Touch Panel Order Terminal Allergen Filtering Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
In order entry systems used in family restaurants and food courts, it is difficult for customer attendants to quickly determine if menu items contain allergens like eggs or pork, leading to time loss and customer wait times, as they often need to leave their post to verify with the kitchen, and existing solutions require pre-collection of allergy information, limiting flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An order terminal with an operation input unit, display unit, and control unit that allows users to designate allergens, display menu items without those allergens, and generate order data, enabling customers to easily select allergen-free options without needing prior allergy registration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the customer attendant leaves the post to verify allergen information with the kitchen, then the customer receives accurate allergen information, but the customer wait time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-stores allergen information for all menu items in the order terminal before service begins. When a customer makes an order, the terminal can immediately query and display allergen information without requiring the attendant to leave the post and verify with the kitchen, thus resolving the contradiction between information accuracy and customer wait time
Solution Approach 2:
The order terminal acts as an intermediary device between the customer attendant and the kitchen allergen information database. The terminal stores and manages allergen data locally, allowing attendants to query information instantly at the point of service without directly contacting the kitchen, thereby eliminating the time loss while maintaining information reliability
2Ease of operation
If allergy information is collected and registered in advance for each customer, then allergen-free menu items can be displayed, but customer service flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables customers to self-identify their allergen restrictions by selecting from a list of common allergens presented on the order terminal. The terminal then automatically filters and displays only menu items that do not contain the selected allergens. This approach maintains service flexibility as customers can make their own selections without requiring pre-registration or special handling, while still providing easy access to allergen-free options
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit that controls an LCD with touch panel allows a user to designate a desired raw material with a touch panel, causes the LCD to display menu items not containing the designated raw material, allows the user to designate a desired menu item with the touch panel from the menu items displayed on the LCD, and generates order data including the designated menu item.