Food and drink service information processing program, food and drink service information processing method, food and drink service information processing system, and food and drink service information processing terminal

Abstract

To provide an employee with an appropriate time for receiving an additional order by safely and accurately measuring the remaining amount of a beverage by encouraging a food service user at a restaurant to always place the beverage on a coaster.SOLUTION: A CPU 50 is caused to perform an information acquisition step (S11) of acquiring weight detection information transmitted from a weight meter 22 provided on a coaster, a positioning step (S12) of determining a position of the coaster, a remaining amount calculation step (S13) of calculating a remaining amount of a beverage D in the coaster, an identifying step (S14) of identifying a coaster for which an additional order is expected, a display step (S17) of performing a prescribed display on the coaster, a lottery step (S16) of determining a winning coaster eligible for a prescribed benefit service by lottery, and a winning information output step (S17) of outputting winning notification information for notifying a user that the winning coaster has won.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing program for food and drink service, an information processing method for food and drink service, an information processing system for food and drink service, and an information processing terminal for food and drink service that calculate the appropriate timing for taking additional orders in food and drink service. [Background technology]

[0002] A technology for determining whether to take an order in a food and drink service based on the remaining amount of food and drink has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 describes a configuration including a remaining amount detection unit that detects the remaining amount of food and drink in a food and drink container provided to a restaurant customer in the restaurant, a supply management unit that manages the supply of food and drink to the restaurant customer in the restaurant, and an inventory management unit that manages the inventory of food and drink provided to the restaurant customer in the restaurant, in which the supply management unit determines whether to take an order from the restaurant customer based on the remaining amount detected by the remaining amount detection unit, and if it is determined that an order should be taken from the restaurant customer, generates and outputs suggested food and drink information that indicates food and drink to be suggested to the restaurant customer when taking the order, based on inventory information obtained from the inventory management unit.

[0003] In particular,

[0016] and Figs. 1 to 3 disclose that the remaining amount of drink is calculated using information transmitted from a coaster incorporating a weight sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-187404 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The above-mentioned conventional technology is based on the assumption that restaurant customers always place their drinks on the coaster. However, in reality, there is a possibility that the drink will not be returned to the coaster, so the drink is not always placed on the coaster, and restaurant customers often remove their drinks from the coaster. In this case, even if the drink is low or empty, it is not possible to detect this, which results in missed service timing and loss of sales opportunities for the restaurant.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an information processing program for food and drink services, an information processing method for food and drink services, an information processing system for food and drink services, and an information processing terminal for food and drink services that reliably and accurately measure the remaining amount of drinks ordered by customers at a restaurant and indicate to employees the appropriate timing to ask for additional orders, and that create new business opportunities by providing a profit-granting service. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an information processing program for food and drink service according to the present invention includes, for a computing unit respectively provided in a terminal provided at a service location or the like where food and drink service is provided and a server connected to the terminal so as to be able to transmit and receive information, an information acquisition step of acquiring weight detection information transmitted by wireless communication from weight detection units provided at a plurality of weight support units provided at the bottom of a plurality of beverage containers used for the food and drink service, a position determination step of determining the position of each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results acquired in the information acquisition step, a remaining amount calculation step of calculating the remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container corresponding to each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results acquired in the information acquisition step, and The system is characterized in that it shares and executes the following steps according to the calculation results in the output procedure: an identification procedure for identifying the weight support unit corresponding to the beverage container for which an additional beverage order is expected; a display procedure for displaying a predetermined display related to the weight support unit identified in the identification procedure; a target support unit determination procedure for determining at least one target weight support unit that will be eligible for a predetermined benefit-granting service from all the weight support units for which weight detection information has been acquired in the information acquisition procedure at a predetermined group participation event; and an alarm information output procedure for outputting alarm information to an alarm unit provided on the target weight support unit determined in the target support unit determination procedure to notify that the target weight support unit has become eligible for the benefit-granting service.

[0008] As described above, the information processing program for food and beverage service according to the present invention acquires weight detection information transmitted via wireless communication from weight detection units provided on multiple weight support units provided on the bottom of multiple beverage containers used for food and beverage service, and determines the position of each of the multiple weight support units based on the acquired results, making it possible for restaurant staff to ascertain the position of the weight support unit provided on the bottom of each beverage container simply by performing the normal operation of serving beverages to customers. In other words, there is no need for prior registration work such as associating the weight support unit provided to a customer with the user's position on which the weight support unit will be placed (for example, the table number occupied by the customer), and therefore the restaurant can easily ascertain the position of the weight support unit without reducing the work efficiency of employees.

[0009] In addition, based on the weight detection information obtained from the weight detection unit, the remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container in each of the multiple weight support units is calculated, and the weight support unit corresponding to the beverage container from which additional beverage orders are expected is identified based on the calculation result, a specified display is made regarding the identified weight support unit, and at least one target weight support unit that will be eligible for a specified benefit-granting service is determined from all the weight support units for which weight detection information has been obtained at a specified group participation event, and notification information is output to the notification unit provided on the determined target weight support unit to notify that it has become eligible for the benefit-granting service, allowing the restaurant to know how much beverage each customer at each table has consumed, and to go and take an additional order from a customer whose beverage has decreased by more than a specified amount, for example, by asking, "Would you like another drink?"

[0010] In particular, restaurants can hold group-participation events as a benefit-giving service, and by making customers aware that they can enjoy benefits such as a free refill, an X yen discount, or points, they can encourage them to order drinks and increase profits. Restaurants can widely inform customers by announcing that such benefit-giving services are being offered when they enter the restaurant or by posting notices on the walls or tables inside the restaurant, thereby motivating them to order drinks at all times. As a result, they can avoid lost sales opportunities due to the inability to detect remaining beverages as described above, and can increase the restaurant's profits even after deducting the amount provided by the benefit-giving service. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the profits of a restaurant can be improved by encouraging customers to keep drinks on order at all times and by reliably and accurately measuring the remaining amount of drinks to indicate to employees the appropriate timing for asking for additional orders. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a system configuration diagram of an information processing system for food and drink service that utilizes an information processing program for food and drink service according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a coaster that constitutes an information processing system for food and drink service. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a management terminal on which an information processing program for food and drink services is installed. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram for explaining a specific example of processing by a coaster position determination unit in the management terminal. FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is a graph showing the relationship between the initial total weight of the beverage and the weight of the container. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of the change in weight measured by a coaster over time. [Figure 7]10 is a diagram illustrating an image of the processing of a remaining amount calculation unit and a coaster identification unit in the management terminal. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a first diagram showing an example of information displayed on the display of a management terminal or an individual terminal. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a second diagram showing an example of information displayed on the display of the management terminal or an individual terminal. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the LED of a coaster that has been won by lottery is lit up. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the management terminal. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of a remaining amount calculation unit in the management terminal. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of the change over time in weight measured by a coaster when the type of beverage is changed midway in a first modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing a specific example of the processing of a remaining amount calculation unit and a coaster identification unit in the management terminal in a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example for explaining the process of managing a coaster when the coaster is placed in a non-service area in a second modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for managing coasters in a second modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The information processing program for food and beverage service according to this embodiment acquires information on the weight of a beverage ordered by a customer at a restaurant from a coaster on which the beverage is placed or from the bottom of a glass equipped with a weight sensor, and causes a computer to function to notify employees or the like of the appropriate timing for asking about additional orders based on the acquired weight information, and also causes the computer to periodically or irregularly hold a predetermined event requiring group participation (e.g., a lottery, a game such as rock-paper-scissors, a quiz, etc.), thereby providing a benefit-granting service to a user selected in the predetermined event, thereby encouraging each customer at the restaurant to regularly order beverages.

[0014] In the following embodiments, a coaster is used as a weight support unit that is provided at the bottom of a beverage container and supports the weight of the beverage container, but other weight support units such as the bottom of the beverage container itself or a device that can be detachably attached to the bottom of the beverage container may also be used. These weight support units are equipped with a weight scale as a weight detection unit that measures the weight of the beverage container, as described below.

[0015] In the following embodiments, a lottery will be described as a predetermined event for group participation, but as mentioned above, any other event that can be played by a group, such as a game like rock-paper-scissors or a quiz, may also be used.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an information processing system for food service that uses an information processing program for food service according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the information processing system for food service 1 includes a coaster 2 on which a drink D ordered by a restaurant customer is placed, measuring the weight of the drink D and wirelessly transmitting the weight detection information; a repeater 4 that collects the weight detection information from multiple coasters 2 and transmits it to a communication network 3 such as the Internet / Ethernet; a management terminal 5 that receives the weight detection information transmitted from the repeater 4 and performs processing related to remaining drink D for each customer and group participation events (here, lottery processing) to determine the target weight support unit (here, coaster 2) eligible for a special benefit service; and individual terminals 6 owned by restaurant employees that receive and display necessary information from the management terminal 5. The configuration and operation of the repeater and each device will be described in detail below. However, because the repeater 4 is a commonly available router or gateway, and the individual terminal 6 is a commonly available mobile terminal such as a smartphone, detailed description will be omitted.

[0017] The information processing program for food and drink services according to this embodiment is installed in the management terminal 5 to cause the management terminal 5 to operate as an information processing terminal for food and drink services.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of coaster 2. When not in use, coasters 2 are stored in a designated storage location with their power turned off and stacked. When a customer orders drink D, an employee prepares the required number of coasters 2. When it is time to serve drink D to the customer, a coaster 2 is placed on the table, and the ordered drink D is placed on top of it. At the same time, coaster 2 is powered on and weight measurement begins. Thereafter, coaster 2 periodically or irregularly measures the weight on coaster 2 and transmits the weight detection information to repeater 4 via wireless communication.

[0019] The coaster 2 may be powered on when the drink D is served as described above, or when an order for the drink D is received and the drink is prepared from the storage location. Furthermore, the wireless communication method for transmitting the weight detection information may be, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or ZigBee (registered trademark).

[0020] In Figure 2, the coaster 2 is equipped with an MCU 21 that controls the overall operation of the coaster 2, a weighing scale 22 that measures the total weight of the beverage D including the container, a battery 23 that serves as a power source for driving the MCU 21 and other components, an alarm unit 24 such as an LED, vibrator, speaker, etc. that notifies the lottery results of the lottery process described below, and a wireless module 25 that transmits weight detection information to the repeater 4 and receives information transmitted from outside.

[0021] The weighing scale 22 can use a sensor such as a piezoelectric sensor whose capacitance changes depending on the pressure applied to the coaster 2, or a load cell that measures the change in resistance value due to distortion of the coaster 2, and the weight measured by the weighing scale 22 is transmitted to the repeater 4 by the wireless module 25 as weight detection information under the control of the MCU 21.

[0022] The timing of weight measurement and the timing of transmitting weight detection information can be set arbitrarily, for example, every second, every minute, every 15 minutes, etc. These execution timings may be set manually by the restaurant, or may be calculated and set by the computer of management terminal 5 according to the type of beverage D (generally a beverage that goes down quickly or slowly), the season (summer or winter), the time period (busy time or off-peak time), etc. Furthermore, MCU 21 may control the execution timing according to the remaining charge of battery 23.

[0023] On the other hand, when the lottery process is performed by the management terminal 5, winning information is transmitted to the winning coaster 2, and the winning information is received by the wireless module 25 of the winning coaster 2. When the winning information is received, the notification unit 24 performs notification processing under the control of the MCU 21. Notification processing is, for example, processing such as lighting an LED based on a lighting signal, vibrating a vibrator based on a vibration signal, and outputting sound from a speaker based on a sound signal. This notification processing allows customers and hall staff to confirm which coaster 2 has been won. Note that the process of stopping the notification unit 24 may be performed by the MCU 21 after a predetermined time has elapsed, or may be performed remotely from outside.

[0024] The battery 23 supplies the power required for the above-mentioned operations, and is preferably a small button-type primary battery or a rechargeable secondary battery. The remaining battery capacity and charge / discharge control may be performed by the MCU 21.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a management terminal 5 on which an information processing program for food and beverage service is installed. The management terminal 5 is preferably a portable terminal such as a laptop or tablet terminal, and is installed, for example, in the kitchen, dessert counter, or management office of a restaurant. In FIG. 3, the management terminal 5 includes an information acquisition unit 51 that acquires weight detection information transmitted from a coaster 2 together with radio wave intensity information via a repeater 4 (not shown in FIG. 3) and stores the information in a coaster information storage unit 510, and also acquires information about the user entered at an individual terminal 6 for each corresponding coaster 2 (e.g., information such as a response to an inquiry about additional orders, as described below) and stores the information in the coaster information storage unit 510; a table information storage unit 520 in which the radio wave intensity of multiple repeaters 4 for each table in the restaurant is registered, and a coaster position determination unit 52 (corresponding to an example of a position determination unit) that determines the table number of the table where the coaster 2 is placed based on the radio wave intensity information of the coaster 2 stored in the coaster information storage unit 510; and a remaining quantity calculation master information storage unit 530 that calculates the weight and remaining quantity of the beverage D pre-registered in the remaining quantity calculation master information storage unit 530. The apparatus is equipped with a remaining quantity calculation unit 53 that calculates the remaining quantity of beverage D based on master information indicating the correlation and weight information of coasters 2 stored in the coaster information storage unit 510; a coaster identification unit 54 (corresponding to an example of an identification unit) that identifies coasters 2 that are the subject of additional orders based on the calculated remaining quantity; a lottery unit 55 (corresponding to an example of a target support unit determination unit) that performs a lottery process periodically or irregularly for coasters 2 whose weight information has already been acquired by the information acquisition unit 51 and whose table number has been determined by the coaster position determination unit 52; and an output control unit 56 (corresponding to an example of a display unit, an alarm information output unit) that outputs information about the tables, information about coasters 2 for each table, information about the beverages D placed on each coaster 2, and / or information indicating the results of the lottery process to the display 540, coasters 2, or individual terminals 6.

[0026] The management terminal 5 includes a CPU 50 as a calculation unit and control unit, memory and a hard disk as a storage unit, and a display 540 and a touch panel (a mouse, a keyboard, etc., as necessary) as a display unit and operation unit. When an information processing program for food and drink service is installed in the management terminal 5, the control unit of the CPU 50 causes the calculation unit to function as each of the processing units: an information acquisition unit 51, a coaster position determination unit 52, a remaining amount calculation unit 53, a coaster identification unit 54, a lottery unit 55, and an output control unit 56. The coaster information storage unit 510, the table information storage unit 520, and the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530 are data units stored in the memory or hard disk.

[0027] First, the processing of the coaster position determination unit 52 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the processing of the coaster position determination unit 52. The weight detection information received by the information acquisition unit 51 from the coaster 2 includes weight information measured by the weighing scale 22 of the coaster 2 and radio wave intensity information for each repeater 4. The radio wave intensity for each repeater 4 for each table in a restaurant is pre-registered in the table information storage unit 520. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, tables (1) to (7) are placed in a restaurant, and repeaters (1) to (3) are placed at three arbitrary locations. Since the distances between each table and each repeater 4 are different, the radio wave intensity for communication varies depending on the distance. That is, the radio wave intensity of each repeater (1) to (3) for each table (1) to (7) is pre-measured and registered in the table information storage unit 520. The information acquisition unit 51 receives the weight detection information transmitted from the coaster 2 via each of the repeaters (1) to (3) and stores the respective radio wave intensities in the coaster information storage unit 510. The coaster position determination unit 52 compares the combination of radio wave intensities received by the information acquisition unit 51 with the combination of radio wave intensities for each table registered in the table information storage unit 520, and determines the table with the most similar combination of radio wave intensities as the table on which coaster 2 is placed.

[0028] Next, the processing of the remaining amount calculation unit 53 and the coaster identification unit 54 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the initial total weight of beverage D and the weight of the container. FIG. 5(A) shows the overall data, while FIGS. 5(B) and 5(C) show partial data ranges. The initial total weight of beverage D is the total weight immediately before beverage D is served to the customer, and the weight of the container is the weight when the contents are empty. As shown in FIGS. 5(A) to 5(C), it was found that there are different correlations (y = a1x + b1 (x is less than M), y = a2x + b2 (x is M or more)) when the initial total weight is equal to or greater than M and when it is less than M. The difference in these correlations in FIG. 5 is mainly due to whether beverage D is beer or another beverage. In other words, in the case of beer, the container is thick and heavy because it is served in a mug. On the other hand, beverages such as chuhai and soft drinks are served in glasses because the container is thin and light. The boundary value between these correlations is M.

[0029] Furthermore, in the case of beer, although ice is not used, about 30% of the drink is foam, whereas drinks other than beer include the weight of ice, and other weight-related conditions vary in addition to the weight of the container. The graph shown in Figure 5 shows correlations obtained by taking these individual conditions into account, and information regarding these correlations is stored in the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530. Therefore, the remaining amount calculation unit 53 can calculate only the remaining amount of the beverage, which is the information regarding the weight of the beverage D transmitted from the coaster 2 minus the weight of the empty container.

[0030] It should be noted that the remaining amount of beverage D containing ice may be calculated taking into account the weight of the ice, which changes over time. For example, by calculating the remaining amount of ice from the weight of the ice at the time of serving (the ratio of the weight of ice to the initial total weight) and the elapsed time, it is possible to calculate the remaining amount of the beverage excluding the ice.

[0031] 5 is merely an example of a correlation, and the calculation logic may be a quadratic function or a higher-order function, or may be converted to a multivariate function using a regression curve, or may be performed using any known method. In other words, it is sufficient if the calculation logic shows the correlation between the initial weight of beverage D when it is served and the weight of the container taking into account various conditions.

[0032] Coaster identification unit 54 identifies coasters 2 eligible for a reorder from among those for which the remaining beverage portion of beverage D has been calculated. Coasters 2 eligible for a reorder are those for which the weight of the beverage portion of beverage D placed on them has fallen below a predetermined percentage (assuming 15% here) from the initial state. In other words, coaster identification unit 54 calculates whether the remaining beverage portion calculated by remaining amount calculation unit 53 is 15% or less of the weight of the beverage portion in the initial state when beverage D was served (specifically, the remaining beverage portion at the time the weight of beverage D increased), and identifies coasters 2 for which the weight of the beverage portion is 15% or less as eligible for a reorder.

[0033] Here, if a customer lifts the glass from the coaster 2 to drink beverage D, no load is placed on the coaster 2, and the remaining amount calculated by the remaining amount calculation unit 53 becomes an extremely small value. In this case, the coaster may be identified as being eligible for a reorder even if the remaining amount is actually greater than 15%. Therefore, the coaster identification unit 54 identifies the beverage D as eligible for a reorder only when the remaining amount of the beverage portion is 15% or less and the weight of the beverage D is equal to or greater than the weight of the lightest container.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a specific example of the change over time in the weight measured by the coaster 2. Period R1 indicates the period during which a drink D is placed on the coaster 2, while period R2 indicates the period during which the drink D is not placed on the coaster 2 because the customer is drinking the drink D. As shown in FIG. 6, the weight measured during period R1 gradually decreases each time the customer drinks drink D. In response to the change in weight of drink D as shown in period R1, the remaining amount calculation unit 53 and coaster identification unit 54 perform the above-described processing to identify a coaster 2 that is the target of a reorder. Furthermore, because no load is applied to the coaster 2 during period R2, the measurement results for this period are excluded from the processing by the remaining amount calculation unit 53 and coaster identification unit 54.

[0035] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the processing performed by the remaining amount calculation unit 53 and the coaster identification unit 54. As shown in FIG. 7, if the initial weight of the beverage D placed on the coaster 2 is heavy, it is presumed to be beer. As the user gradually consumes the beverage, it is presumed to be a beverage other than beer. When the user gradually consumes the beverage and it decreases to the lower limit (15% of the beverage + the weight of the glass + the weight of the ice (if it is determined that there is remaining beverage)), it is presumed to be a beverage to be ...

[0036] Next, the processing of the lottery unit 55 will be described in detail. The lottery unit 55 selects one or more winning coasters 2 from among the coasters 2 for which the coaster position determination unit 52 has identified the table to which the coaster 2 was distributed and which have transmitted weight detection information. The selection of winning coasters 2 may be performed randomly, or the winning probability may be varied depending on the characteristics of the coaster 2. For example, a variation may be made to increase the winning probability of a coaster 2 for a customer who is judged to contribute to the restaurant's sales by making a large number of reorders or a fast pace. In this case, a table of variation coefficients according to the conditions may be prepared in advance, and the lottery unit 55 may calculate the winning probability according to the variation coefficient. Furthermore, when playing games such as rock-paper-scissors (with restaurant staff) or quizzes, the necessary information may be displayed on a tabletop tablet, and answers may be entered from the tabletop tablet, thereby executing processing related to a predetermined group-participation event.

[0037] Next, the processing of the output control unit 56 will be described in detail. The output control unit 56 controls the output, such as displaying the above-described information and information on the calculation results on the display 540 of the management terminal 5, transmitting it to the individual terminal 6, and transmitting it to the coaster 2. FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams showing examples of information displayed on the display 540 of the management terminal 5 and the display of the individual terminal 6. In FIG. 8, information on coasters 2 in use is displayed in a list. Specifically, information such as the table number where the coaster 2 is located, the type of beverage (B: beer / O: other beverages other than beer), the remaining amount (the remaining amount of the beverage portion), the ratio (the ratio of the current weight of the beverage portion to the initial weight of the beverage portion), alerts (requests for additional orders), the number of times a request has been made (the number of times a request for additional orders has been made), and winnings (coasters 2 selected by the lottery unit 55) are displayed as items. Other information that can be calculated by the CPU and stored in the coaster information storage unit 510, such as the coaster 2 weight scale 22 measurement results, the number of additional orders, the time elapsed since the first order, the time elapsed since a refill, and the average time until a refill, may be added to the items as needed. The "X" mark indicating the number of visits refers to customers who have been asked once by an employee for an additional order but who have been refused. In other words, this mark is intended to prevent customers from being annoyed by asking for an additional order again after being refused once. The "star" indicating a winning coaster 2 is the currently winning coaster 2, and the "1" indicates the number of times the coaster has been won.

[0038] Figure 9 shows the table layout in a restaurant, with a graph showing the remaining percentage of drink D on the coaster 2 distributed to each table. A "black circle" indicates a coaster 2 that has 15% or less remaining and is identified as a target for an additional order, and a "star" indicates a table where a winning coaster 2 is located.

[0039] 8 and 9 both display information about coasters 2 and information about calculation results, but FIG. 8 is suited to detailed analysis of each coaster 2, while FIG. 9 displays information that makes it easy to visually grasp the location of coasters 2, etc. In other words, the display in FIG. 8 is preferably displayed on the display 540 of the management terminal 5 for the manager, and the display in FIG. 9 is preferably displayed on the display of an individual terminal 6 for hall employees.

[0040] FIG. 10 shows an example of a state in which the LED of the notification unit 24 of a winning coaster 2 is lit. The output control unit 56 transmits winning information to the winning coaster 2 according to the winning result of the lottery unit 55. The MCU 21 of the coaster 2 receives the winning information via the repeater 4 and turns on the LED of the notification unit 24. A customer who notices the LED is lit can inform an employee and receive the benefit award service. If the customer does not realize that they have won, an employee will check the display of the individual terminal 6 or the display 540 of the management terminal 5 and proactively provide the benefit award service. Such a benefit award service can motivate customers to regularly order drink D, which ultimately leads to an opportunity to ensure sufficient orders and ask for additional orders, thereby contributing to the restaurant's sales.

[0041] In particular, for patrons using designated areas that are difficult for staff to see, such as private rooms, rooms or tables on different floors, or spacious hotel lobbies and restaurants, it is difficult for staff to pass by and check the remaining amount of drink D. Therefore, displaying winning information such as that shown in Figure 10 on coasters 2 in designated areas is effective because it encourages such patrons to regularly order drink D. Furthermore, while it is usually difficult for staff to enter private rooms (especially if the patron does not order more), the lottery process allows staff to ask patrons, such as "Did you win the lottery?", and provides an opportunity to check the consumption status of food and drink in the private rooms. At this time, staff can check each drink D container, and if any appear to be low, they can ask, "Would you like a drink?" to order on the spot.

[0042] While the above description describes a case in which winning information is notified by lighting the LED on the coaster 2, other methods of notification besides LED notification may include a vibrator as the notification unit 24, which vibrates the coaster 2 to notify winning information, as described above. Alternatively, the notification unit 24 may include a speaker, which outputs sound. In addition to notifying winning information using a weight support unit such as the coaster 2, for example, the management terminal 5 may be linked to a desktop tablet on which the user places orders, etc., and the winning information may be displayed or sounded on the desktop tablet. In this case, additional orders may be accepted on the desktop tablet. Furthermore, winning information may be notified to the user's mobile device. In this case, it is desirable to register the user's mobile device identification information, email address, etc. in advance in the management terminal 5 so that winning information can be notified. By encouraging the user to register in this way, future campaign information and other information may be distributed, which may encourage the user to return to the store.

[0043] Next, the operation of the management terminal 5 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the management terminal 5. First, the information acquisition unit 51 acquires weight information measured by the weighing scale 22 of the coaster 2, which is attached to the bottom of a beverage container for the beverage D and supports the weight of the beverage D, via multiple repeaters 4, along with the radio wave intensity of each, as weight detection information, and stores the information in the coaster information storage unit 510 (S11: an example of an information acquisition procedure). The process executed by the information acquisition unit 51 in S11 corresponds to an example of an information acquisition process. The coaster position determination unit 52 identifies the table on which the coaster 2 is placed using master information (master information such as that shown in FIG. 4 as an example) in the table information storage unit 520 based on the radio wave intensity of the acquired weight detection information, and determines its position (S12: an example of a position determination procedure). The process executed by the coaster position determination unit 52 in S12 corresponds to an example of a position determination process. The position determination procedure in S12 may be performed only once when the position of the coaster 2 has not yet been determined, i.e., when the drink D is first served to the customer, or may be performed each time information from the coaster 2 is acquired, or periodically, in consideration of the possibility that the customer may move around the table with the coaster 2. For the coaster 2 whose position has been determined, the remaining amount calculation unit 53 calculates the remaining amount of the beverage portion of the drink D from the transmitted weight information using the master information (correlation as shown in FIG. 5) in the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530 (S13: an example of a remaining amount calculation procedure). The processing performed by the remaining amount calculation unit 53 in S13 corresponds to an example of a remaining amount calculation process. The remaining amount calculation procedure in S13 will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 12.

[0044] 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the remaining amount calculation unit 53 of the management terminal 5 in FIG. 3. The remaining amount calculation unit 53 reads information on the weight of the beverage D from the coaster information storage unit 510 (S21), and determines whether the weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (M in FIG. 5) (S22). If the weight is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, it determines that the beverage D is beer (S23), and reads master information for beer (correlation shown in FIG. 5(C)) from the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530 (S24). If the weight is less than the predetermined value in S22, it determines that the beverage D is something other than beer (S25), and reads master information for beverages other than beer (correlation shown in FIG. 5(B)) from the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530 (S26). Based on the information on the weight of beverage D read in S21 and the master information read in S24 and S26, the weight of the container of beverage D (the weight of the mug for beer, or the weight of the glass and ice for other beverages (if it is determined that there is remaining time based on the elapsed time)) is calculated (S27: an example of an estimation procedure). The weight of the container calculated in S27 is subtracted from the weight of beverage D read in S21 to calculate the remaining amount of the beverage (S28), and the processing of remaining amount calculation unit 53 ends.

[0045] In the above example, correlations are registered in the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530 for beer and other beverages. However, correlations may also be registered for other beverages, such as wine and sake, and the remaining amount may be calculated based on the initial total weight of each beverage D. Specifically, for wine, the glass is very thin, no ice is used, and the amount per serving is small, so the initial total weight is relatively light. Furthermore, for sake, the initial total weight is even lighter when it is served in a sake cup. By registering the correlation between such initial total weight and the weight of the container, as shown in FIG. 5, in the remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 530, it is possible to calculate the remaining amount for each type of beverage D.

[0046] Returning to FIG. 11, when the remaining amount of beverage D is calculated in S13, the coaster identification unit 54 determines whether the remaining amount of beverage D has decreased by more than a predetermined percentage from the initial state, and identifies coasters 2 for which the remaining amount has decreased by more than the predetermined percentage as coasters 2 expected to be ordered again (S14: an example of an identification procedure). The process executed by the coaster identification unit 54 in S14 corresponds to an example of an identification process. The lottery unit 55 determines whether it is time to hold a lottery to determine a coaster 2 eligible for the benefit-granting service based on a clock signal from a clock processing unit (not shown in FIG. 3) (S15), and if it is time to hold a lottery, executes the lottery process (S16: an example of a target support unit determination procedure). The process executed by the lottery unit 55 in S16 corresponds to an example of a target support unit determination process. The output control unit 56 outputs information about the coaster 2 in use, calculation results, etc. (S17: an example of a display procedure, an example of a notification information output procedure). This output is, for example, the output described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10. The process executed by the output control unit 56 in S17 corresponds to an example of a display process and a notification information output process. The information acquisition unit 51 waits until it acquires the next weight detection information (S18), and when it acquires the next weight detection information, it returns to S11 and repeats the subsequent processes.

[0047] The food and drink service information processing method according to this embodiment is executed by executing the food and drink service information processing program as described above.

[0048] 1, information sent from the coaster 2 is sent to the management terminal 5 via the repeater 4, and information sent from the management terminal 5 is sent to the coaster 2 via the repeater 4. However, the repeater 4 does not necessarily have to be provided, and the coaster 2 and the management terminal 5 may communicate directly. Also, communication may be performed via a server that manages the system instead of the repeater 4, or via both the repeater 4 and the server. Furthermore, in a system configuration that includes a server, some or all of the components of the management terminal 5 may be provided on the server side, and the above processing may be performed by the server alone or in cooperation with the server and the management terminal 5.

[0049] As described above, the information processing program for food and drink service according to this embodiment executes an information acquisition procedure (S11) for the CPU of the management terminal 5 provided in a service location such as a store or hotel restaurant that provides food and drink services to acquire, via the repeater 4, weight information transmitted by wireless communication from the weighing scale 22 and wireless module 25 provided on each of a plurality of coasters 2 provided on the bottom of a beverage container used in the food and drink service, together with radio wave intensity; a coaster position determination procedure (S12) for determining the position of each of the plurality of coasters 2 based on the radio wave intensity obtained in the information acquisition procedure; and a coaster position determination procedure (S13) for determining the position of each of the plurality of coasters 2 based on the weight information obtained in the information acquisition procedure. The system executes a remaining amount calculation procedure (S13) for calculating the remaining amount of the beverage portion, a specification procedure (S14) for specifying coasters 2 that are expected to receive additional beverage orders when the remaining amount of the beverage portion falls below a predetermined percentage based on the calculation result of the remaining amount calculation procedure, a display procedure (S17) for displaying a predetermined display related to the coaster 2 specified in the specification procedure, a lottery procedure (S16) for determining by lottery at least one winning coaster 2 that is eligible for a predetermined benefit-granting service from among all coasters 2 whose weight detection information was acquired in the information acquisition procedure, and a winning information output procedure (S17) for outputting winning notification information to the notification unit 24 to notify the winning coaster 2 determined in the lottery procedure that it has won. With this configuration, it is possible to determine the position of the coaster in the position determination procedure and the remaining amount calculated in the remaining amount calculation procedure, thereby knowing how much beverage a customer at each table has consumed. This allows the coaster 2 of a customer whose remaining drink has dropped by more than a specified percentage to be identified through a specific procedure, making it possible to ask the customer if they would like a refill of their drink, thereby contributing to increased sales at restaurants.

[0050] In addition to managing remaining beverage quantities as described above, the information processing program for food and beverage services according to this embodiment can also be applied to the management terminal 5 used for, for example, managing remaining quantities of take-out cases and containers, managing remaining quantities of tabletop luxury items provided on tables at sushi restaurants and ramen shops, managing remaining quantities of food ingredients stored in refrigerators, and managing remaining quantities of parts in factories.

[0051] Additionally, a coaster 2 lottery is held at a predetermined timing, and if a customer wins, appropriate benefits such as a free refill, an X yen discount, or points are awarded. For example, by announcing this information when customers enter the store or posting it on a wall or table, customers can be encouraged to order beverages at all times. As a result, even after deducting the benefit awarded through the lottery, the store can increase its profits. In particular, when the coaster 2 is used as the weight support part as in this embodiment, achieving the above-mentioned effect requires that customers always place a beverage D on the coaster 2. However, in reality, customers often remove the beverage D from the coaster 2 while drinking it. In such cases, it is not possible to detect when the remaining amount of beverage D is low or when the container is empty, resulting in missed opportunities for the store to provide services such as a reorder. Therefore, by holding a lottery for coaster 2 at a predetermined timing and offering appropriate benefits to customers who win, such as a free refill, a discount of X yen, or points, customers can be motivated to "always keep drink D on coaster 2 so that they can win and receive benefits." As a result, the above disadvantages can be avoided and the store can increase its profits.

[0052] Furthermore, the food and beverage service information processing program according to this embodiment, if necessary, outputs winning notification information (S17) to indicate a winning coaster 2 placed in a private room, a room or table on a different floor, or a designated area out of sight of employees, such as a hotel lobby or restaurant with a large space. For customers in such designated areas, employees frequently pass by and often have difficulty visually checking the remaining amount of beverage D. However, the above-described method is particularly effective because it encourages customers to keep beverage D on order. Furthermore, while it is usually difficult for employees to enter private rooms (especially if the customer does not order more), the opportunity of a lottery or winning allows them to ask, "Did you win the lottery?" and create an opportunity to peek into the private room. If the customer looks low on each container of beverage D, they can ask, "Would you like a drink?" to order more on the spot, creating a sales opportunity.

[0053] Furthermore, the information processing program for food and drink service according to this embodiment executes an estimation procedure (S22-S27) to estimate the type of container (beer mug / glass for chuhai / wine glass / sake cup, etc.) and empty weight (which can also be considered as thickness) of the beverage D placed on each coaster 2, as well as the type of beverage D (beer / chuhai (soft drink) / wine / sake) and the presence or absence of ice, based on the weight information acquired in the information acquisition procedure, as needed. In the remaining amount calculation procedure, the remaining amount of beverage D is calculated based on the estimation result in the estimation procedure (S28). In accordance with the calculation result in the remaining amount calculation procedure based on the estimation result in the estimation procedure, an identification procedure identifies the coaster 2. The weighing scale 22 of the coaster 2 can only measure the total weight of the beverage D container (including ice) plus the beverage portion. However, to determine whether or not an additional order for beverage D can be placed, it is necessary to detect how much the weight of the current beverage portion has decreased compared to the initial weight of the beverage portion. Therefore, as described above, by estimating the type of container for beverage D and its empty weight in the estimation procedure, the weight of the container for beverage D can be subtracted from the total weight.Furthermore, by estimating the type of beverage D and the presence or absence of ice, if ice is present, the weight of the ice can also be further subtracted, allowing the weight of the beverage portion to be accurately calculated.

[0054] Furthermore, in the remaining quantity calculation step (S13) of the information processing program for food and drink service according to this embodiment, if necessary, the remaining quantity of the beverage portion is calculated using a correlation between the empty weight of the beverage D container for each type of beverage D container and the initial total weight when the beverage is filled and served in the container. By preparing in advance the correlation between the empty weight of the beverage D container and the initial total weight when the beverage is served, it is possible to identify which type of beverage container was used to serve the customer based on the weight information on coaster 2 at the start of service to the customer, and to accurately calculate the remaining quantity.

[0055] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the spirit and technical concept of the present invention. Such modifications will be described below in order.

[0056] The first modified example will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIG. 13 shows a specific example of the change over time in the weight measured by the coaster 2 when the type of beverage D is changed during the order. In FIG. 13, as in FIG. 6, period R1 indicates the period during which the beverage D is placed on the coaster 2, and period R2 indicates the period during which the beverage D is not placed on the coaster 2 because the customer is drinking the beverage D. In the example shown in FIG. 13, a heavy beer is initially ordered, and then, before the customer finishes drinking the beer, the order is changed to a beverage D that is initially lighter than the beer. As explained above, the reference value for determining whether or not a beverage is eligible for a reorder (e.g., a weight equivalent to 15% of the beverage portion) differs between when beer is being consumed and when other beverages are being consumed. Therefore, when the type of beverage D is changed as shown in FIG. 13, the reference value for determining whether or not a beverage is eligible for a reorder must also be changed accordingly.

[0057] Here, as a means for responding to a change in the type of beverage D, the information acquisition unit 51 determines whether the weight information acquired is equal to or less than the weight of an empty container of the beverage D that is estimated to be currently being consumed. If the weight is equal to or less than the weight of the empty container, it is determined that the type of beverage D has been changed, and the remaining amount calculation unit 53 and coaster identification unit 54 execute the subsequent processing. This procedure for determining whether the type of beverage D has been changed corresponds to an example of a change determination procedure. A specific example will be described using FIG. 14. For example, if the initial weight of beverage D is 1500 g and the type is estimated to be beer, the remaining amount calculation unit 53 performs calculations using the correlation of beer during the process of consuming the beer (S23 and S24 in FIG. 12). However, if the type of beverage D is changed during the process and 530 g is detected on coaster 2, which is less than the weight of a beer mug (575 g), the remaining amount calculation unit 53 determines that the type of beverage D has been changed to chuhai, and performs calculations using the correlation of chuhai in the subsequent processing (S25 and S26 in FIG. 12).

[0058] As described above, the information processing program for food and beverage service according to this embodiment, if necessary, compares the weight information acquired in the information acquisition procedure with a predetermined threshold value (a standard for determining the type of container for beverage D, which is set based on the weight of the empty container when the beverage portion of beverage D is consumed). This determines whether the container for beverage D placed on the corresponding coaster 2 has been changed, and then performs subsequent processes, such as calculating the remaining amount and identifying the coaster 2, based on the correlation with the changed beverage D. From the time beverage D is initially served to a customer, the detected weight value gradually decreases as the customer consumes the beverage. After consuming a certain amount of beverage D, the customer may tire of the taste of the original beverage D or desire a different type of beverage D, and order a different beverage D. As a result, the weight value detected by the coaster 2 may be replaced with that of the changed beverage D. In this embodiment, to address this situation, whether the type of beverage D has been changed is determined by whether the weight of beverage D has fallen below the weight of the empty container, and subsequent processes are performed according to the changed type of beverage. This allows the remaining amount to be calculated with high accuracy even when the type of beverage D is changed as described above.

[0059] In addition to the above, if a weight heavier than the currently ordered drink D is detected, it is determined that the drink has been replaced with a new drink D regardless of the type of drink, and the remaining amount and whether it is eligible for an additional order are recalculated.

[0060] The second modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a specific example of the process for managing a coaster 2 when the coaster 2 is placed in a non-service area. While FIG. 4 describes the process for determining the location of a coaster 2 placed in a service area (e.g., the dining area of ​​a restaurant), it is desirable to power off the coaster 2 in non-service areas (e.g., the kitchen, the dishwasher, the cash register, etc.) to conserve power. In FIG. 15, repeaters (1) to (3) are installed in the service area, and repeater (4) is installed in the non-service area where the coaster 2 is stored. Naturally, in the non-service area where the coaster 2 is stored, the distance between the coaster 2 and repeater (4) is extremely short, resulting in extremely strong radio wave strength between the coaster 2 and repeater (4). Thus, by installing a dedicated repeater 4 in advance in the non-service area where the coaster 2 is stored, it becomes possible to determine whether the coaster 2 is in use or not based on the radio wave strength. If it is determined that the coaster 2 is not in use, a control signal to turn off the power to the coaster 2 is sent from the management terminal 5 directly or via a repeater 4, a server, etc., and the power is turned off remotely.

[0061] 15, it is also possible to determine whether the coaster 2 is in use or not by pre-registering the radio wave strength of the repeaters (1) to (3) in the non-service area without installing the repeater (4). In this case, it is desirable that the non-service area is located as far away as possible within the range where radio waves from the repeaters (1) to (3) can be received.

[0062] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the coaster 2 management process. This process is executed when the management terminal 5 determines the coaster's location after receiving weight information from the coaster 2. Specifically, it is executed between S11 and S12 in FIG. 11. In FIG. 16, the coaster power management unit (not shown in FIG. 3) of the management terminal 5 reads the radio wave intensity for each repeater 4 from the coaster information storage unit 510 (S111). Using the above method, it determines whether the coaster 2 is in a non-service area based on the radio wave intensity (S112: an example of a location determination procedure). This process executed by the coaster power management unit corresponds to an example of a location determination process. If the coaster 2 is not in a non-service area, the process proceeds to S12 in FIG. 11 and the subsequent processes are executed. If the coaster is in a non-service area, power OFF information, which is a control signal for turning off the power of the coaster 2, is sent to the coaster 2 (S113: an example of an OFF information output procedure). This process executed by the coaster power management unit corresponds to an example of an OFF information output process. The coaster 2 turns off its power based on this control signal. After transmitting the control signal, the management terminal 5 proceeds to S18 in FIG. 11 and waits until the next process.

[0063] In this way, the food and beverage service information processing program according to this embodiment determines whether the coaster 2 is placed in a non-service area, such as the kitchen, de-ssert area, or cash register, where beverage service is not provided to customers, and remotely instructs the coaster 2 placed in the non-service area to be powered off, thereby reducing the coaster 2's power consumption and extending its battery life.

[0064] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to collect information on the order status and consumption status of each customer for beverage D. Therefore, by analyzing the collected data, it is possible to understand the influence of factors such as temperature, background music, and the surrounding environment of a restaurant on orders and consumption, which can be useful for menu development, store design, etc. Furthermore, since the consumption status of beverage D can be known remotely, an ordering method such as receiving bulk orders at a center becomes possible. For example, orders from restaurants in rural areas with limited staff can be received in bulk at a center in an urban area using a monitor or video conferencing system. This technology of the present invention not only has economic benefits but also makes it possible to contribute to society by employing physically disabled people and enabling them to work from home.

[0065] In the above description, when the external dimensions or sizes are described as "same," "equal," or "different," these descriptions are not in their strict sense. In other words, "same," "equal," and "different" mean "substantially the same," "substantially equal," or "substantially different," allowing for design and manufacturing tolerances and errors.

[0066] In addition to the above, the methods according to the above embodiments and modifications may be used in appropriate combination.

[0067] Although not specifically illustrated, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] D Beverage 1. Food and beverage service information processing system 2 coasters 3. Communication Network 4 Repeater 5 Management terminal 6 Individual terminals 21 MCU 22 Weight scale 23 Battery 24. Information Department 25 Wireless Module 50 CPU 51 Information Acquisition Department 52 Coaster positioning unit 53 Remaining amount calculation unit 54 Coaster Specific Section 55 Lottery Section 56 Output control section 510 Coaster information storage unit 520 Table information storage unit 530 Remaining amount calculation master information storage unit 540 Display

Claims

1. A terminal provided at a service location or the like that provides food and drink services, and a server connected to the terminal so as to be able to transmit and receive information, each of which includes a computing unit, an information acquisition step of acquiring weight detection information transmitted by wireless communication from weight detection units provided on a plurality of weight support units provided on the bottoms of the plurality of beverage containers used in the food and drink service; a position determination step of determining a position of each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results of the information acquisition step; a remaining amount calculation step of calculating a remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container corresponding to each of the plurality of weight support parts based on the results of the information acquisition step; a step of identifying the weight support part corresponding to the beverage container for which an additional beverage order is expected based on a calculation result of the remaining amount calculation step; a display step of displaying a predetermined display related to the weight support portion identified in the identification step; a target support unit determination step of determining, at a predetermined event of a group participation type, at least one target weight support unit that is to be a target of a predetermined benefit-granting service from among all the weight support units for which the weight detection information has been acquired in the information acquisition step; a notification information output step of outputting notification information to a notification unit provided on the target weight support unit determined in the target support unit determination step to notify that the target weight support unit has become a target of the benefit granting service; An information processing program for food and drink service, characterized in that the above is executed in a shared manner.

2. 2. The information processing program for food and drink service according to claim 1, In the notification information output procedure, The notification information is output to the notification unit of the target weight support unit arranged in a predetermined section of the restaurant to notify that the target has been reached. An information processing program for food and beverage service.

3. 3. The information processing program for food and drink service according to claim 1, The computing unit of the terminal or the server further Executing an estimation procedure to estimate the type and empty weight of the beverage container corresponding to each weight support part, and the type of beverage and presence or absence of ice in the beverage container based on the results of the information acquisition procedure; In the remaining amount calculation step, calculating the remaining amount of the beverage based on the estimation result of the estimation step; In the identification step, The weight support portion is identified according to the calculation result in the remaining amount calculation procedure based on the estimation result. An information processing program for food and beverage service.

4. 4. The information processing program for food and drink service according to claim 3, In the remaining amount calculation step, The remaining amount of the beverage is calculated using a correlation between the empty weight of the beverage container and the initial total weight when the beverage container is filled with the beverage and served, which is prepared in advance for each type of the beverage container. An information processing program for food and beverage service.

5. 5. The information processing program for food and drink service according to claim 4, The computing unit of the terminal or the server further a change determination step of determining whether the beverage container corresponding to the weight support part has been changed by comparing the result of the information acquisition step with a predetermined container type determination criterion; Execute In the remaining amount calculation step, Calculating the remaining amount of the beverage based on the determination result of the change determination procedure; In the identification step, The weight support portion is identified according to the result of the calculation in the remaining amount calculation procedure based on the determination result. An information processing program for food and beverage service.

6. 6. The information processing program for food and drink service according to claim 5, The computing unit of the terminal or the server further a placement determination step for determining whether the weight support unit is placed within a non-service area based on a result of the determination step; an OFF information output step of outputting power OFF information for turning off a power supply provided to the weight support unit when it is determined in the placement determination step that the weight support unit is placed within the non-service area; An information processing program for food and beverage services to execute the above.

7. A food and drink service information processing method executed by a food and drink service information processing system having a terminal provided in a service location or the like that provides food and drink services and a server connected to the terminal so as to be able to transmit and receive information, an information acquisition step of acquiring weight detection information transmitted by wireless communication from weight detection units provided on a plurality of weight support units provided on the bottoms of the plurality of beverage containers used in the food and drink service; a position determination step of determining a position of each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results of the information acquisition step; a remaining amount calculation step of calculating a remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container corresponding to each of the plurality of weight support parts based on the results of the information acquisition step; a step of identifying the weight support part corresponding to the beverage container for which an additional beverage order is expected based on a calculation result of the remaining amount calculation step; a display step of displaying a predetermined display related to the weight support portion identified in the identification step; a target support unit determination step of determining, at a predetermined event of a group participation type, at least one target weight support unit that is to be a target of a predetermined benefit-granting service from among all the weight support units for which the weight detection information has been acquired in the information acquisition step; a notification information output step of outputting notification information to a notification unit provided on the target weight support unit determined in the target support unit determination step to notify that the target weight support unit has become a target of the benefit granting service; An information processing method for food and drink service, comprising:

8. an information acquisition unit that acquires weight detection information transmitted by wireless communication from weight detection units provided on a plurality of weight support units provided on the bottoms of a plurality of beverage containers used for food and drink service; a position determination unit that determines a position of each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results of acquisition by the information acquisition unit; a remaining amount calculation unit that calculates the remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container corresponding to each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results of acquisition by the information acquisition unit; an identification unit that identifies a weight support unit corresponding to the beverage container for which an additional beverage order is expected based on the calculation result by the remaining amount calculation unit; a display unit that displays a predetermined display regarding the weight support unit identified by the identification unit; a target support unit determination unit that determines at least one target weight support unit that is a target of a predetermined benefit-granting service from among all the weight support units for which the weight detection information has been acquired by the information acquisition unit, in a predetermined event of a group participation type; a notification information output unit that outputs notification information to a notification unit provided in the target weight support unit determined by the target support unit determination unit to notify that the target weight support unit has become a target of the benefit granting service; An information processing system for food and drink service, comprising:

9. An information processing terminal for food and drink service, which is provided in a service location or the like that provides food and drink service, and which has an operation unit, a display unit, a calculation unit, and a control unit, The control unit an information acquisition process for acquiring weight detection information transmitted by wireless communication from weight detection units provided on a plurality of weight support units provided on the bottoms of the plurality of beverage containers used in the food and drink service; a position determination process for determining the position of each of the plurality of weight support units based on the results of the information acquisition process; a remaining amount calculation process for calculating a remaining amount of beverage in the beverage container corresponding to each of the plurality of weight support parts based on the results of the information acquisition process; a process of identifying the weight support unit corresponding to the beverage container for which an additional beverage order is expected based on a calculation result of the remaining amount calculation process; a display process for displaying a predetermined display related to the weight support portion identified in the identification process; a target support unit determination process for determining, from among all the weight support units for which the weight detection information has been acquired in the information acquisition process, at least one target weight support unit that will be the target of a predetermined benefit-granting service in a predetermined event of a group participation type; a notification information output process for outputting notification information to a notification unit provided on the target weight support unit determined in the target support unit determination process to notify that the target weight support unit has become a target of the benefit granting service; An information processing terminal for food and drink service, characterized by executing

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