Front desk ordering and back kitchen linkage dish serving method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a method and system for open menu ordering and kitchen linkage dish serving, and comprises the following steps: a front desk binds an electronic card with a table, writes a table identifier into the electronic card, and then issues the electronic card to a customer; the customer selects dishes in an open menu display area with the electronic card, a dish inductive base reads the electronic card close to the customer, and acquires the table identifier; a management host computer collects received order information into table orders according to the table identifier, splits the table orders into post orders according to dishes corresponding to processing posts, and then issues the post orders to corresponding kitchen order terminals; the kitchen order terminals receive and display the post orders, and return a completion signal to the management host computer after post processing is completed; the management host computer sends a dish serving prompt to a table prompt terminal corresponding to the table according to the completion signal; and the management host computer clears the binding information of the electronic card after table settlement is completed. The application realizes open menu ordering paperless, automatic table binding, automatic order distribution and kitchen linkage, avoids wrong and missed orders, and improves dish serving efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of catering information equipment technology, specifically to a method and system for open kitchen ordering and coordinated food preparation in the back kitchen. Background Technology

[0002] Large and medium-sized hotels and specialty restaurants generally adopt an open-kitchen self-service model, where samples or semi-finished dishes are displayed in a showcase area. Customers enter the restaurant, walk around the showcase area to look at the dishes they like, and then order the dishes they want before returning to their table to eat. In this model, the customer's ordering action takes place in the showcase area, which is fluid and random, and is significantly different from the traditional model of ordering from a menu after being seated.

[0003] There are currently three main operating methods for open kitchen ordering: First, customers take paper menu cards or bamboo slips, with one stack of cards for each dish. After selecting their dishes, customers draw one card and hand the stack of cards to the counter, where staff enter the information one by one. Second, servers walk around the display area with paper and pen, and customers verbally call out the names of their dishes, which servers then manually record. Third, a designated person collects all orders, enters the manual orders into the computer, and then manually delivers them to the kitchen.

[0004] The above methods have revealed several shortcomings in actual operation. First, during peak dining hours, paper cards and bamboo slips circulate extensively, leading to frequent instances of customers taking the wrong cards or mixing them up. Cards are also prone to being passed around between tables after being handed to the counter, making it difficult to avoid errors and omissions in recording transactions, and making it impossible to trace the source of problems. Second, cards and bamboo slips are consumables, requiring constant replenishment after wear and loss. Furthermore, manual sorting and return to their proper places at the end of each day's business hours is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Third, when menu items change, a complete set of cards needs to be made, making it inconvenient to add new items or adjust prices. The information that can be displayed on the cards and bamboo slips is also very limited, usually only showing the name of the dish. The system lacks detailed descriptions of ingredients and prices, failing to display information such as origin, raw materials, flavor specifications, etc. Furthermore, ordering, recording, distributing, and processing all rely on manual labor, resulting in numerous steps, slow service, and significant pressure on the kitchen during peak hours. Finally, communication between the front and back of house is disrupted; dishes are prepared by staff calling out instructions or servers checking back and forth, with no reminder mechanism for serving or preparing food, leading to frequent instances of missed or incorrect servings. Finally, operational data such as revenue, sales figures, and food sales volume are all manually compiled, resulting in significant errors and making it difficult for operators to monitor the business situation in a timely manner.

[0005] Currently, there are ordering solutions using QR codes or fixed order boards, where customers scan the QR code on the table to order online after being seated. However, these solutions are designed for seated ordering scenarios and cannot adapt to the user habits of ordering while walking around in open kitchen display areas; moreover, ordering by scanning a code relies on the customer's own mobile phone, which is inconvenient for some customer groups; more importantly, these solutions only solve the order entry step, while kitchen order dispatching, food preparation reminders, and food service management are still handled manually, and the problem of disconnect between the front and back kitchens is not solved.

[0006] Therefore, an intelligent operation solution is needed that can cover the entire process of open kitchen ordering, kitchen order dispatching, food preparation reminders, and food delivery management. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems of existing open kitchen ordering systems, such as reliance on manual labor, susceptibility to errors, and disconnect between the front and back kitchens, this invention provides a method and system for linking open kitchen ordering with the back kitchen for food preparation.

[0008] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: a method for open kitchen ordering and coordinated food preparation in the back kitchen, comprising the following steps: S1. The front desk binds the blank electronic card to the table on-site, writes the table identifier into the electronic card, and then issues it to the customer; S2. Customers select dishes in the open kitchen display area using their cards. The dish sensor base reads the nearby electronic card to obtain the table identifier, associates the pre-stored dish data with the table identifier to generate order information, and uploads it to the management host. Each dish sensor base is uniquely associated with a dish. After the base reads the electronic card, it determines whether there is already an order record of the same electronic card on the same base within the preset de-shaking time. If there is, the current sensing is discarded. If the preset de-shaking time is exceeded, the order number of the corresponding dish is accumulated. S3. The management host will collect the received order information into table orders according to the table identifier, and split the table orders into job orders according to the processing positions corresponding to the dishes, and send them to the corresponding kitchen order distribution terminals. S4. The kitchen order terminal receives and displays the job order documents, and returns a completion signal to the management host after the job processing is completed. S5. The management host sends a food serving prompt to the table reminder terminal of the corresponding table based on the completion signal; S6. After the table settlement is completed, the management host clears the electronic card binding information, and the electronic card is restored to a blank state for repeated use.

[0009] Preferably, in step S2, the food sensor base is equipped with plus and minus buttons, and customers can adjust the number of orders by operating the plus and minus buttons; after the base reads the electronic card, it first determines whether there is an order record of the same electronic card on the same base within the preset de-shaking time. If there is, the current sensing is discarded and no order information is generated. If the interval between the current sensing and the previous order record exceeds the preset de-shaking time, the number of orders for the corresponding food is increased by one.

[0010] Preferably, in step S2, the order information carries a generation timestamp; when the communication between the food sensor base and the management host is interrupted, the order information is written to the local cache; after the communication is restored, the order information in the local cache is retransmitted to the management host in the order of generation timestamps; after receiving the confirmation receipt returned by the management host, the corresponding order information is deleted from the local cache; the management host sorts and collects the retransmitted order information according to the generation timestamps.

[0011] Preferably, in step S3, the management host queries the pre-stored table of correspondence between dishes and processing positions, and assigns each dish in the table order to the corresponding processing position to generate a position document. The processing positions include at least the dish preparation position, the cooking position, the plating position, and the dish distribution position. The management host issues position documents in descending order of the expected processing time of each dish, and issues position documents corresponding to the table orders collected earlier within the same processing position.

[0012] Preferably, in step S5, the management host starts timing after issuing a food serving prompt. When the timing exceeds the preset food serving time limit and no food serving confirmation information is received, it issues an overtime warning to the table reminder terminal. The table reminder terminal also receives urge order instructions, pause food serving instructions, and batch food serving instructions, and forwards them to the corresponding kitchen order distribution terminal via the management host. The management host increases the priority of the corresponding job order in the kitchen order distribution terminal queue according to the urge order instructions.

[0013] Preferably, the system also includes a step of linking the sale of dishes: after receiving the sale of a dish instruction, the management host sends a sale indicator to the dish sensor base corresponding to that dish; the dish sensor base switches to the sold-out state according to the sale indicator, and thereafter does not generate order information when reading an electronic card, but issues a prompt that the dish is sold out; after receiving the sale cancellation instruction, the management host sends a recovery indicator to the corresponding dish sensor base, and the dish sensor base returns to the normal ordering state.

[0014] Preferably, the method also includes a voice modification step for menu information: after the trigger button of the menu sensor base is triggered, it enters the voice input state, collects the voice information of the store clerk and recognizes it as the menu name or price, performs format verification on the recognition result, and updates the display content and pre-stored menu data of the base after the verification is passed, and synchronizes the updated menu data to the management host, and the management host sends the updated menu data to the associated terminals.

[0015] Preferably, the process also includes a table-changing and binding step: the management host receives the table-changing instruction, changes the ownership of the table order from the first table to the second table, updates the table identifier in the electronic card, and switches and sends the subsequent food serving prompts to the table reminder terminal corresponding to the second table; the original order record corresponding to the first table is migrated along with the table order, and the original order time is retained.

[0016] Preferably, the system also includes a food serving confirmation step: after the waiter serves the food, he / she reminds the terminal at the table to confirm the food serving, and the management host updates the serving status of each dish in the table order based on the food serving confirmation information; when all dishes in the table order have been served and confirmed, the management host marks the table order as completed; when there are dishes in the table order that have not been served and confirmed within a preset time limit, the management host generates a missed food serving warning and pushes it.

[0017] This invention also provides a system for open-kitchen ordering and back-kitchen coordinated food preparation, comprising: The electronic card is a rewritable near-field communication tag card. It is bound to the corresponding table and written with the table identifier when the customer is seated. After the settlement is completed, the binding information is cleared and the card is restored to a blank state for repeated use. The food sensor base is installed at each food display location in the open kitchen area, corresponding to each food item. It is used to read the nearby electronic card to obtain the table identifier, associate the pre-stored food data with the table identifier to generate order information and upload it; the food sensor base is equipped with a display module and plus / minus buttons; The management host communicates with the food sensor base and is used to collect the received order information into table orders according to the table identifier, and to split the table orders into job orders according to the processing position corresponding to the food and distribute them. The kitchen order terminal is connected to the management host to receive and display job orders, and to return a completion signal to the management host after the job is completed. The tabletop reminder terminal communicates with the management host and is used to receive the serving prompts issued by the management host based on the completion signal, and to provide audio and visual reminders.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the open-kitchen ordering and back-kitchen coordinated food preparation method of the present invention has the following significant improvements: Electronic cards are stored blank at the front desk. Upon entering the restaurant, customers bind them to their tables, and the cards retain table identification information throughout the meal. All order data is automatically assigned to the corresponding table, preventing issues like cross-table switching, incorrect orders, and missed orders during peak hours. After settlement, the electronic card can be reset with a single click and re-bound, replacing paper cards and bamboo slips, saving on material costs and daily sorting and organization labor. Each dish's sensor base is hardware-bound to a specific dish, equipped with a display module showing the dish's name, price, origin, and raw material information. Customers swipe their cards next to the dish to place their order, aligning with the habit of browsing and ordering while in the open kitchen display area. Adding new dishes or adjusting prices eliminates the need for physical cards; dish information can be updated at any time via voice input or remote distribution.

[0019] Order information is directly uploaded to the management host from the base station. Orders are automatically split and distributed to the respective work positions of food preparation, cooking, plating, and serving. Each work position only receives orders for its own process, achieving assembly line-style division of labor and collaboration, solving the problems of chaotic and disorganized orders in traditional centralized systems. Orders are issued in order of estimated processing time, with time-consuming dishes prepared first, and the serving times for dishes at the same table are more concentrated. A de-jitter mechanism filters out accidental touches by customers. When the network is down, orders are cached locally on the base station and re-uploaded according to timestamps after network recovery. Once the dishes are sold out, the base station automatically rejects the order, ensuring the system's reliability even in complex environments during peak periods.

[0020] Once the kitchen is confirmed to be ready, the corresponding table in the front of house will automatically issue an audio and visual alert. If a dish is not served within the specified time, an automatic warning will be issued, and if a dish is missed, an automatic notification will be sent. The information barriers between the front and back kitchens will be broken down. On-site changes such as customers changing tables, urging orders, pausing service, and serving dishes in batches can be transmitted to the kitchen in real time, and dishes that are urged will automatically have their processing priority increased. The management host will automatically retain all operational data and generate reports. Revenue, turnover, number of tables, and sales of dishes will not require manual statistics, providing data support for the restaurant's refined management. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a method for linking open kitchen ordering with back kitchen food preparation in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the table order splitting and circulation in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process of food inventory management in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a system for linking open kitchen ordering with back kitchen food preparation in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a block diagram of the modular structure of the food sensor base according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Electronic card; 2. Food sensor base; 21. Card reader module; 22. Display module; 23. Main control module; 24. Communication module; 25. Voice input module; 26. Trigger button; 27. Add / subtract buttons; 28. Prompt module; 29. ​​Storage module; 3. Management host; 4. Kitchen order distribution terminal; 41. Vegetable preparation station terminal; 42. Cooking station terminal; 43. Dishes preparation station terminal; 44. Vegetable distribution station terminal; 5. Table reminder terminal; 6. Front desk card issuing device. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0025] In response to the problems in the background technology, such as Figure 1 As shown, the open kitchen ordering and back-of-house food preparation method in this embodiment includes steps S1 to S6. The overall process is as follows: When a customer enters the store, the front desk binds a blank electronic card to the corresponding private room number or table number and issues it to the customer; the customer enters the open kitchen ordering area, swipes the card to order their desired dishes, and adjusts the quantity as needed; the order data is synchronized to the management host in real time, without manual input, card transmission, or accounting; the management host automatically splits the order, and the back-of-house staff in the food preparation, cooking, plating, and serving positions simultaneously receive the order; the back-of-house staff completes the process in sequence, and after completion confirmation, the front-of-house tables automatically remind the waiters to serve the food; when the customer finishes their meal, they settle the bill with one click using their card or table number; after settlement, the system automatically saves the operating data and generates a report; the electronic card is reset with one click and reused for the next time.

[0026] Step S1 involves card binding and issuance. Blank electronic cards are stored at the front desk. After customers enter the store and are seated, front desk staff select the corresponding table number or private room number on the card issuance device, place the blank electronic card close to the device, and the device writes the table identification into the card, completing the on-site binding before issuing it to the customer. Each electronic card is bound to only one table. During the meal, the electronic card carries the table's identity information throughout the meal, and all subsequent order data is automatically associated with the corresponding table. Customers using the card to order from any location in the store will not be confused with other tables. The electronic cards use rewritable NFC or RFID tags with a working frequency of 13.56MHz and contain a unique card identification number. The store only needs to have a small number of electronic cards to meet the needs of multiple tables. After settlement, the cards can be cleared with one click and rebound, eliminating the need for manual sorting and return after each meal, unlike traditional paper cards or bamboo cards.

[0027] Step S2 is the contactless ordering process. Customers use their cards to select dishes in the open kitchen display area. After selecting a dish, they place their electronic card near the sensor area of ​​the dish's sensor base. The base reads the table identifier on the card, associates the pre-stored dish data with the table identifier to generate order information, which includes a timestamp and is uploaded to the management host. Upon successful upload, the base beeps and announces via voice that the order has been placed, and the screen briefly displays the order status. Each base uniquely corresponds to a dish. The pre-stored dish data in the base includes the dish number, name, price, flavor, specifications, origin, raw material information, and estimated processing time. The display module on the base uses a color LCD screen, which normally displays the dish name, price, origin, and raw material information. After a successful order, it briefly displays the "order placed" status, and when the dish is sold out, it displays "sold out." When customers need to order more dishes, they can increase or decrease the number of dishes by pressing the plus or minus buttons on the base. Press the plus button once to add one dish and press the minus button once to subtract one dish. The change in the number of dishes is displayed on the screen in real time.

[0028] It should be noted that during peak hours, customers may repeatedly press their cards close to the base or wave them above the sensing area, resulting in duplicate orders for the same dish. This embodiment introduces a de-shaking process in step S2: the base has a preset de-shaking duration. After reading the electronic card, the base first checks if there is already an order record for the same electronic card on the base within the preset de-shaking duration. If so, it is determined to be a false touch or card movement, and the current sensing is discarded; no new order information is generated, and the order is not repeated. Only when the interval between the current sensing and the previous order record exceeds the preset de-shaking duration is it considered a genuine additional order from the customer, and the order quantity for the corresponding dish is increased by one. This filters out false touches without affecting the customer's genuine additional order operation, and customers do not need to learn any additional operations.

[0029] With numerous display stands and long wiring in the open kitchen area, network jitter or brief interruptions are unavoidable. Therefore, step S2 introduces a network outage retransmission process: When a stand detects a communication interruption with the management host, it automatically switches to offline mode, writes the generated order information to its local cache, and continues to read cards and broadcast messages as usual, ensuring customer ordering is unaffected. After communication is restored, the stand retransmits the order information from the cache to the management host in chronological order of generation timestamps. Upon receiving a confirmation receipt from the management host, the corresponding order information is deleted from the local cache; records without confirmation receipts are retained in the cache for retransmission. Upon receiving the retransmitted order information, the management host sorts and aggregates it according to its generation timestamp and inserts it into the correct time position of the table order. This ensures that order data is not lost, duplicated, or out of order. Even if the retransmission occurs after a customer adds or changes dishes, the management host can still reconstruct the accurate order sequence.

[0030] In another embodiment, the display module of the food sensor base can also display a QR code containing food information. Customers use a wireless scanning terminal to scan the QR code, and the management host associates the food data obtained by scanning with the customer's table identifier to generate order information, realizing cardless ordering. In this embodiment, the wireless scanning terminal can be a barcode scanner.

[0031] Step S3 is to aggregate and split orders, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the management host pre-stores a table mapping dishes to processing positions. Each dish corresponds to one or more processing positions based on its kitchen processing steps. After the management host aggregates the order information uploaded from each docking station into table orders according to table identifiers, it queries the mapping table and assigns each dish in the table order to the prep, cook, plating, and serving positions, generating position orders for each position. These position orders specify the dish name, quantity, table identifier, and order time, and are then distributed to the corresponding kitchen order distribution terminals. Each position only receives the orders required for its own process; the prep position only sees prep tasks, the cook position only sees cook tasks, achieving assembly-line-style division of labor and solving the chaotic problem of the traditional model where the entire order is transmitted to the kitchen and each position searches for tasks on a single order form.

[0032] When issuing work orders, the management system sorts the orders for each dish from longest to shortest based on their estimated processing time, issuing orders for dishes that take longer to prepare first. Within the same work station, orders for tables that were collected earlier are issued first. This arrangement ensures that dishes that take longer to prepare, such as stews and braised dishes, are prepared first, while dishes that take less time, such as stir-fries and mixed dishes, are prepared later. This also helps to keep the serving times of all dishes at the same table as close as possible, preventing dishes from getting cold earlier and dishes from taking too long to prepare, and reducing customer complaints caused by long intervals between servings.

[0033] Step S4 is the completion feedback. Each position in the kitchen completes the processing steps in sequence according to the order displayed on the kitchen order terminal. After each dish is completed, the completion is confirmed by pressing the completion confirmation button or touching the confirmation area on the kitchen order terminal. The completion signal is immediately returned to the management host.

[0034] Step S5 is the food serving reminder. After receiving the completion signal, the management host immediately sends an audio-visual food serving reminder to the table reminder terminal of the corresponding table. The indicator light on the reminder terminal lights up and emits a reminder sound, notifying the waiter to collect and serve the food at the serving window. The management host starts timing after sending the food serving reminder. If no food serving confirmation is received after the preset food serving time limit, an overtime warning is sent to the table reminder terminal. The reminder method is different from the normal food serving reminder, for example, the indicator light flashes more frequently to facilitate the waiter's priority handling.

[0035] Customers or servers can also initiate commands such as order reminders, order expediting, pausing service, and staggered service through the table reminder terminal. For example, if a customer temporarily leaves their seat and presses the pause button, the management host will forward the pause command to the corresponding kitchen order terminal, and the kitchen will temporarily suspend the service for that table. When the customer returns, pressing the button again will resume service. If a customer expedites their order and presses the expediting button, the management host will forward the expediting command to the corresponding kitchen order terminal. At the same time, the order form for the expedited dish will be prioritized in the kitchen order terminal's queue, allowing it to be displayed and processed at the front of the queue. The number of expedited orders will also be recorded for the store manager to review peak-hour service bottlenecks.

[0036] Step S6 is card clearing and reuse. After the customer finishes their meal, they can settle the bill with one click on the management host using their electronic card or table number. The management host will then retrieve all the order records for that table to generate a detailed consumption statement, supporting quick payment by card. After settlement, the management host will clear the binding information of the electronic card, restoring it to a blank state that can be rebound and reused by the next batch of customers. The system automatically retains operating data and generates reports on daily, weekly, and monthly turnover, revenue, number of tables, table turnover, and dish sales. Operators can intuitively see the order volume and estimated clearance frequency of each dish, providing a basis for menu adjustments and inventory preparation.

[0037] In addition to the six basic steps described above, the method of this embodiment also includes the following extended steps.

[0038] like Figure 3As shown, this embodiment includes a "sold out" linkage step. In actual operation, it is common for dishes to sell out. When a dish is sold out, the bar counter issues a "sold out" command to the management host. The management host then sends a "sold out" marker to the corresponding stand, which immediately switches its display to "sold out" and stops accepting orders. Afterward, when a customer approaches the stand with their card, the stand does not generate an order message but instead announces via voice that the dish is sold out, asking the customer to choose another dish. This avoids order cancellation disputes caused by placing orders after a dish has sold out. Once the dish is available again, the bar counter issues a "sold out" release command, the management host sends a restore marker, and the stand automatically returns to normal ordering mode. Throughout the entire process, the stand's position and hardware binding remain unchanged.

[0039] This embodiment also includes a table-changing and binding step. It's common for customers to change tables mid-dinner, such as moving from the main dining area to a private room. The waiter initiates a table-changing command on the management host, selecting the original table and the new table. The management host then changes the table's order attribution from the first table to the second table. The original order record is migrated along with the order, retaining the original order time to ensure the timeline on the kitchen's records remains unchanged. Simultaneously, the table identifier in the electronic card is updated, eliminating the need for the customer to change cards. Subsequent serving prompts are automatically switched and sent to the table reminder terminal corresponding to the second table. The reminder terminal for the first table no longer receives notifications for this order, preventing incorrect seating and accounting errors after a table change.

[0040] This embodiment also includes a food delivery confirmation step. After the waiter delivers the food, they press a button on the table reminder terminal to confirm the delivery. The management host updates the delivery status of each dish in the table order based on the confirmation information. When all dishes in the order have been confirmed, the table order is automatically marked as completed. If there are any dishes in the order that have not been confirmed within a preset time limit, the management host generates a missed delivery warning and pushes it to the bar management interface and the corresponding table reminder terminal, facilitating timely remediation and completely solving the problem of customers having to ask about missed deliveries in the traditional model.

[0041] This embodiment also includes a voice modification step for menu information. The displayed menu items in the open kitchen area need to be changed daily. Traditionally, this requires remaking paper cards or bamboo slips, which is cumbersome and prone to misalignment. In this embodiment, when menu information needs adjustment, such as changing the name or adjusting the price, the staff does not need to disassemble the base or connect it to a computer. They simply press and hold the trigger button on the base, which enters voice input mode. The staff speaks the new menu item name or price into the base, which collects the speech and recognizes it as text. The recognition result undergoes format verification; for example, the price must be in numeric format, and the menu item length must be within a preset range. If the verification fails, a re-entry prompt is given. If the verification passes, the display content and pre-stored menu data on the base are updated, and the updated menu data is synchronized to the management host. The management host then distributes the updated data to related terminals. The entire process takes only a few seconds and requires no remaking of any physical cards. To prevent accidental triggering by customers, the trigger button can be set to require a long press for several seconds to enter voice input mode, or the voice input function can only be enabled after an authorization command is issued by the management host. For scenarios where Mandarin recognition may have errors, store staff can also modify the text input using the accompanying mobile app or the virtual keyboard on the dock.

[0042] In other embodiments, the management host can also report the order data to the cloud platform in real time. The cloud platform connects to third-party catering ordering software to achieve centralized management of data from multiple stores. The electronic card can also be written with a member identifier. When a customer swipes the card to place an order, the management host automatically identifies the member's identity and accumulates points. The number of food sensor bases and the types and number of kitchen positions can be increased or decreased according to the size of the store. For example, in a small store, the dish preparation position and the vegetable distribution position can be merged into one position. The corresponding relationship table can be adjusted accordingly, without affecting the implementation of the technical solution of this invention.

[0043] Next, combine Figure 4 and Figure 5 The system that implements the above method is described.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the open kitchen ordering and back-of-house food preparation system of this embodiment includes an electronic card 1, a food sensor base 2, a management host 3, a back-of-house ordering terminal 4, a table reminder terminal 5, and a front desk card issuing device 6. The electronic card 1 serves as the customer's ordering identification medium; the food sensor base 2 is placed next to each dish sample in the open kitchen display area. Figure 4Multiple bases are shown as 2a, 2b, and 2c, with the actual number matching the number of dishes displayed, one base per dish; the management host 3 is deployed at the bar and can be a desktop computer, industrial control computer, or server; the kitchen sub-terminals 4 are set up in the kitchen according to job positions, including the vegetable preparation station terminal 41, cooking station terminal 42, dish preparation station terminal 43, and vegetable distribution station terminal 44, which can be kitchen printer terminals with printing function or display screen terminals; the table reminder terminal 5 is set up at each table or private room, one terminal per table.

[0045] The system's networking method is as follows: Each food sensor base 2, kitchen order terminal 4, and table reminder terminal 5 are all connected to the management host 3 via the store's local area network (LAN). The LAN can be either Wi-Fi or wired. For locations where setting up a LAN is inconvenient, each terminal can also communicate with the management host 3 via a 4G network. The management host 3 can also connect to a cloud platform via the internet, uploading order data to the cloud platform in real time. The cloud platform then connects to third-party restaurant ordering software, enabling data exchange with the store's existing POS system.

[0046] Electronic card 1 uses a rewritable NFC or RFID card with a working frequency of 13.56MHz and contains a unique card identification number. The front desk card issuing device 6 is used to write or erase table markings on electronic card 1, completing card binding, table change rewriting, and card clearing operations.

[0047] like Figure 5 As shown, the food sample sensor base 2 includes a card reader module 21, a display module 22, a main control module 23, a communication module 24, a voice input module 25, a trigger button 26, plus / minus buttons 27, a prompt module 28, and a storage module 29. Each of these modules is electrically connected to the main control module 23. The base adopts a desktop stand-up or embedded design, placed next to or in front of the food samples. The outer shell is made of food-grade waterproof and oil-proof material to adapt to the oily and humid environment of the open kitchen display area. The card reader module 21 is an NFC / RFID card reader module with a reading distance of several centimeters. Customers can read the card by simply placing their electronic card 1 close to the sensing area, without contact. The display module 22 uses a 2.4 to 3.5-inch LCD color screen, normally displaying the dish name, price, origin, and raw material information. After a successful order, it briefly displays the "order placed" status, and displays the "sold out" status when the dish is sold out. The communication module 24 supports WiFi or 4G network connectivity. The prompt module 28 includes a buzzer and a speaker for emitting beeps and voice announcements. Storage module 29 is used for local caching of order information during network outages. The base is DC powered, with the power cord running along the display stand, eliminating the need for battery replacement. Each base is hardware-bound to a specific dish, physically preventing cross-contamination and incorrect dish placement.

[0048] The management host 3 runs the front-end and back-end management system, which is responsible for table number binding, card issuance management, card reset management, and real-time display of the dishes ordered at each table, the order time, and the status of the dishes. It also provides functions such as membership management, recharge, consumption records, points, and discounts. The kitchen order terminal 4 receives and displays the job order for the kitchen staff to confirm completion. The table reminder terminal 5 is equipped with indicator lights, a prompt sound generator, and a confirmation button. It is used to receive food delivery prompts, timeout warnings, and to initiate operations such as expediting food delivery, pausing food delivery, serving food in batches, and confirming food delivery.

[0049] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0050] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A method for open-kitchen ordering and coordinated kitchen food preparation, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. The front desk binds the blank electronic card to the table on-site, writes the table identifier into the electronic card, and then issues it to the customer; S2. Customers select dishes in the open kitchen display area using their cards. The dish sensor base reads the nearby electronic card to obtain the table identifier, associates the pre-stored dish data with the table identifier to generate order information, and uploads it to the management host. Each dish sensor base is uniquely associated with a dish. After the base reads the electronic card, it determines whether there is already an order record of the same electronic card on the same base within the preset de-shaking time. If there is, the current sensing is discarded. If the preset de-shaking time is exceeded, the order number of the corresponding dish is accumulated. S3. The management host will collect the received order information into table orders according to the table identifier, and split the table orders into job orders according to the processing positions corresponding to the dishes, and send them to the corresponding kitchen order distribution terminals. S4. The kitchen order terminal receives and displays the job order documents, and returns a completion signal to the management host after the job processing is completed. S5. The management host sends a food serving prompt to the table reminder terminal of the corresponding table based on the completion signal; S6. After the table settlement is completed, the management host clears the electronic card binding information, and the electronic card is restored to a blank state for repeated use.

2. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the food sensor base is equipped with plus and minus buttons, and customers can adjust the number of orders by operating the plus and minus buttons. After the base reads the electronic card, it first determines whether there is an order record of the same electronic card on the same base within the preset de-shaking time. If there is, the current sensing is discarded and no order information is generated. If the interval between the current sensing and the previous order record exceeds the preset de-shaking time, the number of orders for the corresponding food is increased by one.

3. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, the order information carries a generation timestamp; when the communication between the food sensor base and the management host is interrupted, the order information is written to the local cache. After the communication is restored, the order information in the local cache is retransmitted to the management host in the order of the generation timestamps. After receiving the confirmation receipt returned by the management host, the corresponding order information is deleted from the local cache. The management host sorts and aggregates the re-uploaded order information according to the generation timestamp.

4. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, the management host queries the pre-stored table of correspondence between dishes and processing positions, and assigns each dish in the table order to the corresponding processing position to generate a position document. The processing positions include at least the vegetable preparation position, cooking position, dish preparation position, and vegetable distribution position. The management host issues position documents in descending order of the expected processing time of each dish, and the position documents corresponding to the table orders collected earlier within the same processing position are issued first.

5. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, after the management host issues a food serving prompt, it starts timing. When the timing exceeds the preset food serving time limit and no food serving confirmation information is received, it issues an overtime warning to the table reminder terminal. The table reminder terminal also receives urge order instructions, pause food serving instructions, and batch food serving instructions, and forwards them to the corresponding kitchen order distribution terminal through the management host. The management host increases the priority of the corresponding job order in the kitchen order distribution terminal queue according to the urge order instructions.

6. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a step-by-step process for determining when a dish is sold out: After receiving the instruction to determine when a dish is sold out, the management host sends a sold-out marker to the corresponding dish sensor base; the dish sensor base switches to the sold-out status according to the sold-out marker, and then does not generate order information when reading the electronic card, but issues a prompt that the dish is sold out. After receiving the order cancellation command, the management host sends a recovery flag to the corresponding dish sensor base, and the dish sensor base returns to normal ordering status.

7. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a voice modification step for menu information: after the trigger button of the menu sensor base is triggered, it enters the voice input state, collects the voice information of the store clerk and recognizes it as the menu name or price, performs format verification on the recognition result, and updates the display content and pre-stored menu data of the base after the verification is passed, and synchronizes the updated menu data to the management host, and the management host sends the updated menu data to the associated terminals.

8. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a table-changing and binding process: the management host receives the table-changing instruction, changes the ownership of the table order from the first table to the second table, updates the table identifier in the electronic card, and switches and sends the subsequent food serving prompts to the table reminder terminal corresponding to the second table; the original order record corresponding to the first table is migrated along with the table order, and the original order time is retained.

9. The method for open-kitchen ordering and kitchen-linked food preparation according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a food serving confirmation step: after the waiter serves the food, he reminds the terminal at the table to confirm the food serving. The management host updates the serving status of each dish in the table order based on the food serving confirmation information. When all dishes in the table order have been served and confirmed, the management host marks the table order as completed. When there are dishes in the table order that have not been served and confirmed within the preset time limit, the management host generates a missed food serving warning and pushes it.

10. A system for open-kitchen ordering and back-kitchen coordinated food preparation, characterized in that, include: The electronic card is a rewritable near-field communication tag card. It is bound to the corresponding table and written with the table identifier when the customer is seated. After the settlement is completed, the binding information is cleared and the card is restored to a blank state for repeated use. The food sensor base is set up at each food display location in the open kitchen display area, corresponding to each food item. It is used to read the electronic card that comes near to obtain the table identifier, associate the pre-stored food data with the table identifier to generate order information and upload it. The food sensor base is equipped with a display module and plus / minus buttons; The management host communicates with the food sensor base and is used to collect the received order information into table orders according to the table identifier, and to split the table orders into job orders according to the processing position corresponding to the food and distribute them. The kitchen order terminal is connected to the management host to receive and display job orders, and to return a completion signal to the management host after the job is completed. The tabletop reminder terminal communicates with the management host and is used to receive the serving prompts issued by the management host based on the completion signal, and to provide audio and visual reminders.

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