Structural food preparation systems and methods
An ordering app running on a mobile device, one or more central servers, one or more venue servers, one or more ordering apps, plug-ins, kiosks, point of sale systems, beacons, pucks, tents, and automated appliances cooperate to prepare orders for a customer. Methods embodied as software programs running on the venue servers and the central servers advance the customer's order through various modules hosted on the venue server. A final module causes the customer's order to be prepared.
1. An order transmission and notification system comprising:
a first venue server including a processor and memory and corresponding with a first venue;
a second venue server including a processor and memory and corresponding with a second venue;
an input device at each of the first and second venues, the input device to receive input indicative that a mobile device is within the corresponding one of the venues, wherein the input device is at least one of: (a) a plurality of wireless beacons that detect when the mobile device is within the venue, or (b) an automated kiosk within the venue configured to receive an input of a code to identify the mobile device;
a central server located remotely from the first and second venues and including a processor and memory, wherein:
receive at the central server an order from a mobile device that does not specify a particular venue and then subsequently receive at the central server periodically transmitted information representing a current location of the mobile device;
link a first enclosed virtual area to the first venue at the central server, the first enclosed virtual area including a first coarse virtual geofence and a first fine virtual geofence;
link a second enclosed virtual area to the second venue at the central server, the second enclosed virtual area including a second coarse virtual geofence and a second fine virtual geofence;
in response to detecting the mobile device entering the coarse virtual geofence of one of the first or second enclosed virtual areas, transmit the order from the central server to a first module of the venue server of the corresponding venue; and
in response to detecting the mobile device entering the fine virtual geofence of one of the first or second enclosed virtual areas:
transmit the order to a second module of the venue server of the corresponding venue and delete the order from the first module of the venue server of any other venue, and
transmit a notification from the central server to the mobile device.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is an automated kiosk, and wherein the automated kiosk includes a code reader to read a scannable code that is generated by the mobile device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is an automated kiosk, and wherein the automated kiosk includes keypad to receive a code that is displayed by the mobile device.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is an automated kiosk, and wherein the automated kiosk includes microphone to receive a voice code displayed by the mobile device.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is the plurality of wireless beacons, and wherein each of the plurality of wireless beacons are located in the venue to facilitate approximation of the in-venue location of the mobile device.