Order management device and program

Abstract

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide an order management device and program that can grasp information about customers using food courts, restaurants, etc., by nationality. [Solution] The order management device of the embodiment includes a storage means for storing order information of food and beverages received from an order terminal for ordering food and beverages, a cooking instruction means for issuing cooking instructions related to the order based on the stored order information, a nationality acquisition means for acquiring the nationality information of the customer who placed the order from the order terminal based on the order information, and an aggregation means for performing aggregations related to the customer according to the acquired nationality information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an order management device and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In food courts where multiple tenants (restaurants) are located, or in restaurants and the like, the use by foreigners is increasing. In such food courts and restaurants used by foreigners, there is a tendency in the dishes they eat depending on the nationality of the foreigners using them.

[0003] Therefore, by grasping which foreign countries have a large number of users, it can be used as a basis for menu configuration and service provision.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an order management device and a program capable of grasping information related to customers using food courts, restaurants, etc. by nationality.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The order management device according to the embodiment includes a storage unit that stores the order information of the food and beverages received from an order terminal for ordering food and beverages, a cooking instruction unit that gives a cooking instruction related to the order based on the stored order information, a nationality acquisition unit that acquires the nationality information of the customer who ordered from the order terminal based on the order information, and a totaling unit that totals the customers according to the acquired nationality information.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a system in a food court according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a mobile terminal. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the menu master of a mobile device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order information unit. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the order management server. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the customer master. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the menu master of the order management server. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order information unit. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order management unit. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the order receiving terminal. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing the main processes of the mobile terminal, order management server, and order receiving terminal, as well as the flow of information between each device in chronological order. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing related to member registration using a mobile device. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing related to ordering products using a mobile device. [Figure 14] Figure 14 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the order management server. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the control process flow of the order management server. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing at the order receiving terminal. [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows an example of the output of a country-by-country report. [Figure 18] Figure 18 shows another example of the output of a country-by-country report. [Figure 19] Figure 19 shows yet another example of the output of a country-by-country report. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the figures. In these embodiments, a food court will be described as an example of a place where food and beverages are served. An order management server will be described as an example of an order management device. A mobile terminal will be described as an example of an order terminal. However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0008] First, let's explain what a food court is. A food court is a space in commercial facilities such as shopping malls, supermarkets, and mass retailers where multiple shops (tenants) that mainly serve food and beverages are gathered together. For example, many tables for eating and drinking are placed in the center, with the various tenants arranged around the perimeter. Customers order the food they want to eat and drink, pick up the prepared food from the tenant, and carry it to their table to eat.

[0009] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an order management system in a food court according to an embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the food court F has multiple tenants (stores) T in the periphery, and a large number of tables and chairs are set up in the central area C as a dining space. In this embodiment, there are five stores: tenant A, tenant B, tenant C, tenant D, and tenant E.

[0010] The order management system comprises an order management server 3, multiple order receiving terminals 5, and a point server 7. The order management server 3, the multiple order receiving terminals 5, and the point server 7 are interconnected by a communication line L, such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The order management system also includes a network (such as an internet connection) NW for communicating with a mobile terminal 1 that functions as an order terminal. The order receiving terminal 5 is connected to the order management server 3 via the communication line L so as to be able to communicate.

[0011] The mobile terminal 1 installs application software for ordering products (food and beverages) to be consumed in the food court F. The mobile terminal 1 installed with the said application software connects to the order management server 3 via the network NW, and can perform membership registration for the customer carrying the mobile terminal 1. When performing membership registration, the customer operates the mobile terminal 1 to select the nationality of the said customer. The nationality is selected, for example, by displaying a number of nationalities in a pull-down manner and designating one nationality from the displayed nationalities. The mobile terminal 1 makes a membership registration application by sending application information for membership registration including nationality information specifying the selected nationality to the order management server 3.

[0012] Moreover, the mobile terminal 1 installed with the said application software connects to the order management server 3 via the network NW, and can select and order desired products (dishes) from all the products (dishes) sold by all the tenants T operating in the food court F.

[0013] Also, the mobile terminal 1 installed with the said application software can select the display language of product information, order information, etc. of the products displayed on the said mobile terminal 1. In the embodiment, as an example, four languages, Japanese, Language B, Language C, and Language D, are selectable, with Japanese being displayed by default. When a language other than Japanese is selected by the customer, the mobile terminal 1 performs display in the selected language. Note that the selectable languages can be appropriately changed to languages other than the above four languages according to the nationality, etc. of foreigners visiting the said food court F.

[0014] In addition, an order management server 3 is installed in the backyard B of the hood coat F. The order management server 3 includes a member master 322 (see FIG. 4). The order management server 3 performs member registration processing for the member based on the application information for which member registration has been applied. When registering a member, the order management server 3 generates a member code (an example of member identification information) that identifies the member separately from other members. The order management server 3 associates the member information (member's name, address, age, gender, attribute information, email address of the mobile terminal 1, etc.) of the member who has undergone the member registration process with the generated member code and stores it in the member master 322 separately for each member code.

[0015] In addition, the order management server 3 receives orders for the products ordered from the mobile terminal 1 in a batch. The order management server 3 creates order information for the products related to the received order. The order information includes information on the products to be cooked (including tenant information), language information, and, if the member has acquired nationality information, further includes the member code and nationality information.

[0016] In addition, the order management server 3 transmits a cooking instruction for the product to the order receiving terminal 5 installed in the tenant T that cooks the received product. The cooking instruction includes a product code (product identification information) that identifies the product and cooking instruction information (e.g., cooking instruction number or member code) that identifies the cooking instruction. Hereinafter, the cooking instruction number will be described as an example of the cooking instruction information.

[0017] Each tenant T is equipped with an order receiving terminal 5. The order receiving terminal 5 receives cooking instructions sent from the order management server 3. Upon receiving cooking instructions, the order receiving terminal 5 outputs product information for the ordered items. Outputting product information means, for example, displaying the product information (e.g., product name) of the ordered items on a kitchen display (not shown). Alternatively, outputting product information means, for example, printing the product information of the ordered items from a kitchen printer (not shown). The product information of the ordered items may also be displayed on the display unit 56 (see Figure 10) of the order receiving terminal 5. Furthermore, if the order receiving terminal 5 is equipped with a printer 58 (see Figure 10), the product information of the ordered items may also be printed from the printer 58.

[0018] The cook at tenant T checks the outputted product information and prepares the product. Once the cooking is complete, the cook operates the cooking completion key 571 (see Figure 9). When the cooking completion key 571 is operated, the order receiving terminal 5 sends cooking completion information for the ordered product to the order management server 3.

[0019] Order management server 3 creates order management information (management information) for the product for which cooking completion information has been received. The order management information includes product information and language information for the product that has been cooked. If the orderer is a member, the member's member code and nationality information are also included. Order management server 3 then stores the created order management information. Order management server 3 then sends a cooking completion notification to the mobile terminal 1 that placed the order.

[0020] When mobile terminal 1 receives a cooking completion notification, it displays a message indicating that the ordered item has been cooked. Alternatively, it will emit an audio or buzzer sound indicating that the ordered item has been cooked. Customers or members who have confirmed the message or audio will go to tenant T to pick up their cooked item.

[0021] Furthermore, when the aggregation key 371 (see Figure 4) is operated, the order management server 3 aggregates information about ordered products by nationality based on the stored order management information. For example, the order management server 3 aggregates the number and amount of products ordered at food court F by nationality. The order management server 3 also aggregates the number and amount of products ordered at food court F by nationality and tenant T. The order management server 3 also aggregates the number and amount of products ordered at food court F by product, nationality and product type.

[0022] If the order management information does not include nationality information (i.e., the person who ordered the product is not a member), the language and nationality section 324 is referenced based on the language information included in the order management information to obtain the customer's nationality and to aggregate the number of customers. For example, if the included language is Japanese, the language and nationality section 324 is referenced to obtain Japan as the customer's nationality (i.e., it is assumed that a customer of Japanese nationality ordered the product), and the number of customers is aggregated by nationality. If the included language is B, B is obtained as the customer's nationality (i.e., it is assumed that a customer of B ordered the product), and the number of customers is aggregated by nationality. If the included language is C, C is obtained as the customer's nationality (i.e., it is assumed that a customer of C ordered the product), and the number of customers is aggregated by nationality. If the included language is D, D is obtained as the customer's nationality (i.e., it is assumed that a customer of D ordered the product), and the number of customers is aggregated by nationality.

[0023] In this way, one nationality may be obtained based on the language information included in the order management information, and the number of customers by nationality may be aggregated. Alternatively, if the language information is a language used in many countries, such as English, the nationalities of multiple countries that use that language may be obtained. When aggregating the number of customers by country, the number of customers from each country may be set to "1", or the "1" may be allocated proportionally according to a predetermined ratio for aggregation. For example, if the language information is English, the number may be allocated proportionally among countries B, E, and F, which use English. Specifically, it may be allocated as 0.5 customers from country B, 0.3 customers from country E, and 0.2 customers from country F. The number of customers by nationality may then be aggregated based on the number of people allocated in this way.

[0024] In this way, for orders where nationality information is not included in the order management information (i.e., orders from non-member customers), by obtaining the nationality of the customer, it is possible to aggregate the products ordered at Food Court F by the nationality of the member or customer who placed the order.

[0025] The point server 7 stores the points awarded to each member each time they dine, categorized by member code. The awarded points are accumulated for each member and can be used to pay for all or part of their dining expenses.

[0026] The hardware of the mobile terminal 1 will now be described. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 1. As shown in Figure 2, the mobile terminal 1 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, which is an example of a processor, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, etc. The CPU 11 is the main control unit of the mobile terminal 1. The ROM 12 stores the OS (Operating System) and various programs. Note that the ROM 12 may be replaced with an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive). The RAM 13 is memory for storing programs and various data. The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are connected to each other via a bus 14. The CPU 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 constitute the control unit 100. That is, the control unit 100 executes the control processing of the mobile terminal 1, which will be described later, by operating according to the control program stored in the ROM 12 and loaded into the RAM 13 by the CPU 11.

[0027] ROM12 includes a control program unit 121, a member code unit 122, and a menu master 123. The control program unit 121 stores a control program for operating the mobile terminal 1. The member code unit 122 stores a member code (an example of member identification information) that identifies the member carrying the mobile terminal 1. When a member registration application is submitted from the mobile terminal 1 and the order management server 3 processes the application, the order management server 3 generates a member code that identifies the member and sends the generated member code to the mobile terminal 1 that submitted the member registration application. The mobile terminal 1 stores the received member code in the member code unit 122. In the case of a non-member (a customer without a member code), the address of the mobile terminal 1 is stored in the member code unit 122. The menu master 123 stores product information (product code, product name, product price, and the tenant selling the product) for the products (dishes and drinks) that each tenant T sells in the food court F. The menu master 123 will be described later in Figure 3.

[0028] RAM13 includes an order information unit 131 and a language selection unit 132. The order information unit 131 stores product information for the ordered product. The order information unit 131 will be described later in Figure 4. The language selection unit 132 stores the language of the selected country. In this embodiment, the language selection unit 132 stores the language of one of the following countries: Japanese, Country B, Country C, or Country D.

[0029] Furthermore, the control unit 100 is connected to the display unit 16 and the operation unit 17 via the bus 14 and the controller 15. The display unit 16 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays information to customers or members operating the mobile terminal 1. The operation unit 17 is, for example, a touch panel mounted on the display unit 16 and is a key corresponding to the image of the key displayed on the display unit 16. The operation unit 17 has a member registration key 171, a language selection key 172, and an order key 173. The member registration key 171 is operated when applying for member registration. The language selection key 172 is operated when selecting a language other than Japanese. When the language selection key 172 is operated, the languages ​​available on the mobile terminal 1 (in this embodiment, language B, language C, and language D) are displayed as selectable (for example, in a pull-down format). Customers or members can select the language they want to use on the mobile terminal 1 by specifying that language. If the language selection key 172 is not operated, the Japanese language information is stored in the language selection unit 132. If the language selection key 172 is operated, the language information of the selected language is stored in the language selection unit 132.

[0030] Furthermore, the control unit 100 is connected via the bus 14 to a communication unit 18, which has a communication interface function. The communication unit 18 is connected to the order management server 3 via the network NW, enabling the sending and receiving of information.

[0031] Next, the menu master 123 will be described. The menu master 123 stores product information for items that can be ordered from the mobile terminal 1 and are available at the food court F. The menu master 123 has a product code section 1231, a product name section 1232, and a price section 1233. The product code section 1231 stores the product code. The product name section 1232 stores the product name of the item identified by the product code stored in the product code section 1231, associating it with the product code. The product name section 1232 may also store an image of the item in addition to the product name. The price section 1233 stores the price (unit price) of the item identified by the product code stored in the product code section 1231, associating it with the product code. The display section 16 of the mobile terminal 1 displays product information for all items stored in the menu master 123. Customers and members select items by touching the items they wish to order from the displayed product information.

[0032] Next, the order information unit 131 will be described. The order information unit 131 stores order information to be sent to the order management server 3 in conjunction with the order of goods. Figure 3 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order information unit 131. The order information unit 131 has a member code unit 1311, a product code unit 1312, and a selected language unit 1313. The member code unit 1311 stores the member code if a member code is stored in the member code unit 122. The member code unit 1311 also stores the address of the mobile terminal 1 if the address is stored in the member code unit 122. The product code unit 1312 reads and stores the product code of the ordered goods (selected goods) from the menu master 123. When multiple goods are ordered, the product code of each is stored.

[0033] The language selection unit 1313 stores language information indicating the selected language. Specifically, the language selection unit 1313 stores the language information stored in the language selection unit 132.

[0034] The hardware of the order management server 3 will now be described. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the order management server 3. As shown in Figure 5, the order management server 3 is equipped with a CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, etc., which are examples of processors. The CPU 31 is the main control unit for the order management server 3. The ROM 32 stores the OS and various programs. Note that the ROM 32 may be replaced with an HDD or SSD. The RAM 33 is memory for storing programs and various data. The CPU 31, ROM 32, and RAM 33 are connected to each other via a bus 34. The CPU 31, ROM 32, and RAM 33 constitute the control unit 300. That is, the control unit 300 executes the control processing of the order management server 3, which will be described later, by operating according to the control program stored in the ROM 32 and loaded into the RAM 33 by the CPU 31.

[0035] ROM32 includes a control program unit 321, a member master 322, a menu master 323, and a language / nationality unit 324. The control program unit 321 stores the control program for operating the order management server 3. The member master 322 stores member information of customers who have become members, categorized by member code. The member information includes the nationality information specified by the member during registration and the address information of the mobile terminal 1. The member master 322 will be described later in Figure 6.

[0036] The menu master 323 stores product information for the products sold by each tenant T. The menu master 323 will be described later in Figure 7. The language and nationality unit 324 stores the correspondence between language and nationality. In this embodiment, it stores nationality information for the nationalities corresponding to Japanese, B language, C language, and D language, which are selected as display languages ​​on the mobile terminal 1. Japan is stored for Japanese, B country for B language, C country for C language, and D country for D language. For example, if B language (e.g., English) is used as a major language in multiple countries, it is possible to associate one language with multiple nationalities, such as B country, E country, and F country for B language.

[0037] RAM33 includes an order storage unit 331, an order information unit 332, and an order management unit 333. The order storage unit 331 stores order information received from the mobile terminal 1. The order information unit 332 stores order information created based on received orders. The order information unit 332 will be described later in Figure 8. The order management unit 333 stores cooking management information (management information) related to products that have been cooked. The order management unit 333 will be described later in Figure 9.

[0038] Furthermore, the control unit 300 is connected to the display unit 36 ​​and the operation unit 37 via the bus 34 and the controller 35. The display unit 36 ​​is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays information to customers or members operating the order management server 3. The operation unit 37 is, for example, a touch panel mounted on the display unit 36 ​​and acts as a key corresponding to the image of the key displayed on the display unit 36. The operation unit 37 has a totaling key 371. The totaling key 371 is operated when totaling by nationality based on the cooking management information stored in the order management unit 333.

[0039] Furthermore, the control unit 300 is connected via bus 34 to a communication unit 38, which has the function of a communication interface. The communication unit 38 is connected via communication line L to order receiving terminals 5 installed in each tenant T and to point servers 7. The control unit 300 is also connected via bus 34 to a communication unit 39, which has the function of a communication interface. The communication unit 39 is connected via network NW to a mobile terminal 1, enabling the sending and receiving of information.

[0040] Next, the member master 322 will be described. The member master 322 stores the member information of the members. Figure 6 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the member master 322. As shown in Figure 6, the member master 322 has a member code section 3221, a member name section 3222, an attribute information section 3223, an address section 3224, and a nationality information section 3225. The member code section 3221 stores a member code that distinguishes and identifies a member from other members. The member name section 3222 stores the name of the member identified by the member code stored in the member code section 3221. The attribute information section 3223 stores attribute information (age, address, telephone number, etc.) of the member identified by the member code stored in the member code section 3221. The address section 3224 stores the address information of the mobile terminal 1 carried by the member identified by the member code stored in the member code section 3221 (address information for sending cooking completion notifications to the mobile terminal 1). The nationality information unit 3225 stores nationality information indicating the nationality of a member identified by the member code stored in the member code unit 3221. The nationality information stored in the nationality information unit 3225 is the nationality information corresponding to the member code stored in the member code unit 3221, which is included in the application information selected by the member when applying for member registration and transmitted from the mobile terminal 1 to the order management server 3.

[0041] Note that while Figure 6 shows a member master for a single member, in reality, member master 322 has member masters for each member, and stores member information corresponding to each member's member code.

[0042] Next, the menu master 323 will be described. Figure 7 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the menu master 323. The menu master 323 stores product information for products sold by each tenant T. As shown in Figure 7, the menu master 323 has a product code section 3231, a product name section 3232, a price section 3233, and a tenant information section 3234. The product code section 3231 stores a product code that identifies a product. The product name section 3232 stores the product name of the product identified by the product code stored in the product code section 3231, associated with that product code. The price section 3233 stores the price (unit price) of the product identified by the product code stored in the product code section 3231, associated with that product code. The tenant information section 3234 stores tenant information indicating the tenant T that sells the product with the product code stored in the product code section 3231, associated with that product code.

[0043] Next, the order information unit 332 will be described. Figure 8 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order information unit 332. Note that the order information unit 332 in Figure 8 shows order information for a single order. In reality, the order information unit 332 stores order information for the number of ordered items.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, the order information unit 332 has a product code unit 3321, a product name unit 3322, a member code unit 3323, a price unit 3324, a tenant code unit 3325, an order date and time unit 3326, a nationality information unit 3327, a language information unit 3328, and a status unit 3329. The product code unit 3321 stores the product code of the ordered product. The product code stored in the product code unit 3321 is the product information stored in the product code unit 1312 of the order information relating to the ordered product. The product name unit 3322 stores the product name information read from the product name unit 3232 of the menu master 323 based on the product code stored in the product code unit 3321. The member code unit 3323 stores the member code of the member who placed the order. The member code stored in the member code unit 3323 is the member code stored in the member code unit 1311 of the order information relating to the ordered product. If an address is stored in the member code section 1311, that address is stored in the member code section 3323. The amount section 3324 stores the amount information read from the amount section 3233 of the menu master 323 based on the product code stored in the product code section 3321.

[0045] The tenant code section 3325 stores a tenant code that identifies tenant T, which is read from the tenant information section 3234 of the menu master 323 based on the product code stored in the product code section 3321. If multiple products are ordered, multiple tenant codes corresponding to each of those products are stored. The order date and time section 3326 stores the date and time when the order management server 3 received the order information for that order (i.e., the date and time when the mobile terminal 1 was operated to order the product).

[0046] The nationality information unit 3327 stores nationality information read from the nationality information unit 3225 of the member master 322 based on the member code stored in the member code unit 3323. If no member code is stored in the member code unit 3323 (i.e., address information is stored in the member code unit 1311 of the received order information), no nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3327. The language information unit 3328 stores the language information stored in the selected language unit 1313 of the received order information. The status unit 3329 stores the status indicating the current state of the received order. When order information is received, it stores the status indicating that it has been received; when a cooking instruction for the ordered goods is given to the order receiving terminal 5, it stores the status indicating that a cooking instruction has been given (this status includes the cooking instruction number); when cooking completion information is received from the order receiving terminal 5, it stores the status indicating that cooking is complete; and when a cooking completion notification is sent to the mobile terminal 1, it stores the status indicating that a cooking completion notification has been sent.

[0047] Next, the order management unit 333 will be described. When a cooking completion notification is sent to the mobile terminal 1, the order management unit 333 stores order management information created based on order information in which the status indicating that a cooking completion notification has been sent is stored in the status unit 3329. Figure 9 is a memory map showing the memory configuration of the order management unit 333. As shown in Figure 9, the order management unit 333 has a product code unit 3331, a product name unit 3332, a member code unit 3333, a price unit 3334, a tenant code unit 3335, an order date and time unit 3336, a nationality information unit 3337, and a language information unit 3338. The product code unit 3331 stores the product code (product code stored in the product code unit 3321) of the product to which a cooking completion notification was sent to the mobile terminal 1. The product name unit 3332 stores the product name information stored in the product name unit 3332. The member code unit 3333 stores the member code stored in the member code unit 3323. If an address is stored in the member code section 3323, that address will be stored in the member code section 3333. The amount section 3334 stores the amount information stored in the amount section 3334.

[0048] The tenant code unit 3335 stores the tenant code stored in the tenant code unit 3325. The order date and time unit 3336 stores the date and time stored in the order date and time unit 3326. The nationality information unit 3337 stores the nationality information stored in the nationality information unit 3327. If no nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3327, then no nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3337. The language information unit 3338 stores the language information stored in the language information unit 3328.

[0049] In this way, the order management unit 333 stores product information (product code, product name, price) pertaining to products for which cooking has been completed and a cooking completion notification has been sent to the mobile terminal 1, a member code that identifies the member if the order was placed by a member, a tenant code indicating the tenant that cooked the ordered products, the date and time the order was received, nationality information indicating the member's nationality if the order was placed by a member, and language information indicating the language used.

[0050] The hardware of the order receiving terminal 5 will now be described. Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the order receiving terminal 5. As shown in Figure 10, the order receiving terminal 5 is equipped with a CPU 51, which is an example of a processor, ROM 52, RAM 53, etc. The CPU 51 is the main control unit of the order receiving terminal 5. ROM 52 stores the OS and various programs. Note that an HDD or SSD may be used instead of ROM 52. RAM 53 is memory for storing programs and various data. The CPU 51, ROM 52, and RAM 53 are connected to each other via a bus 54. The CPU 51, ROM 52, and RAM 53 constitute the control unit 500. That is, the control unit 500 executes the control processing of the order receiving terminal 5, which will be described later, by operating according to the control program stored in ROM 52 and loaded into RAM 53 by the CPU 51.

[0051] The ROM 52 has a control program unit 521. The control program unit 521 stores a control program for operating the order receiving terminal 5.

[0052] RAM 53 has an order information unit 531. The order information unit 531 stores product information of the products to be cooked, which is included in the cooking instructions received from the order management server 3.

[0053] The control unit 500 is connected to the display unit 56, the operation unit 57, and the printer 58 via the bus 54 and the controller 55. The display unit 56 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays information to customers or members operating the order acceptance terminal 5. The operation unit 57 is, for example, a touch panel mounted on the display unit 56 and is a key corresponding to the image of the key displayed on the display unit 56. The operation unit 57 has a cooking completion key 571. The cooking completion key 571 is operated when the cooking of the product for which a cooking instruction was received is complete. The printer 58 prints product information of the product for which a cooking instruction was received. Alternatively, instead of printing product information on the printer 58, the product information of the product to be cooked may be displayed on the display unit 56. In this case, the printer 58 is not required.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 500 is connected via bus 54 to a communication unit 59 which has a communication interface function. The communication unit 59 is connected to the order management server 3 via communication line L, enabling the sending and receiving of information.

[0055] From here, we will explain the main processes of each of the mobile terminal 1, order management server 3, and order receiving terminal 5, as well as the transmission and reception of data between each device, in chronological order. Figure 11 is a sequence diagram showing the main processes in mobile terminal 1, order management server 3, and order receiving terminal 5, and the flow of information between each device in chronological order.

[0056] First, let's explain the process for registering a member. A customer who wishes to register a member uses a mobile terminal 1 with dedicated application software installed to input member information (name, address, telephone number, mobile terminal 1's address, nationality information, etc.) and operates the member registration key 171 (T1). The mobile terminal 1 then sends the application information, including the member information, to the order management server 3 (T2). The order management server 3 executes the member registration process for the customer based on the received application information (T3). In this member registration process, a member code that identifies the member is generated. The order management server 3 then associates the generated member code with the member information contained in the received application information and stores it in the member master 322. The order management server 3 then sends the generated member code to the mobile terminal 1 that made the application (T4). The mobile terminal 1 stores the received member code in the member code section 122 (T5).

[0057] Next, we will explain the process from ordering food and beverages to receiving notification of completion of cooking at Food Court F. First, the customer or member selects the display language for the information to be displayed on the display unit 16 of the mobile terminal 1 (T11). Japanese is selected by default, so no operation is required if the information is displayed in Japanese (no operation of T11 is performed). If the information is to be displayed in a language other than Japanese, the customer or member uses the language selection key 172 to select the desired language (T11). Next, the mobile terminal 1 displays the product menu stored in the menu master 123 and the customer or member selects the product to order based on their operation (T12). When the order key 173 is operated, the mobile terminal 1 sends order information (order information stored in the order information unit 131) to the order management server 3, which includes the product information of the selected product, the member code if one is stored in the member code unit 122, the address if one is stored in the member code unit 122, and language information indicating the selected language (T13). The order management server 3 stores the received order information in the order storage unit 331, and based on the stored order information, creates the order information shown in Figure 8 and stores it in the order information unit 332 (T14). The order management server 3 then transmits cooking instruction information for the ordered product to the order receiving terminal 5 of tenant T, which is responsible for cooking the ordered product (T15). This cooking instruction information includes the product code of the product to be cooked and a cooking instruction number to distinguish it from other cooking instructions (to identify the cooking instruction).

[0058] When the order receiving terminal 5 receives a cooking instruction, it displays the product information included in the cooking instruction (i.e., the product information of the product to be cooked) on the display unit 16 or prints it using the printer 58 (T16). When the cook has finished cooking the product, he / she operates the cooking completion key 571 (T17). The order receiving terminal 5 then sends cooking completion information (including the product code of the cooked product and the cooking instruction number) to the order management server 3, indicating that the dish has been completed (T18).

[0059] The order management server 3 creates order management information (shown in Figure 9) related to the order (T19) based on the order information identified by the cooking instruction number included in the received cooking completion information (order information whose status includes the cooking instruction number). Then, the order management server 3 sends a cooking completion notification to the mobile terminal 1 that placed the order (T20). When the mobile terminal 1 receives the cooking completion notification from the order management server 3 (including the name of the cooked product and information of tenant T that provides the product), it displays a message on the display unit 16 indicating that the ordered product has been cooked (including the name of the product and information of tenant T that provides the product) (T21). The customer or member sees the message displayed on the display unit 16 and goes to tenant T to pick up the cooked product.

[0060] Furthermore, the order management server 3 stores the order management information created in T19 in the order management unit 333 (T22). In other words, the order management unit 333 stores the order management information related to each ordered product.

[0061] Furthermore, when the aggregation key 371 is operated, the order management server 3 performs various aggregations related to the ordered goods based on all the order management information stored in the order management unit 333 (T31). The order management server 3 performs various aggregations related to the ordered goods (food and beverages) by country based on all the order management information stored in the order management unit 333. Specifically, the order management server 3 performs various aggregations related to the ordered goods (food and beverages) by country based on the nationality information stored in the nationality information unit 3337 and the language information stored in the language information unit 3338. Specific examples of country-specific aggregations will be described later in Figures 17 to 19.

[0062] Next, we will explain the control of mobile terminal 1. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing related to member registration for mobile terminal 1. As shown in Figure 12, the control unit 100 of mobile terminal 1 accepts input of member information (name, address, telephone number, mobile terminal 1 address, nationality information, etc.) (S11). Next, the control unit 100 displays a number of nationality options in a pull-down format for the customer to select the nationality of the customer who will become a member (S12). When the customer selects one nationality from the displayed nationalities, the control unit 100 selects the nationality of that customer (S13). Then, when the member registration key 171 is operated, the control unit 100 sends application information including member information to the order management server 3 to apply for member registration (S14).

[0063] Next, the control unit 100 determines whether it has received a member code from the order management server 3 (S15). It waits until it receives the code (No in S15), and if it determines that it has received the member code (Yes in S15), the control unit 100 stores the received member code in the member code section 122 (S16). Then the control unit 100 terminates the member registration process. Until the member code is stored in S15, the address of the mobile terminal 1 entered in S11 is stored in the member code section 122. The address is stored in the member code section 122 when the application software is installed on the mobile terminal 1. In other words, the member code is stored in the member code section 122 of the mobile terminal 1 of a registered member, and the address of the mobile terminal 1 is stored in the member code section 122 of a mobile terminal 1 of a customer who has not registered as a member.

[0064] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing related to product order placement on the mobile terminal 1. As shown in Figure 13, the control unit 100 displays an initial screen (S21). This initial screen is displayed in Japanese. The control unit 100 stores Japanese language information in the language selection unit 132. Next, the control unit 100 determines whether a language has been selected by operating the language selection key 172 (S22). If it is determined that a language has been selected (Yes in S22), the control unit 100 stores language information indicating the selected language in the language selection unit 132 (S23).

[0065] Next, the control unit 100 displays the orderable menu using the language stored in the language selection unit 132 (S24). This menu contains product information stored in the menu master 123. If it is determined that no language has been selected (No. in S22), the control unit 100 executes the process in S24 without executing the process in S23.

[0066] Next, the control unit 100 determines whether an item has been selected from the displayed menu (S25). If it determines that an item has been selected (Yes in S25), the control unit 100 reads the item code of the selected item from the menu master 123 and stores it in the order information unit 131 (S26). If it determines that no item has been selected (No in S25) or after performing the process in S26, the control unit 100 determines whether the order key 173 has been operated (S27). If it determines that the order key 173 has not been operated (No in S27), the control unit 100 returns to S25. If it determines that the order key 173 has been operated (Yes in S27), the control unit 100 then determines whether a member code is stored in the member code unit 122 (S28). If the control unit 100 determines that a member code is stored (Yes in S28), it creates order information by adding the member code stored in the member code unit 122 to the product code stored in the order information unit 131, and sends the order information to the order management server 3 (S29). On the other hand, if the control unit 100 determines that a member code is not stored in the member code unit 122 (i.e., the address of the mobile terminal 1 is stored) (No in S28), it creates order information by adding the address stored in the member code unit 122 to the product code stored in the order information unit 131, and sends the order information to the order management server 3 (S30).

[0067] After executing the process in S29 or S30, the control unit 100 determines whether it has received a cooking completion notification from the order management server 3 (S31). It waits until it receives the notification (No in S31), and if it determines that it has received the cooking completion notification (Yes in S31), the control unit 100 displays a message on the display unit 16 indicating that the ordered product has been cooked based on the received cooking completion notification (S32). Alternatively, it broadcasts an audio message indicating that the ordered product has been cooked. The customer or member who has seen the message goes to tenant T to pick up the product.

[0068] Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the order management server 3. Figure 14 is a functional block diagram showing the functional configuration of the order management server 3. The control unit 300 of the order management server 3 functions as a storage means 301, a cooking instruction means 302, a nationality acquisition means 303, an aggregation means 304, and a member determination means 305, according to the control program stored in the control program unit 321 of the ROM 32.

[0069] The storage means 301 stores the food and beverage order information received from the mobile terminal 1 used to order food and beverages. Specifically, the storage means 301 stores the food and beverage order information received from the mobile terminal 1 used to order food and beverages in the order storage unit 331.

[0070] The cooking instruction means 302 issues cooking instructions for an order based on the stored order information. Specifically, the cooking instruction means 302 obtains the product code of the ordered product based on the order information stored in the order storage unit 331, obtains the tenant T corresponding to that product code stored in the menu master 323, and sends a cooking instruction for that product code to the tenant T. The cooking instruction includes a cooking instruction number that identifies the cooking instruction.

[0071] The nationality acquisition means 303 acquires the nationality information of the customer who placed the order from the mobile terminal 1 based on the received order information.

[0072] The aggregation means 304 aggregates the number of customers according to the nationality information acquired by the nationality acquisition means 303. In this embodiment, the aggregation means 304 further aggregates the number of customers according to the nationality information acquired by the nationality acquisition means 303 and by tenant T. In another embodiment, the aggregation means 304 further aggregates the number of customers according to the nationality information acquired by the nationality acquisition means 303 and by product type.

[0073] The member identification means 305 determines whether the order information stored in the storage means 301 includes a member code that identifies the customer who has become a member.

[0074] If the member determination means 305 determines that the order information contains a member code, the nationality acquisition means 303 retrieves the nationality information stored in the member master 322 corresponding to that member code.

[0075] If the member determination means 305 determines that the order information does not contain a member code (but does contain language information), the nationality acquisition means 303 retrieves the nationality information stored in the language nationality unit 324 corresponding to the language information.

[0076] Next, we will explain the control of the order management server 3. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing for the order management server 3. As shown in Figure 15, the control unit 300 of the order management server 3 determines whether it has received a member registration application from the mobile terminal 1 (S41). If it determines that it has received a member registration application (Yes in S41), the control unit 300 performs member registration processing for the customer based on the received member registration application (S42). Specifically, the control unit 300 generates a new member code based on the received member registration application and creates a new file in the member master as shown in Figure 6. In the member registration processing in S42, nationality information is stored in association with the generated member code. The control unit 300 then sends the generated member code to the mobile terminal 1 that submitted the member registration application (S43). The control unit 300 then returns to S41.

[0077] Furthermore, if it is determined that the received message is not a membership registration application (No. in S41), the control unit 300 determines whether it has received order information from the mobile terminal 1 (S51). If it determines that it has received order information (Yes in S51), the storage means 301 stores the received order information in the order storage unit 331 (S52).

[0078] Next, the member determination means 305 determines whether the order information stored in the order storage unit 331 includes a member code (S53). If it determines that a member code is included (Yes in S53), the nationality acquisition means 303 acquires the corresponding nationality information from the member master 322 based on the member code (S54). In other words, in the process of S54, the nationality of the member is acquired. The control unit 300 then creates order information as shown in Figure 8, including the acquired nationality information (S55). The control unit 300 then stores the created order information in the order information unit 332 (S57). The cooking instruction means 302 then transmits cooking instruction information (including the product code of the product to be cooked and the cooking instruction number) to the order receiving terminal 5 of tenant T that will cook the product, based on the order information stored in the order information unit 332 (S58). The control unit 300 then returns to S41. The cooking instruction number is generated when the order information is created in S55 and is stored in the order information (status unit 3329) in S57.

[0079] On the other hand, if the order information stored in the order storage unit 331 does not include a member code (i.e., it includes the address of the mobile terminal 1) (No. in S53), the control unit 300 creates the order information shown in Figure 8, which includes the address, in the member code unit 3323 (S56). In this case, no nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3327. The control unit 300 then executes the process in S57, and the cooking instruction means 302 executes the process in S58. The control unit 300 then returns to S41.

[0080] Furthermore, if it is determined that the order information was not received from mobile terminal 1 (No in S51), the control unit 300 determines whether it has received cooking completion information from order receiving terminal 5 (S61). If it is determined that cooking completion information has been received (Yes in S61), the control unit 300 searches the status unit 3329 based on the cooking instruction number included in the received cooking completion information and creates order management information as shown in Figure 9 based on the order information containing the cooking instruction number (S62). In the created order management information, if the customer is a member, the member code is stored in the member code unit 3333, and if the customer is not a member, the address of mobile terminal 1 is stored in the member code unit 3333. The control unit 300 then sends a cooking completion notification for the ordered product to the mobile terminal 1 that placed the order (S63). The control unit 300 then stores the order management information created in S62 in the order management unit 333 (S64). The control unit 300 then returns to S41.

[0081] Furthermore, if it is determined that the order acceptance terminal 5 has not received cooking completion information (No. in S61), the control unit 300 determines whether the aggregation key 371 has been operated (S71). If it is determined that the aggregation key 371 has been operated (Yes in S71), the control unit 300 then individually determines whether nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3337 for all order management information stored in the order management unit 333 (S72). If it is determined that nationality information is not stored (No. in S72), the nationality acquisition means 303 acquires the corresponding nationality information from the language nationality unit 324 based on the language information stored in the language information unit 3338 (S73). In other words, in the process of S73, for non-members, the nationality of the non-member is acquired based on the selected display language.

[0082] The aggregation means 304 then determines whether it has determined whether nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3337 for all order management information stored in the order management unit 333 (S74). If it determines that it has not yet determined all of the order management information (No in S74), the control unit 300 returns to S72 and makes a determination for the next order management information. If it determines that it has determined whether nationality information is stored in the nationality information unit 3337 for all of the order management information (Yes in S74), the aggregation means 304 performs aggregations for customers and members who used the food court F by nationality, based on the nationality information obtained in S54 and the nationality information obtained in S73 (S75).

[0083] Here, we will explain an example of aggregation performed in S75. Figure 17 shows the sales amount, number of customers, average customer spending, and number of items ordered at Food Court F, aggregated by nationality. Based on the nationality information stored in the nationality information unit 3337 in Figure 9 and the nationality information obtained from the language information unit 3338, aggregations are performed for customers and members who used Food Court F by country A, B, C, and D, for example, as shown in Figure 17 (in the example of Figure 17, sales amount, number of customers, average customer spending, and number of items ordered by nationality). In the example of Figure 17, it can be seen that customers of nationality A spent 10,000 yen on food and drinks at Food Court F, there were 5 customers, the average customer spending was 2,000 yen, and the number of items ordered was 5. Similar aggregations are performed for customers of nationality B, C, and D.

[0084] Figure 18 shows the aggregated data from Figure 17, further broken down by tenant T. The data aggregated by nationality in Figure 17 is further aggregated by tenant T based on the tenant code stored in the tenant code section 3335 of Figure 9. For example, two customers or members of nationality A ordered products provided by tenant A, totaling 5,000 yen; two customers or members of nationality A ordered products provided by tenant B, totaling 4,000 yen; and one customer or member of nationality A ordered products provided by tenant C, totaling 1,000 yen. Similar aggregations are performed for customers of nationality B, C, and D.

[0085] Figure 19 shows the aggregated data from Figure 17, further broken down by product. The data aggregated by nationality in Figure 17 is further aggregated by product based on the product codes stored in the product code section 3331 of Figure 9. For example, it is calculated that there are 2 customers or members of nationality A who ordered product A for 5,000 yen, 1 customer or member of nationality A who ordered product B for 2,000 yen, and 1 customer or member of nationality A who ordered product C for 2,000 yen. The same aggregation is performed for customers of nationality B, nationality C, and nationality D.

[0086] In this way, by performing aggregation based on nationality information (or by combining it with other information) using the order management information stored in the order management unit 333 in Figure 9, it is possible to perform aggregations related to customers and members who used the food court F by nationality.

[0087] Next, we will explain the control of the order receiving terminal 5. Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing for the order receiving terminal 5. As shown in Figure 16, the control unit 500 of the order receiving terminal 5 determines whether it has received a cooking instruction from the order management server 3 (S81). If it determines that a cooking instruction has been received (Yes in S81), it stores the product information (product code, product name, cooking instruction number, etc.) included in the received cooking instruction in the order information unit 531 (S82). The control unit 500 then outputs the product information stored in the order information unit 531 (S83). Outputting the product information means, for example, displaying the product information (product code, product name, etc.) of the product to be cooked on the display unit 56 of the order receiving terminal 5, or on a display unit (not shown) installed in the kitchen. Alternatively, for example, it means printing the product information (product code, product name, etc.) of the product to be cooked from the printer 58. The control unit 500 then returns to S81.

[0088] Furthermore, if the control unit 500 determines that it has not received a cooking instruction from the order management server 3 (No. in S81), it determines whether the cooking completion key 571 has been operated (S84). If it has not been operated (No. in S84), it returns to S81. If it determines that the cooking completion key 571 has been operated (Yes in S84), the control unit 500 sends cooking completion information (including the product code and cooking instruction number) to the order management server 3 (S85). Then the control unit 500 returns to S81.

[0089] As described above, the order management server 3 according to the embodiment includes a storage means 301 for storing food and beverage order information received from a mobile terminal 1 for ordering food and beverages, a cooking instruction means 302 for issuing cooking instructions related to the order based on the stored order information, a nationality acquisition means 303 for acquiring the nationality information of the customer who placed the order from the mobile terminal 1 based on the order information, and an aggregation means 304 for performing aggregations related to the customer or member according to the acquired nationality information.

[0090] The order management server 3, with this configuration, can perform aggregations related to customers or members using food court F, categorized by nationality. Therefore, it becomes possible to obtain information about customers using food court F, categorized by nationality.

[0091] Furthermore, the order management server 3 according to this embodiment can obtain information about members using the food court F, categorized by nationality, based on the nationality information registered in advance during member registration.

[0092] Furthermore, the order management server 3 according to this embodiment can obtain the customer's nationality information based on the language information of the information displayed on the mobile terminal 1, and can then grasp information about non-members using the food court F by nationality.

[0093] Furthermore, the order management server 3 according to this embodiment can grasp information on the total number of members and non-members using the food court F, broken down by nationality, based on the nationality information obtained for members and the nationality information obtained for non-members.

[0094] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents.

[0095] For example, in this embodiment, for members, both nationality information and language information are stored as management information as shown in Figure 9. However, this is not the only option; nationality information alone may also be stored.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the member master 322 was described as being owned by the order management server 3. However, the member master 322 is not limited to this and may be a device other than the order management server 3.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the order management server 3 was described as being located in the food court F. However, the order management server 3 is not limited to this location, and may be located in a place other than the food court F, or it may be a cloud server located on the cloud, for example.

[0098] Furthermore, the embodiments described an example in which the present invention is applied to a food court F. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to a single store.

[0099] In this embodiment, when the aggregation key 371 is operated, the order management unit 333 performs aggregation by nationality based on the order information stored in the order management unit 333. However, the invention is not limited to this, and aggregation may be performed automatically at predetermined intervals (for example, daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, or yearly).

[0100] Furthermore, in the embodiment, examples of customer aggregation by nationality were explained using Figures 17, 18, and 19. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and customer aggregation by nationality may be performed using criteria other than those shown in Figures 17, 18, and 19. For example, the date and time information stored in the order date and time unit 3336 in Figure 9 may be used to perform aggregation of customers by nationality and time of day, or by nationality and day of the week.

[0101] The program executed by the order management server 3 in this embodiment is provided as an installable or executable file recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, or DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0102] Furthermore, the program executed by the order management server 3 of the embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Alternatively, the program executed by the order management server 3 of the embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0103] Alternatively, the program executed by the order management server 3 in this embodiment may be pre-installed and provided in ROM or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 1. Mobile device 3. Order Management Server 5. Order receiving terminal 16 Display 17 Control section 100 Control Unit 122 Member Code Section 131 Order Information Department 132 Select Language Section 171 Membership Registration Key 172 Language selection keys 173 Order Key 300 Control Unit 301 Memory means 302 Cooking instruction means 303 Means of acquiring nationality 304 Aggregation methods 305 Membership determination method 322 Member Master 323 Menu Master 324 Language and Nationality Section 331 Order Storage Unit 332 Order Information Department 333 Order Management Department 500 Control Unit 531 Order Information Department 571 Cooking completion key 1311 Member Code Section 1312 Product Code Section 1313 Select Language Section 3221 Member Code Section 3222 Member Name Section 3223 Attribute information section 3224 Address section 3225 Nationality Information Department 3231 Product Code Section 3233 Amount section 3234 Tenant Information Department 3321 Product Code Section 3323 Member Code Section 3324 Amount section 3325 Tenant Code Section 3327 Nationality Information Department 3328 Language Information Department 3331 Product Code Section 3333 Member Code Section 3334 Amount section 3335 Tenant Code Section 3337 Nationality Information Department 3338 Language Information Department [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0105] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-157695

Claims

1. A storage means for storing the food and beverage order information received from an order terminal for ordering food and beverages, A cooking instruction means that issues cooking instructions for the order based on the stored order information, A nationality acquisition means for acquiring the nationality information of a customer who placed an order from the order terminal based on the aforementioned order information, A means for performing aggregations related to the customer, based on the acquired nationality information, An order management device equipped with this system.

2. The system further comprises a means for determining whether the order information includes member identification information that identifies the customer, The nationality acquisition means, when the member determination means determines that the order information includes the member identification information, acquires the nationality information corresponding to the member identification information from a member master, which stores member information of registered customers on a member-by-member basis, including the member identification information and nationality information indicating the nationality of the customer. The order management device according to claim 1.

3. The order information includes language information indicating the language of the information to be displayed on the order terminal, selected by the customer on the order terminal. The means for acquiring nationality, when the means for determining membership determines that the order information does not contain the member identification information, acquires the customer's nationality based on the language information. The order management device according to claim 2.

4. The aggregation means aggregates the number of customers by nationality information and by tenant that provides the ordered food and beverages. The order management device according to claim 1.

5. The aggregation means aggregates the number of customers by nationality information and by type of food and beverage. The order management device according to claim 1.

6. A computer as an order management device, A storage means for storing the food and beverage order information received from an order terminal for ordering food and beverages, A cooking instruction means that issues cooking instructions for the order based on the stored order information, A nationality acquisition means for acquiring the nationality information of a customer who placed an order from the order terminal based on the aforementioned order information, A means for performing aggregations related to the customer, based on the acquired nationality information, A program that can function as such.

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