time "T2" information in setting information D4 (see Figure 7) in association with table number "2". In the following step S16, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference corresponding to the other table. In the above example, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference ("t2") corresponding to table number "2". The control unit 21 also calculates the serving time difference when the food and beverages included in each order corresponding to multiple tables are cooked together. For example, the control unit 21 calculates the serving time difference "ta3" corresponding to table number "3" and the serving time difference "ta2" corresponding to table number "2" when the food and beverages for the order at table number "3" and the food and beverages for the order at table number "2" are cooked together. The control unit 21 registers each calculated serving time difference in order acceptance information D2 (see Figure 5).

[0091] Furthermore, if the elapsed time does not exceed the predetermined time (S17: No), and the control unit 21 receives an order from a user at another table (for example, table number "4") via the order terminal 3 (S171: Yes), the process proceeds to step S15 again. The control unit 21 sets the predetermined time "T4" corresponding to table number "4" (see Figure 7), calculates the serving time difference ("t4") corresponding to table number "4" (see Figure 3), and further calculates the serving time difference "tc3" corresponding to table number "3", the serving time difference "tc2" corresponding to table number "2", and the serving time difference "tc4" corresponding to table number "4" when the food and beverages ordered by table number "3", table number "2", and table number "4" are cooked together (see Figure 6).

[0092] If the elapsed time in step S17 exceeds the predetermined time (S17: Yes), in step S18, the control unit 21 determines whether or not there are multiple tables for the received order. If there are multiple tables for the received order (S18: Yes), the process proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, if there are not multiple tables for the received order (S18: No), the process proceeds to step S21.

[0093] In step S19, the control unit 21 determines whether the serving time difference is within the set time. Here, the control unit 21 determines whether each serving time difference corresponding to each of the multiple tables is within the set time. For example, the control unit 21 determines whether the serving time difference "ta3" corresponding to table number "3" is within the set time "T3" (see Figure 7) corresponding to table number "3". The control unit 21 also determines whether the serving time difference "ta2" corresponding to table number "2" is within the set time "T2" (see Figure 7) corresponding to table number "2". If each serving time difference corresponding to each of the multiple tables is within the set time (S19: Yes), the process proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, if at least one of the serving time differences corresponding to each of the multiple tables is not within the set time (S19: No), the process proceeds to step S21. Step S19 is an example of a determination step of the present invention.

[0094] In step S20, the control unit 21 outputs the information of the multiple orders it has received (order information F1) to the kitchen terminal 4. For example, the control unit 21 outputs the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "3" and the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "2" together to the kitchen terminal 4. Alternatively, the control unit 21 outputs the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "3", the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "2", and the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "4" together to the kitchen terminal 4. When the kitchen terminal 4 obtains the order information F1 corresponding to multiple tables, it outputs an order form T1 (see Figure 10) that displays the order information F1 corresponding to each table.

[0095] In step S21, the control unit 21 outputs the order information (order information F1) received in step S13 to the kitchen terminal 4. For example, the control unit 21 outputs the order information F1 for the order corresponding to table number "3" to the kitchen terminal 4. When the kitchen terminal 4 obtains the order information F1 corresponding to a table, it outputs an order slip T1 that displays the order information F1 corresponding to that table. In other words, if the difference in serving times for each of the multiple tables does not fall within the set time, the control unit 21 outputs each order information separately. Steps S20 and S21 are examples of the output steps of the present invention. The order support process is performed in the manner described above.

[0096] Here, if the difference in serving times for the first and second orders, respectively, received within the predetermined time, is within the set time, but the difference in serving times for the first, second, and third orders, respectively, received within the predetermined time, is not within the set time, the control unit 21 outputs the order information F1 for the first and second orders and the order information F1 for the third order separately to the kitchen terminal 4.

[0097] As described above, the order support system 1 according to this embodiment accepts food and beverage orders for each table in a restaurant that serves food and beverages, and calculates the difference in serving times for each table where multiple ordered food and beverages are to be served. The order support system 1 then determines whether the difference in serving times for each of the first and second tables, when the food and beverages included in the first order corresponding to the first table and the food and beverages included in the second order corresponding to the second table are cooked together, falls within a set time. If the difference in serving times for each of the first and second tables falls within the set time, the order support system 2 outputs order information including the first and second orders. In other words, even when the food and beverages for the first and second orders are cooked together, if it is possible to serve both the food and beverages for the first and second orders within the set time, the order support system 2 outputs the first and second orders together to the kitchen terminal 4. This minimizes discrepancies in the timing of food and beverage service among multiple users of a table and improves the efficiency of kitchen operations.

[0098] Furthermore, the aforementioned setting time is determined based on information such as the number of users at the table, the contents and types of food and beverages included in the table's order, cooking time, cooking order, the time of day the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy hours, off-peak hours, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion level of the restaurant. This allows the timing of outputting order information F1 to be determined according to the table usage status, the congestion level of the restaurant, etc.

[0099] Furthermore, the order support system 1 allows for the output of order information F1 from multiple tables at once, which reduces communication traffic and enables more efficient use of computer resources compared to outputting order information F1 individually.

[0100] The order support system of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The order support system of the present invention may also be, for example, in the following embodiments.

[0101] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 21 may output order information including the first, second, and third orders if the elapsed time from receiving the first order to receiving the second order is within a first predetermined time, and the elapsed time from receiving the second order to receiving the third order is within a second predetermined time. For example, if the control unit 21 receives an order for table number "3", then receives an order for table number "2" within a first predetermined time, and then receives an order for table number "4" within a second predetermined time, and the difference in serving times corresponding to each order is within the set time, the control unit 21 outputs order information including the first, second, and third orders together to the kitchen terminal 4. In this case, the first predetermined time is shorter than the elapsed time from receiving the first order to receiving the third order. Therefore, if the control unit 21 has not received the third order when the first predetermined time is reached, it outputs order information F1 including the first and second orders.

[0102] In this embodiment, the predetermined time (including the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time) may be set based on information such as the number of users using the table, the contents and types of food and beverages included in the table's order, cooking time, cooking order, the time of day when the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy hours, off-peak hours, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion level of the restaurant.

[0103] In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 21 may set a time limit for each table from the time an order is received until the ordered items are provided to the user. Specifically, the output processing unit 215 outputs order information including the first and second orders when the difference in service time corresponding to the first and second tables falls within the set time, and when it is possible to provide all the food and beverages included in the orders within the time limit from the time the first and second orders corresponding to the first and second tables are received. The time limit is an example of a specific time according to the present invention. This makes it possible to provide ordered items to each user within the time limit while suppressing the time difference in the timing of the provision of ordered items between users at each table. The time limit may be set to a different time for each table, or a common time may be set for each table.

[0104] In another embodiment of the present invention, the output processing unit 215 may output order information F1 for an order when the number of food and beverage orders included in an order received by the reception processing unit 212 exceeds a predetermined number. For example, the control unit 21 calculates the number of orders by adding up the number of food and beverage orders received by the reception processing unit 212. The control unit 21 also updates the total number of orders each time an order is received. Then, the output processing unit 215 outputs order information F1 corresponding to the number of orders to the kitchen terminal 4 when the number of orders exceeds a predetermined number. For this reason, the output processing unit 215 outputs order information including the orders corresponding to each of the multiple tables when the difference in serving times corresponding to each of the multiple tables received by the reception processing unit 212 before the number of orders exceeds the predetermined number falls within the set time.

[0105] The predetermined number may be set based on information such as the number of users using the table, the contents and types of food and beverages included in the table's order, cooking time, cooking order, time of day when the order was received (lunchtime, dinnertime, busy hours, off-peak hours, etc.), the busyness of the kitchen, and the congestion level of the restaurant.

[0106] In another embodiment of the present invention, the order support system may output the order information for multiple food and beverages together when the serving time difference corresponding to the first table, when multiple food and beverages included in the first order of the first table are cooked together, falls within a set time. Alternatively, if the serving time difference corresponding to the first table, when multiple food and beverages included in the first order of the first table are cooked together, does not fall within a set time, the order support system may output the order information for the portion of the multiple food and beverages that, when cooked together, falls within a set time.

[0107] As described above, the output processing unit 215 is configured to output order information corresponding to the food and beverage order when a predetermined time has elapsed since the order was received by the reception processing unit 212. For this reason, the order support system (control unit 21) may, for example, output the order information for the first and second orders together if the second order is received before the predetermined time has elapsed since the first order was received, and output the order information for the first order and the order information for the second order separately if the second order is received after the predetermined time has elapsed since the first order was received. Specifically, the calculation processing unit 213 calculates the elapsed time from the time when the cooking of the first food and beverage, which was the first food and beverage received in a single order at a table, begins to the time when the cooking of the second food and beverage, which was the last food and beverage received, begins. The output processing unit 215 outputs the order information for the first and second food and beverages together if the elapsed time is within the predetermined time, and outputs the order information for the first and second food and beverages separately if the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time. The calculation processing unit 213 may calculate the elapsed time based on the cooking time of the first food or beverage (see Figure 2), or the cooking time of each of the multiple food or beverages received before the order for the second food or beverage was received. As shown in the above embodiment, the first order may correspond to the first table, and the second order may correspond to the second table. For this reason, the calculation processing unit 213 may calculate the elapsed time (time difference) from the time when cooking of the first food or beverage begins to the time when cooking of the last food or beverage begins, based on the cooking times of the multiple food or beverages included in multiple orders corresponding to multiple tables (for example, the first order corresponding to the first table and the second order corresponding to the second table). [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1: Order support system 2: Order support device 3: Ordering terminal 4: Kitchen terminal 211: Acquisition Processing Unit 212: Reception Processing Unit 213: Calculation Processing Unit 214: Determination Processing Unit 215: Output Processing Unit 216: Configuration Processing Unit 217: Calculation Processing Unit 411: Acquisition Processing Unit 412: Output Processing Unit

Claims

1. A reception processing unit that takes food and beverage orders corresponding to tables in a facility that serves food and beverages, A calculation processing unit calculates a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the start of cooking of the first food item to the start of cooking of the last food item, based on the cooking times of multiple food items included in the first order corresponding to the first table and the second order corresponding to the second table. An output processing unit that, when the time difference between the preparation of the multiple food and beverage items included in the first and second orders falls within a predetermined time, outputs the order information for the multiple food and beverage items together, and outputs the order information for each of the multiple food and beverage items separately, when the time difference does not fall within the predetermined time. An order support system equipped with the following features.

2. The calculation processing unit calculates the time difference based on the cooking time for each food item and the cooking time when multiple food items are cooked together. The order support system according to claim 1.

3. A reception step for taking food and beverage orders corresponding to tables in a facility that serves food and beverages, A calculation step of calculating a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the time when the cooking of the first food item to the time when the cooking of the last food item to multiple food items to the first order to the second order to the first order to the first order to the first order to the second order, based on the cooking times of the multiple food items to the first order to the first order to the second order to the first table, An output step in which, when the time difference between the multiple food and beverage items included in the first and second orders is within a predetermined time, the order information for the multiple food and beverage items is output together, and when the time difference is not within the predetermined time, the order information for the multiple food and beverage items is output separately for each item. An order support method performed by one or more processors.

4. A reception step for taking food and beverage orders corresponding to tables in a facility that serves food and beverages, A calculation step of calculating a time difference, which is the elapsed time from the time when the cooking of the first food item to the time when the cooking of the last food item to multiple food items to the first order to the second order to the first order to the first order to the first order to the second order, based on the cooking times of the multiple food items to the first order to the first order to the second order to the first table, An output step in which, when the time difference between the multiple food and beverage items included in the first and second orders is within a predetermined time, the order information for the multiple food and beverage items is output together, and when the time difference is not within the predetermined time, the order information for the multiple food and beverage items is output separately for each item. An order support program that causes one or more processors to execute an order.

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