Business support system, business support method, and business support program

Abstract

To provide a business support system, a business support method, and a business support program capable of improving the business efficiency of a restaurant.SOLUTION: A business support system according to the present invention includes a prediction processing unit that predicts the amount of food to be served to users in a restaurant, a determination processing unit that determines the amount of use of specific ingredients among the ingredients used for cooking based on the amount of service predicted by the prediction processing unit, and an output processing unit that outputs a work instruction for a preparation work that makes the specific ingredients available in the amount of use determined by the determination processing unit for cooking the food.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a business support system, a business support method, and a business support program that support kitchen operations in a food service facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, systems that can improve the efficiency of staff operations such as cooking and serving food at restaurants and other food service facilities are known. For example, such systems include a means for detecting the consumption status of items served to customers using a sensor and cooking and serving the next item at the optimal timing, a means for staff to grasp the type of item, price, serving table, serving status, etc. using an IC chip embedded in the tableware, and a means for customers to check whether all of their ordered items have been served. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-107624 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a restaurant, kitchen tasks are diverse, including preparing ingredients for dishes served to customers, cooking the dishes using the prepared ingredients, and ordering ingredients. For example, staff members predict the number of dishes to be served to customers in advance and perform tasks such as thawing and preparing the necessary amount of ingredients. Conventionally, these various kitchen tasks have been performed based on the experience of staff members and the restaurant's own manuals, leading to problems such as inconsistencies among staff members and food waste (waste).

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a business support system, a business support method, and a business support program that can improve the business efficiency of food and beverage establishments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The business support system of the present invention is a system comprising a prediction processing unit that predicts the quantity of food to be served to customers at a food service facility, a determination processing unit that determines the quantity of specific ingredients to be used in the food based on the quantity to be served predicted by the prediction processing unit, and an output processing unit that outputs work instructions for preparatory work to make the quantity of the specific ingredients to be used determined by the determination processing unit usable for cooking the food.

[0007] The business support method of the present invention is a method in which one or more processors execute a prediction step of predicting the quantity of food to be served to customers at a food service facility, a determination step of determining the quantity of specific ingredients to be used in the food based on the quantity to be served predicted by the prediction step, and an output step of outputting work instructions for preparatory work to make the quantity of the specific ingredients to be used determined by the determination step usable for cooking the food.

[0008] The business support program of the present invention is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the following steps: a prediction step for predicting the quantity of food to be served to customers at a food service facility; a determination step for determining the quantity of specific ingredients to be used in the food based on the quantity to be served predicted by the prediction step; and an output step for outputting work instructions for preparatory work to make the quantity of the specific ingredients to be used determined by the determination step usable for cooking the food. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a business support system, a business support method, and a business support program that can improve the business efficiency of food and beverage establishments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a business support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of reservation information used in the business support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of menu information used in the task support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of store visit history information used in the business support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of ingredient inventory information used in the task support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of ingredient preparation information used in the task support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for creating a cooking menu according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a work instruction page displayed on the facility terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a work instruction page displayed on the facility terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a work instruction page displayed on the facility terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a work instruction page displayed on a facility terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the work support process executed by the work support system according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to help understand the present invention. Note that the following embodiments are examples that embody the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] [Business Support System 1] 1, a business support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a business support device 2, a user terminal 3, and a facility terminal 4. The business support device 2, the user terminal 3, and the facility terminal 4 can communicate with each other via a communication network N1 such as the Internet, a LAN, a WAN, or a public telephone line.

[0013] The business support device 2 is a server capable of managing reservations for a restaurant that provides food and beverages, managing ingredients for the restaurant, managing kitchen operations, and managing staff attendance at the restaurant. For example, the business support device 2 can accept reservations for the restaurant from a user terminal 3, output work instructions such as instructions for preparing ingredients and cooking instructions to a facility terminal 4, accept ingredient ordering instructions from the facility terminal 4, and order ingredients from ingredient suppliers. Note that the restaurant is not limited to a restaurant, but may be any type of facility (such as an entertainment facility or accommodation facility) that can provide food and beverages to users. The business support device 2 may be located in the restaurant or outside the restaurant.

[0014] The user terminal 3 is an information processing device operated by a user who searches for and requests reservations at a facility. The facility terminal 4 is an information processing device located corresponding to each dining facility, and manages dining facility reservations, food menus, ingredients, etc., and notifies staff of preparation instructions and cooking instructions obtained from the business support device 2. The facility terminal 4 may be one or more personal computers, or may be a mobile terminal carried by each staff member at the dining facility. The business support system 1 may include one or more user terminals 3 and multiple facility terminals 4 located at each dining facility.

[0015] In this embodiment, the business support device 2 alone corresponds to the business support system according to the present invention, but the business support system according to the present invention may include one or more of the components of the business support device 2, the user terminal 3, and the facility terminal 4. For example, when the components of the business support device 2, the user terminal 3, and the facility terminal 4 cooperate to share and execute the business support process (see FIG. 12) described below, a system including multiple components that execute the process can be considered as the business support system according to the present invention. For example, the business support device 2 and the facility terminal 4 may constitute the business support system according to the present invention. Alternatively, the facility terminal 4 alone may constitute the business support system according to the present invention. Alternatively, the business support device 2 and the facility terminal 4 may be an integrated device.

[0016] [Business support device 2] 1, the business support device 2 is a server including a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, an operation display unit 23, and a communication I / F 24. The business support device 2 is not limited to a single computer, but may be a computer system in which multiple computers operate in cooperation with each other. Furthermore, various processes executed by the business support device 2 may be executed in a distributed manner by one or multiple processors.

[0017] The communication I / F 24 is a communication interface that connects the business support device 2 to the communication network N1 via a wired or wireless connection and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol with external devices such as a user terminal 3 and a facility terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

[0018] The operation display unit 23 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations.

[0019] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various types of information. Specifically, the storage unit 22 stores data such as reservation information D1, menu information D2, restaurant visit history information D3, ingredient inventory information D4, and ingredient preparation information D5.

[0020] The reservation information D1 includes information regarding the reservation quantity for each food menu item at the dining facility. Figure 2 shows an example of the reservation information D1 for dining facility T1. As shown in Figure 2, the reservation information D1 includes information such as the "visit date," "number of reserved guests," and "food menu." The visit date is the planned date (reservation date) when the user (customer) will visit the restaurant. The number of reserved guests is the total number of people who have made reservations (reservation guests) for each visit date. The food menu items are food menu items that the dining facility T1 can provide to users and are available for reservation. The food menu items for dining facility T1 include multiple food menu items such as menu items M1, M2, M3, etc. The total reservation quantity for each food menu item is registered in the reservation information D1 for each visit date. For example, currently, for "June 5, 2021," reservations have been registered for menu M1 with a reservation quantity of "4" (for four people), menu M2 with a reservation quantity of "2" (for two people), and menu M3 with a reservation quantity of "3" (for three people). The control unit 21 updates the reservation information D1 each time a reservation is received from a user. Note that the control unit 21 can also accept reservations from users who do not select a food menu (reservations for seats only). Here, reservation information D1 for dining facility T1 is shown, but the memory unit 22 may contain multiple pieces of reservation information D1 for each dining facility. The control unit 21 may also obtain reservation information D1 from the facility terminal 4 of dining facility T1 and store it in the memory unit 22.

[0021] Menu information D2 includes information (recipe information) regarding the ingredients and quantities of ingredients used for each dish menu. FIG. 3 shows an example of menu information D2 for dining facility T1. As shown in FIG. 3, menu information D2 includes information regarding the names of ingredients used in each dish menu and information regarding the quantities used for each dish menu. For example, menu M1 uses ingredients F1 to F5. Menu M1 also uses C11 (grams (g)) of ingredient F1, C12 (g) of ingredient F2, C13 (g) of ingredient F3, C14 (g) of ingredient F4, and C15 (g) of ingredient F5. The dish menu may be a la carte dishes or set meals (e.g., a dish consisting of a main dish and a side dish). The ingredients include various ingredients such as meats such as chicken, pork, and beef, vegetables such as carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, Japanese mustard spinach, and bok choy, fish such as mackerel, salmon, and tuna, and fruits such as mandarin oranges, apples, and bananas. The control unit 21 acquires menu information D2 from the facility terminal 4 of the dining facility T1 and stores it in the memory unit 22. For example, the manager of the dining facility T1 can register and update the menu information D2 on the facility terminal 4.

[0022] The visit history information D3 includes information about past visitor history at a dining facility. FIG. 4 shows an example of the visit history information D3 for dining facility T1. As shown in FIG. 4, the visit history information D3 includes information such as the "visit date," "number of visitors," and "food menu." The visit date is the past date on which a user (customer) visited the restaurant. The number of visitors is the total number of users who visited the restaurant on each visit date. The visit history information D3 registers the total serving quantity (number of orders) of each menu item for each visit date. For example, "May 1, 2021" indicates that the serving quantity of menu M1 is "6" (serves 6 people), the serving quantity of menu M2 is "5" (serves 5 people), and the serving quantity of menu M3 is "3" (serves 3 people). For example, the control unit 21 obtains information such as order history from the facility terminal 4 and registers it in the visit history information D3 each time business hours for the day end. The restaurant visit history information D3 may also register the number of customers and the quantity of each dish served by time period (e.g., lunchtime, dinnertime, etc.). The restaurant visit history information D3 may also register the attributes of customers (gender, age, family demographic, couples, etc.) in association with the number of customers and the quantity of each dish served.

[0023] The ingredient inventory information D4 includes information regarding the inventory quantity of each ingredient. FIG. 5 shows an example of ingredient inventory information D4 for the dining facility T1. As shown in FIG. 5, the ingredient inventory information D4 includes information such as "ingredient," "inventory quantity," "frozen inventory quantity," "thawed inventory quantity," "refrigerated inventory quantity," and "room-temperature inventory quantity." The inventory quantity is the quantity of ingredients currently in stock at the dining facility T1. For example, the inventory quantity may be the quantity registered by staff at the dining facility T1 after checking the inventory of each ingredient. The frozen inventory quantity is the inventory quantity of frozen ingredients stored in a frozen state. The frozen ingredients are stored, for example, in a freezer. The thawed inventory quantity is the inventory quantity of thawed ingredients stored in a thawed state. The thawed ingredients are stored, for example, in a refrigerator or a room-temperature storage facility. The refrigerated inventory quantity is the inventory quantity of refrigerated ingredients stored in a refrigerated state. The refrigerated ingredients are stored, for example, in a refrigerator. The room-temperature inventory quantity is the inventory quantity of room-temperature ingredients stored at room temperature. The room temperature food materials are stored, for example, in a room temperature storage cabinet.

[0024] The inventory quantity is the total of the frozen inventory quantity, the thawed inventory quantity, the refrigerated inventory quantity, and the room-temperature inventory quantity. For example, if the frozen inventory quantity for food ingredient F1 is "Z11" and the thawed inventory quantity is "Z12," then the inventory quantity "Z1" for food ingredient F1 is "Z11 + Z12." For example, if the frozen inventory quantity for food ingredient F2 is "Z21," the thawed inventory quantity is "Z22," and the refrigerated inventory quantity is "Z23," then the inventory quantity "Z2" for food ingredient F2 is "Z21 + Z22 + Z23." Here, for example, of the inventory quantity "Z1" for food ingredient F1, the portion of food ingredient F1 corresponding to "Z11" is frozen and stored, and the portion of food ingredient F1 corresponding to "Z12" has been thawed and stored.

[0025] The ingredient preparation information D5 includes information regarding the preparation time for each ingredient. The preparation includes at least one of thawing and one or more pre-processing tasks. Figure 6 shows an example of ingredient preparation information D5 for a food service facility T1. As shown in Figure 6, ingredient preparation information D5 includes information such as "ingredients," "thawing task," and "pre-processing task." Here, thawing methods for frozen ingredients include, for example, natural thawing (thawing at room temperature), refrigerator thawing (thawing in a refrigerator), and running water thawing. The thawing tasks in ingredient preparation information D5 include "natural thawing," "refrigerator thawing," and "running water thawing" corresponding to each thawing method. In ingredient preparation information D5, "t11" represents the time (working time) required for natural thawing of frozen ingredient F1, "t12" represents the time (working time) required for refrigerator thawing of ingredient F1, and "t13" represents the time (working time) required for running water thawing of ingredient F1.

[0026] Furthermore, ingredient preparation methods include cutting ingredients to a predetermined size, heating ingredients in hot water, fire, or a microwave, and stewing. The preparation tasks in ingredient preparation information D5 include "cutting," "heating," and "stewing" corresponding to each preparation method. However, the preparation tasks are not limited to these. "t14" in ingredient preparation information D5 represents the time (work time) required to cut ingredient F1, "t15" represents the time (work time) required to heat ingredient F1, and "t16" represents the time (work time) required to stew ingredient F1. Note that, because ingredient F1 is a frozen ingredient, the preparation task for ingredient F1 is performed after the thawing task is completed. Ingredients F1, F2, F5, and F6 registered in ingredient preparation information D5 represent frozen ingredients, while ingredients F3 and F4 represent non-frozen ingredients (refrigerated ingredients, room-temperature ingredients, etc.).

[0027] For example, the manager of dining facility T1 can obtain the work time for thawing and preparation for each ingredient and register it in ingredient preparation information D5 on facility terminal 4. Alternatively, control unit 21 can obtain information on the work time for thawing and preparation for each ingredient and register it in ingredient preparation information D5.

[0028] In another embodiment, some or all of the reservation information D1, menu information D2, store visit history information D3, ingredient inventory information D4, and ingredient preparation information D5 may be stored in another server accessible from the business support device 2 via the communication network N1. In this case, the control unit 21 of the business support device 2 may acquire the information from the other server and execute various processes such as the business support process (see FIG. 12) described below.

[0029] The storage unit 22 also stores layout data and image data for generating various web pages, such as a search page and a reservation page, included in the reservation site displayed on the user terminal 3. The storage unit 22 also stores layout data and image data for generating various web pages, such as work instruction pages P1 to P4 (see FIGS. 8 to 11) included in the business support site displayed on the facility terminal 4. The work instruction pages P1 to P4 are notification screens that notify the staff member in charge of starting each task, such as pre-processing and cooking. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the business support device 2 generates the various web pages and transmits the web page information to the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4, thereby displaying the various web pages on the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4. In another embodiment, the control unit 21 of the business support device 2 may transmit data necessary for displaying the various web pages to the user terminal 3 and the facility terminal 4, thereby causing the control unit 31 of the user terminal 3 and the control unit 41 of the facility terminal 4 to display the various web pages.

[0030] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 stores control programs such as a business assistance program for causing the control unit 21 to execute a business assistance process (see FIG. 12 ) described below. For example, the business assistance program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or a DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a CD drive or a DVD drive provided in the business assistance device 2 and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0031] The control unit 21 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various types of arithmetic processing. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various types of arithmetic processing are pre-stored. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various types of information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for various types of processing executed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the business assistance device 2 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22.

[0032] Here, an example of the procedure for preparing a menu item (dish) will be described. FIG. 7 shows the procedure for preparing menu item M1. For example, if menu item M1 is to be served to a customer (guest) at time t6, the staff member begins thawing the ingredients (e.g., ingredient F1) used in menu item M1 at time t1. If the thawing method for ingredient F1 is natural thawing, the staff member, for example, removes ingredient F1 stored in a freezer from the freezer and allows it to thaw naturally. In this case, natural thawing of ingredient F1 takes time t11 (see FIG. 6). Then, at time t2, the staff member begins the preparation work for ingredient F1. For example, the staff member cuts the thawed ingredient F1. The cutting work corresponds to "preparation work A" in FIG. 7. The cutting work of ingredient F1 takes time t14 (see FIG. 6). Then, at time t3, the staff member begins the next preparation work. For example, the staff member simmers the cut ingredient F1. The simmering work corresponds to "preparation work B" in FIG. 7. The simmering work of ingredient F1 takes time t16 (see FIG. 6). Then, at time t4, the staff member begins cooking the menu. For example, the staff member begins cooking menu M1 using pre-prepared ingredients F1. When cooking of menu M1 is completed at time t5, the staff member serves menu M1 to the customer at time t6. In this way, the staff member prepares menu M1 by performing multiple preparation and cooking steps.

[0033] Here, ingredient F1 is used as an example of an ingredient used in menu M1, but one or more ingredients other than ingredient F1 may be included. If menu M1 uses multiple ingredients, the staff will perform each preparation work so that the preparation work for each ingredient is completed by cooking start time t4.

[0034] For example, staff members predict the number of dishes to be served to customers and perform tasks such as thawing and prepping the required number of ingredients. Conventionally, such tasks have been performed based on the experience of the staff members and the restaurant's own manuals, resulting in problems such as inconsistency among staff members and food waste (waste). In the example shown in FIG. 7, problems arise such as variations in the start times t1 to t3 of each preparation task among staff members and variations in the quantity of food ingredients F1 to be thawed among staff members. In response to these problems, the business support device 2 according to this embodiment can improve the operational efficiency of a restaurant.

[0035] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as an acquisition processing unit 211, a prediction processing unit 212, a decision processing unit 213, an output processing unit 214, and a management processing unit 215. The control unit 21 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes in accordance with the business support program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units may be configured as electronic circuits. The business support program may be a program for causing multiple processors to function as the processing units. The following description will be given using a dining establishment T1 as an example.

[0036] The acquisition processing unit 211 acquires reservation information for the dining facility T1. Specifically, the acquisition processing unit 211 acquires reservation information for the dining facility T1 from reservation information D1 (see FIG. 2). For example, the acquisition processing unit 211 acquires the number of customers who have made reservations and the reservation quantities for each food menu for the day of business, each visit day, or a specified period. For example, at 9:00 a.m. on the day of business, the acquisition processing unit 211 acquires the number of customers who have made reservations for the day after 6:00 p.m. and the reservation quantities for each food menu.

[0037] The prediction processing unit 212 predicts the quantity of food to be served to customers at the dining facility T1. Specifically, the prediction processing unit 212 predicts the number of customers on the serving date based on at least one of the serving date on which the food menu is to be served, reservation information for that serving date (including reservation rate, reserved course, etc.), and past restaurant visit history, and predicts the quantity to be served based on the number of customers. For example, the prediction processing unit 212 predicts the number of customers and the quantity to be served on the serving date based on at least one of the number of customers making reservations and the reserved quantities of the food menu acquired by the acquisition processing unit 211 from reservation information D1 (see FIG. 2), and the number of customers and the quantity to be served of the food menu registered in restaurant visit history information D3 (see FIG. 4).

[0038] For example, the prediction processing unit 212 predicts the number of customers who will visit on a business day based on the number of customers who have made reservations for that business day registered in the reservation information D1 (see FIG. 2) and the number of customers who have visited on the same day of the week as that business day registered in the visit history information D3 (see FIG. 4). The prediction processing unit 212 also predicts the serving quantity of menu M1 on a business day based on the predicted number of customers, the reservation quantity for menu M1 on that business day registered in the reservation information D1, and the serving quantity of menu M1 on the same day of the week as that business day registered in the visit history information D3.

[0039] Additionally, data associating the number of customers with the serving quantities of each dish may be stored in advance in the storage unit 22. This data may be the restaurant visit history information D3, or statistical data calculated from the restaurant visit history information D3. In this case, the prediction processing unit 212 may refer to the data and predict the serving quantity of the menu item M1 associated with the predicted number of customers as the serving quantity of the menu item M1 on the business day.

[0040] The prediction processing unit 212 may also predict the number of customers on a serving day based on the serving day on which a food menu is served, and predict the serving quantity based on the number of customers. For example, the prediction processing unit 212 predicts the number of customers based on information such as the day of the week, date, and season of the serving day. The prediction processing unit 212 may also predict the number of customers on the serving day based on reservation information for the serving day or past visit history, and predict the serving quantity based on the number of customers.

[0041] In this way, the prediction processing unit 212 predicts the serving quantities (number of servings) of the food menu for the target prediction date. The prediction processing unit 212 may further refer to indicators such as time of day, season, environment, and user attributes (age, gender, family demographic, couples, etc.) to predict the serving quantities of the food menu for the target prediction date. The prediction processing unit 212 is an example of the prediction processing unit of the present invention.

[0042] The determination processing unit 213 determines the quantities of ingredients used in a dish menu. For example, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantities of ingredients F1 to F5 used in menu M1. The determination processing unit 213 also determines the quantities of specific ingredients used in a dish menu. The specific ingredients are, for example, ingredients that require preparation or ingredients that involve multiple preparation steps. Furthermore, if the specific ingredients are ingredients that include multiple parts of meat, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantities of each part, such as fillet and loin, to be used. Here, the specific ingredient corresponding to menu M1 is, for example, ingredient F1, which is a frozen ingredient out of ingredients F1 to F5 used in menu M1.

[0043] For example, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used among ingredients F1 to F5 used in menu M1. Specifically, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used based on the serving quantity of menu M1 predicted by the prediction processing unit 212.

[0044] Furthermore, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantity to be used of the specific ingredient based on the serving quantity predicted by the prediction processing unit 212 and the inventory status of the specific ingredient. For example, the determination processing unit 213 determines the quantity to be used of ingredient F1 based on the serving quantity of menu M1 predicted by the prediction processing unit 212 and the inventory quantity "Z1" of ingredient F1 registered in ingredient inventory information D4 (see FIG. 5). If the inventory quantity "Z1" of ingredient F1 is greater than the specified amount of ingredient F1 used for menu M1, the determination processing unit 213 determines the specified amount as the usage quantity. On the other hand, if the inventory quantity "Z1" of ingredient F1 is less than the specified amount of ingredient F1 used for menu M1, the determination processing unit 213 determines the inventory quantity "Z1" as the usage quantity.

[0045] Furthermore, the determination processing unit 213 may determine the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used based on the "frozen inventory quantity," "thawed inventory quantity," "refrigerated inventory quantity," and "room-temperature inventory quantity" depending on the preparation work of ingredient F1. For example, if the frozen inventory quantity "Z11" of ingredient F1 is greater than the specified amount of ingredient F1 used for menu M1 and the thawed inventory quantity "Z12" is less than the specified amount, thawed ingredient F1 is not used, and frozen ingredient F1 is used. Therefore, the determination processing unit 213 determines the specified amount of frozen inventory quantity "Z11" as the quantity to be used. In this case, frozen ingredient F1 is used for the specified amount of ingredient F1. Here, the quantity to be used of frozen ingredient F1 corresponds to the thawed quantity.

[0046] In this way, when the specific ingredient is a frozen ingredient, the determination processing unit 213 may determine the quantity to be used of the frozen ingredient based on the provision quantity predicted by the prediction processing unit 212, the stock quantity of the frozen ingredient in a frozen state, and the stock quantity of the thawed frozen ingredient. For example, when the thawed inventory quantity "Z12" is greater than the specified amount, the determination processing unit 213 determines the specified amount of the thawed inventory quantity "Z12" as the quantity to be used.

[0047] Here, frozen ingredients may be stored frozen individually or in blocks of multiple ingredients. In this case, the frozen ingredients may be thawed block by block. Therefore, if the specific ingredient is a frozen ingredient and multiple frozen ingredients are frozen as one frozen block, the determination processing unit 213 may determine the number of frozen ingredients to thaw based on the number of frozen ingredients contained in the frozen block. For example, if 10 ingredients F1 are frozen and stored as one frozen block, and the number of ingredients F1 required for menu M1 is 18, the determination processing unit 213 determines two frozen blocks (20 ingredients F1) as the number to be used (the number to thaw). The determination processing unit 213 is an example of a determination processing unit of the present invention.

[0048] The output processing unit 214 outputs each operation instruction for preparing the dish. Specifically, the output processing unit 214 outputs an operation instruction for the preparation operation (preparation operation) for making the specific ingredient (e.g., ingredient F1) in the quantity determined by the determination processing unit 213 available for cooking the dish (menu M1). Furthermore, once the preparation operation for the ingredients is completed, the output processing unit 214 outputs an operation instruction (cooking instruction) for the cooking operation for cooking the dish menu using the ingredients. Furthermore, the output processing unit 214 outputs each operation instruction to the facility terminal 4, and causes the facility terminal 4 to display operation instruction pages P1 to P4 (see FIGS. 8 to 11).

[0049] Specifically, the output processing unit 214 determines the timing to output the work instruction according to at least one of the type of dish menu and the type of the specific ingredient. For example, the output processing unit 214 determines the output timing of the work instruction according to the type of dish menu, such as cold dish, fresh dish, grilled dish, or boiled dish. Furthermore, for example, the output processing unit 214 determines the output timing of the work instruction according to the type of the specific ingredient, such as frozen dish, refrigerated dish, or room temperature dish. Note that the work time for the ingredient (see FIG. 6) that determines the output timing may be set based on the type of dish menu, the type of ingredient, or the like. This allows the output processing unit 214 to output the work instruction based on the work time according to the type of dish menu and the type of ingredient.

[0050] Furthermore, when the preparation work for the specific ingredient includes multiple preparation work steps, the output processing unit 214 outputs the work instructions at the timing of each of the multiple preparation work steps. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the output processing unit 214 outputs the work instructions (instructions I1 to I3) for ingredient F1 at the timings (times t1 to t3) of thawing work, preparation work A (cutting work), and preparation work B (stewing work). Here, the specific ingredient is a frozen ingredient (ingredient F1), and the multiple preparation work steps include thawing work for the frozen ingredient and at least one preparation work for the frozen ingredient.

[0051] The output processing unit 214 also subtracts the work time required for each preparation work from the time when the specific ingredients should be ready for cooking the dish, and outputs the work instructions for each preparation work. For example, in Figure 7, when menu M1 is provided to a user at time t6, cooking of menu M1 is to begin at time t4. In this case, the output processing unit 214 outputs the work instruction for the thawing work (instruction I1) at time t1, which is obtained by subtracting the work time "t11" required for the thawing work, the work time "t14" required for preparation work A (cutting work), and the work time "t16" required for preparation work B (stewing work) from time t4.

[0052] The output processing unit 214 outputs an instruction I1 to the facility terminal 4, causing the facility terminal 4 to display the work instruction page P1 shown in FIG. 8. The work instruction page P1 displays information such as the menu name ("Menu M1"), work content ("Thawing (natural)"), ingredients ("Ingredient F1"), and quantity to be used ("C11 (g)"). Note that on the work instruction page P1, "June 5, 2021" represents the business day, and "10:00" represents the time "t1". After checking the work instruction page P1, the staff member performs the thawing work.

[0053] In addition, the output processing unit 214 outputs a work instruction (instruction I2) for pre-processing work A (cutting work) at time t2, which is obtained by subtracting the work time "t14" required for pre-processing work A (cutting work) and the work time "t16" required for pre-processing work B (stewing work) from time t4 (see Figure 7).

[0054] The output processing unit 214 outputs an instruction I2 to the facility terminal 4, causing it to display the work instruction page P2 shown in FIG. 9. The work instruction page P2 displays information about the work content ("cutting"). Note that on the work instruction page P2, "13:00" represents the time "t2." After checking the work instruction page P2, the staff member performs the cutting work.

[0055] Furthermore, the output processing unit 214 outputs a work instruction (instruction I3) for the pre-processing work B (stewing) at time t3, which is obtained by subtracting the work time "t16" required for the pre-processing work B (stewing) from time t4 (see FIG. 7).

[0056] The output processing unit 214 outputs an instruction I3 to the facility terminal 4, causing the facility terminal 4 to display the work instruction page P3 shown in FIG. 10. The work instruction page P3 displays information about the work content ("stewing"). Note that on the work instruction page P3, "15:00" represents the time "t3." After checking the work instruction page P3, the staff member begins the stewing work.

[0057] In this way, the output processing unit 214 outputs the work instruction at the time when the specific ingredient should be ready for cooking the dish minus the total time required for the remaining preparation tasks. In the above example, if the thawing task and pre-processing task A have been completed and pre-processing task B has not yet been completed, the output processing unit 214 outputs the work instruction for pre-processing task B at time t3, which is the time when the work time "t16" required for pre-processing task B has been subtracted.

[0058] The output processing unit 214 also outputs a cooking instruction (instruction I4) at time t4 (see FIG. 7). The output processing unit 214 outputs instruction I4 to the facility terminal 4, causing it to display the work instruction page P4 shown in FIG. 11. The work instruction page P4 displays information such as the work content ("cooking"), the names and quantities of all ingredients F1 to F5 used in menu M1, and so on. Note that on the work instruction page P4, "18:00" represents the time "t4." After checking the work instruction page P4, the staff member begins cooking.

[0059] In another embodiment, the output processing unit 214 may output the work instructions based on the work shifts of staff at the dining establishment T1. For example, in the above example, if no staff are scheduled to work at time t1, the thawing instructions cannot be output at time t1. In this case, the output processing unit 214 outputs the thawing instructions based on time t10, when the staff arrives at work. Furthermore, if the ingredients F1 are naturally thawed at time t1, cooking of the menu M1 can begin at time t4. However, if the ingredients F1 are naturally thawed at time t10, which is later than time t1, cooking of the menu M1 may not begin at time t4. Therefore, the output processing unit 214 may output a work instruction for thawing using another thawing method (such as thawing in a refrigerator or thawing under running water) at time t10.

[0060] In this way, the output processing unit 214 may select a predetermined decompression method from among a plurality of decompression methods based on the timing of outputting the decompression instruction.

[0061] The management processing unit 215 creates a work plan for the staff of the dining facility T1. Specifically, the management processing unit 215 creates a work plan for the staff of the dining facility T1 based on the instructions in the work instructions. For example, the management processing unit 215 creates a work plan (work shift) including the number of staff members, working hours, etc. for the target day based on thawing instructions for thawing food ingredient F1 on the target day and preparation instructions for preparing food ingredient F1. The management processing unit 215 outputs data of the created work plan to the facility terminal 4.

[0062] In another embodiment, when the preparation work for the specific ingredient includes multiple preparation work tasks, the output processing unit 214 may output the work instructions corresponding to the multiple preparation work tasks collectively at a predetermined timing. For example, the output processing unit 214 outputs a daily work schedule (work schedule information) at the start of business on the day. After outputting the work schedule, the output processing unit 214 may output work instructions for each preparation work task at a predetermined timing (for each unit time).

[0063] In addition to the above-described processes, the control unit 21 can execute the following processes. For example, the control unit 21 accepts a reservation for the dining facility T1 from a user. The control unit 21 also accepts a user's reservation for a food menu provided by the dining facility T1 on a specific date (visit date). For example, a user makes a reservation request by inputting the date and time of visit to the dining facility T1, the number of people in the dining facility, the food menu, etc. on a reservation page displayed on the user terminal 3. When the control unit 21 receives the reservation request from the user terminal 3, it refers to the reservation information for the dining facility T1 and accepts and confirms the reservation if there is a reservation slot available. When the control unit 21 accepts the reservation, it transmits information related to the reservation to the facility terminal 4 of the dining facility T1. When the reservation is confirmed, the control unit 21 transmits a reservation completion notification to the user terminal 3 that made the reservation request.

[0064] The control unit 11 also executes an ordering process to order ingredients. For example, the control unit 11 determines the order quantity of ingredients F1 based on the inventory quantity of ingredients F1 at the dining facility T1 (see FIG. 5), the expiration date of the inventory ingredients F1, and reservation information (reservation quantity) for a dish menu using ingredients F1, and places an order with an ordering company at a predetermined ordering timing. The control unit 11 may also specify the storage state (frozen, refrigerated, room temperature, etc.) at the time of delivery based on the inventory status (see FIG. 5) and place an order.

[0065] [User terminal 3] 1, the user terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, an operation display unit 33, and a communication I / F 34. The user terminal 3 is an information processing device such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer.

[0066] The communication I / F 34 is a communication interface that connects the user terminal 3 to the communication network N1 via a wired or wireless connection and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol between the user terminal 3 and external devices such as the business support device 2 and the facility terminal 4 via the communication network N1.

[0067] The operation display unit 33 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations.

[0068] The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 32 stores a control program such as a browser program. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 31 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the business assistance device 2 in accordance with a communication protocol such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). The browser program may also be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the business assistance device 2 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0069] The control unit 31 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various types of arithmetic processing. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit that pre-stores control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various types of processing. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various types of information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various types of processing executed by the CPU. The control unit 31 controls the user terminal 3 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 32.

[0070] Specifically, the control unit 31 functions as a browser processing unit 311 by executing various processes in accordance with the browser program stored in the storage unit 32. The browser processing unit 311 can execute browser processing to display a web page provided from the business support device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 33 and input operations on the operation display unit 33 into the business support device 2. In other words, the user terminal 3 can function as an operation terminal for the business support device 2 by the control unit 31 executing the browser program. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 31 may be configured with electronic circuits.

[0071] For example, when a user performs an operation on the user terminal 3 to request access to a predetermined URL corresponding to the reservation site of the reservation service provided by the business support system 1, the control unit 31 acquires webpage data of the reservation site from the business support device 2 and displays the webpage of the reservation site on the operation display unit 33. Note that the access request to the predetermined URL is made, for example, by selecting from a list of pre-registered websites, selecting from search results on an information search site, or by text input. Furthermore, if a dedicated application corresponding to the business support device 2 is installed on the user terminal 3, the webpage of the reservation site is displayed on the operation display unit 33 when the user of the user terminal 3 performs an operation to launch the dedicated application.

[0072] By operating the user terminal 3, the user can input the name of the dining facility, the date and time of visit, the number of people in the group, the food menu, etc. on the reservation page of the reservation site to make a reservation (reservation request).

[0073] [Facility Terminal 4] As shown in FIG. 1 , the facility terminal 4 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, an operation display unit 43, and a communication I / F 44. The facility terminal 4 is, for example, an information processing device such as a tablet terminal or a personal computer. The facility terminal 4 may be a device installed in the kitchen or a mobile terminal carried by the kitchen staff. The facility terminal 4 may further include the same functions as the business support device 2, or may be an information processing device integrated with the business support device 2.

[0074] The communication I / F 44 is a communication interface that connects the facility terminal 4 to the communication network N1 via a wired or wireless connection and performs data communication in accordance with a specified communication protocol with external devices such as the business support device 2 and the user terminal 3 via the communication network N1.

[0075] The operation display unit 43 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays information such as various web pages, and an operation unit such as a mouse, keyboard, or touch panel that accepts operations.

[0076] The storage unit 42 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. For example, the storage unit 42 stores a control program such as a browser program. Specifically, the browser program is a control program that causes the control unit 41 to execute communication processing with an external device such as the business assistance device 2 in accordance with a communication protocol such as HTTP. The browser program may also be a dedicated application for executing communication processing with the business assistance device 2 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0077] The storage unit 42 also stores reservation management information (not shown) for managing reservations for dining facilities. The reservation management information includes information such as the date of visit, the name of the person making the reservation, the number of people making the reservation, the table, and the food menu. Part of the reservation management information may be reservation information D1 (see FIG. 2). In other words, the reservation information D1 may be stored in the business support device 2 or in the facility terminal 4.

[0078] The storage unit 42 may also store information such as menu information D2, store visit history information D3, food stock information D4, and food preparation information D5.

[0079] The control unit 41 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit that pre-stores control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various operations executed by the CPU. The control unit 41 controls the facility terminal 4 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 42.

[0080] Specifically, the control unit 41 functions as a browser processing unit 411 by executing various processes in accordance with the browser program stored in the storage unit 42. The browser processing unit 411 can execute browser processing to display a web page provided from the business support device 2 via the communication network N1 on the operation display unit 43 and input operations for the operation display unit 43 into the business support device 2. In other words, the facility terminal 4 can function as an operation terminal for the business support device 2 by the control unit 41 executing the browser program. Note that some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 41 may be configured with electronic circuits.

[0081] For example, the control unit 41 displays work instruction pages P1 to P4 (see FIGS. 8 to 11) on the operation display unit 43. The control unit 41 also accepts confirmation operations by the staff member on the work instruction pages P1 to P4. The staff member presses the confirmation button on each of the work instruction pages P1 to P4 to input that they have confirmed the work instruction. Here, the control unit 21 of the business support device 2 may cause the facility terminal 4 to issue a warning message, a warning sound, or the like if the confirmation button on the work instruction pages P1 to P4 is not pressed for a predetermined period of time.

[0082] [Business support processing] 12, the task support process executed in the task support system 1 will be described. Specifically, in this embodiment, the task support process is executed by the control unit 21 of the task support device 2.

[0083] The present invention can be understood as an invention of a business support method that executes one or more steps included in the business support process. Furthermore, one or more steps included in the business support process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. The steps in the business support process may be executed in a different order as long as the same operational effect is achieved. Furthermore, while the description here takes as an example a case where the control unit 21 executes each step in the business support process, another embodiment of the business support method can also be considered, in which one or more processors execute each step in the business support process in a distributed manner.

[0084] Here, an example of a task of cooking a menu item M1 using ingredients F1 at a dining establishment T1 will be described.

[0085] First, in step S1, the control unit 21 acquires information (ingredient-related information) for determining the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used in menu M1. Specifically, the control unit 21 acquires the number of customers who have made reservations for the target day (the business day) and the reservation quantity of menu M1 (see FIG. 2). The control unit 21 also acquires the number of customers who have visited the restaurant in the past on the same day of the week as the target day and the serving quantity of menu M1, which are registered in the restaurant visit history information D3 (see FIG. 4).

[0086] Next, in step S2, the control unit 21 predicts the serving quantity of menu M1 based on the food-related information. Specifically, the control unit 21 predicts the number of customers on the target day based on the number of customers who made reservations for the target day registered in the reservation information D1 (see FIG. 2) and the number of customers who visited the target day in the past registered in the visit history information D3 (see FIG. 4).

[0087] Next, in step S3, the control unit 21 determines the quantity of a specific ingredient (here, ingredient F1) to be used. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used based on the predicted serving quantity of menu M1. For example, the control unit 21 determines the quantity of ingredient F1 to be used based on the predicted serving quantity of menu M1 and the inventory status of ingredient F1 (ingredient inventory information D4 (see FIG. 5)).

[0088] Next, in step S4, the control unit 21 determines whether the time has come for the preparation of food ingredient F1. Here, the preparation includes thawing, cutting (preparation work A), and stewing (preparation work B). The control unit 21 calculates the timing for each preparation work based on the cooking start timing (time t4 in FIG. 7) for starting cooking of menu M1 and the work time for each preparation work (see FIG. 6).

[0089] For example, the control unit 21 calculates time t1 by subtracting the work time "t11" required for thawing, the work time "t14" required for cutting, and the work time "t16" required for stewing from time t4, to obtain time t1 as the work timing for thawing food ingredient F1. The control unit 21 also calculates time t2 by subtracting the work time "t14" required for cutting and the work time "t16" required for stewing from time t4, to obtain time t3 as the work timing for stewing food ingredient F1.

[0090] In step S4, first, the control unit 21 determines whether the timing for the thawing operation has arrived. The control unit 21 determines that the timing for the thawing operation has arrived when the current time reaches time t1. When the current time reaches time t1 (S4: Yes), the process proceeds to step S5.

[0091] In step S5, the control unit 21 outputs a work instruction. Here, the control unit 21 outputs a work instruction for thawing (instruction I1 in FIG. 7). For example, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 4 to display a work instruction page P1 (see FIG. 8). This allows the staff member to check the work instruction page P1 and perform the thawing work of the food ingredient F1.

[0092] Next, in step S6, the control unit 21 determines whether the preparation work is complete. If the preparation work is complete (S6: Yes), the process proceeds to step S7. If the preparation work is not complete (S6: No), the process returns to step S4. Here, since the cutting work and the stewing work are not complete, the process returns to step S4.

[0093] Returning to step S4, the control unit 21 determines whether the timing for the next cutting operation has arrived. When the current time reaches time t2, the control unit 21 determines that the timing for the cutting operation has arrived (S4: Yes), and outputs an operation instruction for the cutting operation (instruction I2 in FIG. 7) (S5). For example, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 4 to display operation instruction page P2 (see FIG. 9). This allows the staff member to check operation instruction page P2 and perform the operation of cutting food material F1.

[0094] Next, the process returns to step S4, where the control unit 21 determines whether the time has come for the next stewing operation. When the current time reaches time t3, the control unit 21 determines that the time has come for the stewing operation (S4: Yes), and outputs a stewing operation instruction (instruction I3 in FIG. 7) (S5). For example, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 4 to display operation instruction page P3 (see FIG. 10). This allows the staff member to check operation instruction page P3 and stew the food ingredient F1. When all preparation operations are completed (S6: Yes), the process proceeds to step S7.

[0095] In step S7, the control unit 21 determines whether the timing to start cooking has arrived. When the current time reaches time t4, the control unit 21 determines that the timing to start cooking has arrived. When the current time reaches time t4 (S7: Yes), the process proceeds to step S8. The control unit 21 waits until the current time reaches time t4 (S7: No).

[0096] In step S8, the control unit 21 outputs cooking instructions for the menu M1 (instruction I4 in FIG. 7). For example, the control unit 21 causes the facility terminal 4 to display a work instruction page P4 (see FIG. 11). This allows the staff member to check the work instruction page P4 and perform the work of cooking the menu M1.

[0097] Next, in step S9, the control unit 21 determines whether the cooking of the menu M1 is complete. For example, the control unit 21 determines that the cooking of the menu M1 is complete when a staff member presses a completion button indicating that the cooking of the menu M1 is complete on the facility terminal 4. When the cooking of the menu M1 is complete (S9: Yes), the control unit 21 ends the business support process.

[0098] The control unit 21 executes the business support process in the above manner. The control unit 21 executes the business support process for each cooking menu.

[0099] As described above, the business support device 2 according to this embodiment predicts the serving quantities of a dish menu to be provided to customers at a dining facility, and determines the quantities of specific ingredients to be used among the ingredients used in the dish menu based on the predicted serving quantities. The business support device 2 also outputs work instructions for preparatory work (preparation work) to make the determined quantities of the specific ingredients usable for cooking the dish menu.

[0100] With the above configuration, the staff can be notified of preparation instructions for the quantities of specific ingredients required for a menu item, allowing the staff to prepare the ingredients at the appropriate time and in the appropriate quantities based on the instructions. This prevents problems such as inconsistencies in preparation work among staff members and food waste (waste) due to using too many ingredients. This can improve the operational efficiency of food service facilities.

[0101] In addition, the business support device 2 can output work instructions at the optimal timing, which makes it possible to improve the efficiency of food preparation work, reduce communication traffic related to the processing of the work, and make effective use of computer resources.

[0102] The business support system of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[0103] The control unit 21 is configured to determine at least the quantities of ingredients to be used in a dish menu to be provided to a user, and to output work instructions for the preparatory work (preparation work) for the determined quantities. Furthermore, the control unit 21 outputs the work instructions according to the cooking start timing when cooking of the dish menu begins. Furthermore, when a dish menu contains multiple ingredients, the control unit 21 outputs the work instructions at a predetermined timing for each ingredient. Furthermore, the control unit 21 may adjust the output timing of the work instructions according to the progress of the preparation work for each of the multiple ingredients.

[0104] The preparation work (corresponding to the preparation work of the present invention) in this embodiment includes a thawing work and one or more pre-processing work, but in other embodiments, the preparation work may not include a thawing work but may include one or more pre-processing work. Furthermore, the pre-processing work is not limited to cutting, heating, and stewing ingredients, but may also be work such as stirring, fermenting, and molding. Furthermore, the pre-processing work may include a thawing work. In other words, the pre-processing work may include at least one of the work of thawing, cutting, heating, stewing, stirring, fermenting, and molding ingredients.

[0105] As described above, the business support system 1 according to the present invention is a system comprising a prediction processing unit 212 that predicts the quantity of food to be served to customers at a food service facility, a determination processing unit 213 that determines the quantity of specific ingredients to be used among the ingredients used in the food based on the quantity to be served predicted by the prediction processing unit 212, and an output processing unit 214 that outputs work instructions for preparatory work to make the specific ingredients in the quantity to be used determined by the determination processing unit 213 usable for cooking the food.

[0106] In another embodiment of the present invention, a facility terminal 4 corresponding to a dining facility may include a prediction processing unit 212, a determination processing unit 213, and an output processing unit 214. Furthermore, the facility terminal 4 may include an acquisition processing unit 211, a prediction processing unit 212, a determination processing unit 213, an output processing unit 214, and a management processing unit 215.

[0107] Furthermore, the business support method of the present invention may be a method in which one or more processors execute the following steps: a prediction step of predicting the serving quantity of a dish to be served to customers at a dining facility; a determination step of determining the quantity of specific ingredients to be used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted by the prediction step; and an output step of outputting work instructions for preparatory work to make the specific ingredients in the required quantities determined by the determination step usable for cooking the dish. Furthermore, the business support program of the present invention may be a program for causing one or more processors to execute each of the steps. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1: Business support system 2: Business support equipment 3: User terminal 4: Facility terminal 211: Acquisition processing unit 212: Prediction processing unit 213: Decision processing unit 214: Output processing section 215: Management Department

Claims

1. a prediction processing unit that predicts the number of dishes to be served to users at a food and beverage facility; a determination processing unit that determines the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted by the prediction processing unit; an output processing unit that outputs work instructions for preparatory work to make the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined by the determination processing unit usable for cooking the dish, at a timing that corresponds to a work time required for the preparatory work that is set according to at least one of the type of dish and the type of the specific ingredients; A business support system equipped with:

2. a prediction processing unit that predicts the number of dishes to be served to users at a food and beverage facility; a determination processing unit that determines the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted by the prediction processing unit; an output processing unit that outputs work instructions for each of a plurality of preparatory work tasks that will make the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined by the determination processing unit usable for cooking the dish, at timings that correspond to the work times required for each of the plurality of preparatory work tasks; A business support system equipped with:

3. The type of food is one of a cold menu, a fresh menu, a grilled menu, and a simmered menu, The type of the specific food ingredient is one of a frozen food ingredient, a refrigerated food ingredient, and a room temperature food ingredient. The business support system according to claim 1 .

4. the output processing unit outputs the work instructions including the work content of the preparation work and the quantity of the specific ingredient to be used in the preparation work. The business support system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. one or more processors, a prediction step of predicting the number of dishes to be served to customers at a restaurant; a determination step of determining the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used among ingredients used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted in the prediction step; an output step of outputting work instructions for preparatory work to make the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined in the determination step usable for cooking the dish, at a timing corresponding to a work time required for the preparatory work that is set according to at least one of the type of dish and the type of the specific ingredients; A business support method for carrying out the above.

6. one or more processors, a prediction step of predicting the number of dishes to be served to customers at a restaurant; a determination step of determining the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used among ingredients used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted in the prediction step; an output step of outputting work instructions for each of a plurality of preparatory work tasks for making the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined in the determination step usable for cooking the dish at a timing corresponding to the work time required for each of the plurality of preparatory work tasks; A business support method for carrying out the above.

7. a prediction step of predicting the number of dishes to be served to customers at a restaurant; a determination step of determining the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used among ingredients used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted in the prediction step; an output step of outputting work instructions for preparatory work to make the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined in the determination step usable for cooking the dish, at a timing corresponding to a work time required for the preparatory work that is set according to at least one of the type of dish and the type of the specific ingredients; A business support program for executing the above on one or more processors.

8. a prediction step of predicting the number of dishes to be served to customers at a restaurant; a determination step of determining the quantity of a specific ingredient to be used among ingredients used in the dish based on the serving quantity predicted in the prediction step; an output step of outputting work instructions for each of a plurality of preparatory work tasks for making the use quantities of the specific ingredients determined in the determination step usable for cooking the dish at a timing corresponding to the work time required for each of the plurality of preparatory work tasks; A business support program for executing the above on one or more processors.

Images