JP7653038B1 - Information processing system, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To prevent a next customer at the same table from ordering on the same bill while the previous customer at the same table has not yet completed their payment in a mobile ordering system for a restaurant.
[Solution] The information processing system has a control unit. When the control unit first receives table identification information from a user terminal that identifies a table or seat at a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal, the control unit generates slip identification information corresponding to the table identification information and causes the user terminal to display an order screen. When the control unit next receives the same table identification information, the control unit determines whether a predetermined time has passed since the previous reception of the table identification information or since the first order information was received after the previous reception of the table identification information. If the control unit determines that the predetermined time has not passed, it maintains the generated slip identification information, and if it determines that the predetermined time has passed, it generates new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information.
[Selected figure] Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing system, information processing method, and program that can accept mobile orders from user terminals at restaurants.

Restaurants have traditionally introduced mobile ordering systems that allow users to order food and drink from their smartphones or other devices.

For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which a restaurant places a printed material on each table with a two-dimensional code that stores a table ID that identifies the table, and a user can access the restaurant's food and drink ordering page by reading the two-dimensional code with a user terminal, and can then send order information along with the table ID to a server via the ordering page, enabling mobile ordering of food and drink.

JP 2022-078691 A

The mobile ordering system mentioned above can be divided into two types: one that only accepts food and drink orders and handles payment by a separate means, and one that can handle everything from ordering to payment (by credit card or electronic money) within the system. With the former type, particularly in restaurants with a high customer turnover, there are cases where a customer at a table who has already eaten and drunk has not yet finished paying (for example, when there are customers waiting in line at the register to pay), and the next customer is shown to the table, and an order is added to the previous customer's bill.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide an information processing system, information processing method, and program that can prevent the next customer at the same table from ordering on the same bill while the previous customer at the same table has not yet completed their payment in a mobile ordering system for a restaurant.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention has a control unit. When the control unit first receives table identification information from a user terminal that identifies a table or seat at a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal, the control unit generates slip identification information corresponding to the table identification information and causes the user terminal to display an order screen. When the control unit next receives the same table identification information, the control unit determines whether a predetermined time has passed since the previous reception of the table identification information or since the first order information was received after the previous reception of the table identification information. If the control unit determines that the predetermined time has not passed, it maintains the generated slip identification information, and if it determines that the predetermined time has passed, it generates new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information.

According to this configuration, the information processing system can forcibly switch the receipt ID at a specified time regardless of whether the customer has already paid or not, thereby preventing the next customer at the same table from ordering on the same receipt while the customer in front of them has not yet paid in a restaurant's mobile ordering system. The specified time can be, for example, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc., but is not limited to these.

If the control unit receives the same table identification information before the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit may reset the predetermined time to start counting from the time of reception.

With this configuration, if another user begins using the same table before the specified time has elapsed, the information processing system considers the other user to be a companion of the original user and recounts the specified time based on when the other user began using the table, thereby ensuring that the other user has time to eat and drink.

When additional order information is received from the user terminal after receiving the initial order information, the control unit may reset the predetermined time so that the start time is the time of receipt of the additional order information.

With this configuration, if an additional order is received before the specified time has elapsed, the information processing system can ensure that there is enough time to consume the additional order by restarting the specified time based on the time of the additional order.

The control unit may be capable of switching between a first mode in which new invoice identification information is generated for each transaction of the user, and a second mode in which new invoice identification information is generated based on the passage of the specified time.

This configuration allows the information processing system to flexibly switch between a first mode (normal mode), which switches receipts for each transaction, and a second mode (crowded mode), which automatically switches receipts at predetermined times, depending on the restaurant's situation, such as whether it is crowded or not.

The control unit may switch from the first mode to the second mode when the degree of congestion at the restaurant becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold.

With this configuration, the information processing system can easily switch from the first mode to the second mode when the restaurant is busy, without putting any burden on the restaurant's employees. The degree of congestion may be calculated, for example, as the ratio of the number of tables currently in use to the total number of tables. In this case, the number of tables in use may be counted as the number of slip identification information in use, or, for example, a sensor may be installed on each table to detect whether the table is in use and counted from the output of the sensor.

The control unit may also cause the restaurant's accounting terminal to display a user interface for switching between the first mode and the second mode.

With this configuration, the information processing system can allow restaurant staff to manually switch modes depending on the level of congestion and various other circumstances.

The control unit may change the length of the predetermined time in response to a predetermined trigger.

The specified trigger here is, but is not limited to, time (such as the time of day or time of day), congestion level, manual operation by an employee, etc. This configuration allows the information processing system to adjust the timing for automatically switching the ticket depending on various conditions within the restaurant.

The control unit may also cause information prompting the user to make a payment to be displayed on the order screen when the predetermined time has elapsed.

With this configuration, the information processing system can prompt customers who have not yet completed their payment within a specified time to do so, so that even if the bill is changed, the next customer can be quickly guided to a table and used with the new bill.

The control unit may manage a session with the user terminal that is the recipient of the table identification information, and may maintain the most recently generated invoice identification information without generating new invoice identification information even if the predetermined time has elapsed while the session with the user terminal that most recently received the table identification information is ongoing.

This prevents the previous customer from sending table identification information again after the set time has elapsed and adding an order to the next customer's ticket identification information.

An information processing method according to another aspect of the present invention includes:
When table identification information for identifying a table or seat in a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal is received for the first time from the user terminal, ticket identification information corresponding to the table identification information is generated, and an order screen is displayed on the user terminal;
when the same table identification information is next received, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous reception of the table identification information, or since the first order information was received after the previous reception of the table identification information;
If it is determined that the specified time has not elapsed, the generated slip identification information is maintained, and if it is determined that the specified time has elapsed, new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information is generated.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for an information processing device,
when initially receiving table identification information from a user terminal that identifies a table or seat in a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal, generating slip identification information corresponding to the table identification information and displaying an order screen on the user terminal;
a step of determining, when the same table identification information is next received, whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous reception of the table identification information or since the first reception of order information after the previous reception of the table identification information;
If it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the generated slip identification information is maintained, and if it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information is generated.

As described above, the present invention can prevent a customer at a restaurant's mobile ordering system from ordering on the same bill while the previous customer at the same table has not yet completed their payment. However, this effect does not limit the present invention.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a restaurant menu ordering system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a restaurant information providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a database included in a restaurant information providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of automatic slip ID switching processing by the restaurant information providing server according to one embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a slip ID automatic switching process performed by the restaurant information providing server according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an example of a slip ID automatic switching process performed by the restaurant information providing server according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a POS register screen displayed on a restaurant terminal by a restaurant information providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[System Configuration]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a restaurant menu ordering system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, this system includes a restaurant information server 100 on the Internet 50, user terminals 200 of users who use each table T of multiple restaurants, and restaurant terminals 300 installed in each restaurant.

The restaurant information providing server 100 is a web server that operates a portal site that lists information about restaurants. The restaurant information providing server 100 is connected to a plurality of user terminals 200 and a plurality of restaurant terminals 300 of restaurants via the Internet 50.

The restaurant information providing server 100 provides a restaurant information search system for users of user terminals 200 on the portal site. Specifically, the restaurant information providing server 100 searches for restaurant information that matches search criteria based on a search request from the user terminal 200, generates a web page listing the search results, and transmits it to the user terminal 200. The restaurant information providing server 100 also handles reservation acceptance processing for any restaurant from the user terminal 200 of the user who viewed the restaurant information.

The restaurant information server 100 also provides a management screen (web page) for restaurant information for restaurants (affiliated restaurants) listed on the portal site. Through the management screen, users of the restaurant terminals 300 can edit and update restaurant information on the web page provided to general users as the search results, and upload the web page to the portal site.

The user terminal 200 (200A, 200B, ...) is a terminal used by a user, such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet PC, etc. The user terminal 200 accesses the restaurant information providing server 100, receives the above web page, and displays it on a screen using a browser or the like.

The user terminal 200 determines search conditions for restaurants on the portal site based on the user's operation, and transmits a restaurant search request based on the search conditions to the restaurant information providing server 100.

Meanwhile, the restaurant information providing server 100 can receive orders for food and drink at each table of each restaurant from a user using each table T of the restaurant via the user terminal 200. For example, the user terminal 200 reads a two-dimensional barcode C printed on a card, plate, stand, or the like and placed on each table of the restaurant, and when a request to start using the table is sent to the restaurant information providing server 100 based on the read information (URL including the table ID), the restaurant information providing server 100 displays an order screen for the restaurant's menu on the display unit of the user terminal 200.

When the restaurant information providing server 100 receives an order input from the user via the order screen, it sends the received order information to the restaurant terminal (POS terminal) 300 of the restaurant. The order information is transferred from the restaurant terminal 300 to a kitchen terminal (not shown). The restaurant information providing server 100 also stores the received order information, and when it receives a request for accounting from the user, it ends the order receiving process from the user terminal 200 and waits for the next order request (scanning of the 2D barcode C) from the customer.

In this way, the user terminal 200 also functions as a mobile order terminal for accepting orders from users using each table T of the restaurant and transmitting order information to the restaurant information providing server 100. The user terminal 200 may have installed thereon an application (hereinafter also referred to as an MO app) capable of executing processing related to mobile orders in cooperation with the restaurant information providing server 100.

The restaurant terminal 300 is a terminal installed in each restaurant, and may be a tablet PC, notebook PC, desktop PC, or the like. Based on the administrator's operation, the restaurant terminal 300 can execute processes related to its own restaurant information, such as editing and updating the restaurant information, by communicating with the restaurant information providing server 100. The restaurant terminal 300 also mediates communication between the restaurant information providing server 100 and the kitchen terminal or POS terminal in the mobile order process. Of course, the restaurant terminal 300 may also function as the kitchen terminal or POS terminal and communicate directly with the restaurant information providing server 100.

However, with conventional mobile ordering systems, especially in restaurants with a high customer turnover rate, there have been cases where a customer who has already eaten at a table has not yet finished paying (for example, when customers are waiting in line at the register to pay), and the next customer is shown to the table, resulting in an order being added to the previous customer's bill.

In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the restaurant information server 100 is able to forcibly switch the receipt ID (receipt number) identifying the receipt of a customer at a specific set time, particularly when the restaurant is busy, at one table T, regardless of whether the previous customer has already paid (before the previous customer's session ends), and start the next session. Details of the automatic receipt ID switching process will be described later.

[Hardware configuration of restaurant information server]
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the restaurant information providing server 100. As shown in the figure, the restaurant information providing server 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 (server control unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an input/output interface 15, and a bus 14 connecting these to each other.

The CPU 11 accesses the RAM 13 etc. as necessary and performs various calculation processes while controlling all the blocks of the restaurant information providing server 100. The ROM 12 is a non-volatile memory in which firmware such as the OS, programs and various parameters to be executed by the CPU 11 are permanently stored. The RAM 13 is used as a working area for the CPU 11 and temporarily stores the OS, various applications being executed, and various data being processed.

The input/output interface 15 is connected to a display unit 16, an operation reception unit 17, a memory unit 18, a communication unit 19, etc.

The display unit 16 is a display device that uses, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an OELD (Organic ElectroLuminescence Display), a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), etc.

The operation reception unit 17 is, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, or other input device. If the operation reception unit 17 is a touch panel, the touch panel may be integrated with the display unit 16.

The storage unit 18 is a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a flash memory (SSD; solid state drive), or other solid-state memory. The storage unit 18 stores the OS, various applications, and various data.

In particular, in this embodiment, the memory unit 18 stores data, applications, and other programs that allow the restaurant information providing server 100 to execute the mobile order process and automatic ticket ID switching process described below. As described below, the memory unit 18 has a restaurant information database, a user information database, and a POS information database as databases that contain such data.

The communication unit 19 is, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) for Ethernet or various modules for wireless communication such as a wireless LAN, and is responsible for communication processing between the user terminal 200 and the restaurant terminal 300.

[Database configuration of restaurant information server]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a database included in the restaurant information providing server 100. As shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the restaurant information providing server 100 has a restaurant information database 31, a user information database 32, and a POS information database 33 in the memory unit 18.

For each restaurant, the restaurant information database 31 stores the restaurant's name, location (address or latitude and longitude), area information, access information (nearest station information, walking distance from the nearest station), telephone number, an ID that identifies the restaurant (store ID), information about the restaurant's business type and service genre, information introducing the restaurant (information indicating the store's characteristics such as store PR text, information about events held by the restaurant, etc.), image data related to the restaurant (introducing the restaurant), menu information related to the menu offered by the restaurant, average budget information, business hours, website URL, etc. This information is entered from each restaurant's restaurant terminal 300 via a management screen provided by the restaurant information providing server 100.

The menu information corresponds to the menus posted on the website of each restaurant on the portal site, and stores the names of multiple menus that each restaurant can provide for each restaurant. The menu information may be stored for each menu category, such as appetizer/main/meat dish/fish dish/carbohydrate/side dish, lunch/dinner/course, etc. The menu information may also include text information indicating the menu name, price, description, etc., as well as image information such as a photograph of the menu, which is stored in association with the menu. Furthermore, information regarding the calories, quantity, and ingredients of each menu item may also be stored.

The genre information may include main categories such as Japanese, Chinese, Italian, French, and yakiniku, as well as more detailed subcategories such as yakitori and tempura in Japanese cuisine, and pasta and pizza in Italian cuisine.

The user information database 32 stores information about users who own user terminals 200 and are users (members) of the restaurant information service provided by the restaurant information server 100 via the portal site. Specifically, the user information database 32 stores information for each user, such as user ID, password, name, email address (and other information to which messages are addressed), phone number, address, age (group), gender, and date of birth.

The POS information database 33 stores POS data based on orders received from the user terminal 200 in each table T. The POS data is composed of, for example, a table ID, a slip ID, time of entry, number of customers, ordered menu, number of orders (number of orders), sales amount, time of order, etc.

In this embodiment, the restaurant information server 100 can switch between a normal mode (first mode) in which the slip ID for each table T is switched for each transaction for each table T (a new slip ID is generated for each transaction), and a crowded mode (second mode) in which the slip ID is automatically switched based on the elapsed time since the table T was first used when the restaurant is crowded (a new slip ID is generated when a specified set time has elapsed). The POS information database 33 also stores information regarding which of the normal mode and the crowded mode is currently being used.

When the crowded mode is being executed, the POS information database 33 also stores, for each table T of each restaurant, count information on the time that has elapsed since the two-dimensional barcode C at each table T was read by the user terminal 200 and a request to start using the table was received. The elapsed time is reset if a request to start using the table is received immediately afterwards from the table T (the user terminal 200 of the table T).

These databases are mutually referenced and used as necessary during mobile order processing by the restaurant information providing server 100.

[System Operation]
Next, the operation of the system (mainly the restaurant information providing server 100) configured as above will be described. The operation is executed by the cooperation of hardware such as the CPU 11 of the restaurant information providing server 100 and software stored in the storage unit 18. For convenience, in the following description, the CPU 11 is the subject of operation.

Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the automatic ticket ID switching process when the restaurant information providing server 100 accepts a mobile order. Note that in this operation, it is assumed that the restaurant information providing server 100 has already started mobile order acceptance operation in normal mode.

The CPU 11 of the restaurant information server 100 first determines whether the degree of congestion in the restaurant is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (step 41). The CPU 11 may calculate the degree of congestion, for example, as the ratio of the number of tables T currently in use to the total number of tables T. In this case, the number of tables T in use may be counted as the number of slip IDs in use, or, for example, a sensor (a human presence sensor such as a temperature sensor or light sensor) may be installed at each table T to detect whether the table is being used and counted from the output of the sensor.

If it is determined that the congestion level is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (Yes in step 41), the CPU 11 switches the normal mode to the congestion mode and updates the mode information in the POS information database 33 (step 42).

Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not a request to start using the first table T in crowded mode (table ID) has been received from the user terminal 200 via the two-dimensional barcode C of any of the tables T (step 43). The user's operation to request starting use (the operation of reading the two-dimensional barcode C) is also referred to as "check-in." The request to start using may include a terminal ID that differs for each user terminal 200 that sent it.

The request to start using table T may include, in addition to the table ID, information regarding the number of users using the table T. If the CPU 11 determines that the table ID has been received (Yes in step 43), it generates a slip ID for the table T to be used and stores it in the POS information database 33, and starts counting the usage time (step 44).

Next, the CPU 11 stores the number of users information in the POS information database 33 and transmits an order screen for mobile ordering to the user terminal 200 (step 45).

Next, the CPU 11 determines whether a new table ID has been received from the user terminal 200 via the two-dimensional barcode C of the table T to be used (step 46).

Next, the CPU 11 refers to the POS information database 33 and determines whether the usage time from when the previous table ID was received has exceeded a set time when the new table ID is received (step 47). Here, the set time is, for example, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc., but is not limited to these.

If it is determined that the usage time at the time of receiving the table ID has exceeded the set time since the previous reception (Yes in step 47), the CPU 11 generates a new slip ID that is different from the previous slip ID stored in the POS information database 33, updates the information, and starts counting the usage time (step 48).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the usage time at the time of receiving the table ID has not passed the set time since the previous reception (No in step 47), the CPU 11 maintains the current slip ID, resets the usage time counted in the POS information database 33 (step 49), returns to step 46, and repeats the subsequent processes. Note that here, if it is determined that the set time has not passed, it is also possible to continue counting the usage time from the beginning without resetting the usage time.

Then, the CPU 11 determines whether or not a congestion mode end trigger has occurred (step 50).

If it is determined that there is no trigger to end the congestion mode (No in step 50), the CPU 11 returns to step 46 and repeats the subsequent processes.

On the other hand, if it is determined that an end trigger for the crowded mode has occurred (Yes in step 50), the CPU 11 switches the crowded mode to the normal mode and ends it (step 51). An end trigger is, for example, when the degree of congestion falls below the predetermined threshold (or a different threshold), when an instruction to end the crowded mode is sent from an employee's terminal to the restaurant information providing server 100, when a predetermined time (e.g., one hour or two hours) has passed since the start of the crowded mode, or when a set time (e.g., the end of lunchtime) has arrived, but is not limited to these.

Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the process of switching the invoice ID along a time axis when the usage time at the time the new table ID is received has exceeded the set time.

As shown in the figure, when customer A checks in to table A and a slip ID "001" is generated, if another customer B checks in to table A after the usage time has exceeded the set time, a new slip ID "002" is generated for customer B in addition to the slip ID "001" regardless of whether customer A is waiting to pay or has completed payment.

In this case, not only when customer B is a different person from customer A, but also when customer B is a member of the dining party with customer A, separate receipt IDs are generated for each customer, and the orders from the user terminals 200 of both customers are processed separately. When customer A and customer B dine together, they may make separate payments using each receipt ID, or an employee may add up the two receipts on the POS terminal at the time of payment.

Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the process of switching the invoice ID along a time axis when the usage time at the time the new table ID is received has not yet exceeded the set time.

As shown in the figure, if a customer A checks in to table A and a slip ID "001" is generated, and then another customer B checks in to table A before the usage time has elapsed the set time, the slip ID "001" is maintained and the usage time is reset so that the count starts from the time of customer B's check-in, and the order from customer B's user terminal 200 is also merged with the slip ID "001." Also, although the slips are merged when customer B checks in, the usage time may be reset when customer B places his or her first order from the user terminal 200.

In this way, if another customer begins using the same table before the set time has elapsed, they are considered to be a companion of the original customer, and the usage time is recounted based on when the other customer began using the table, ensuring that the other customer has time to eat and drink.

Figure 7 shows an example of a POS register screen that the restaurant information providing server 100 displays on the restaurant terminal 300 (or POS terminal, accounting terminal).

As shown in the figure, the restaurant information providing server 100 may display on the POS register screen, in addition to general display items including a receipt ID 60, etc., information indicating the current mode, either the normal mode or the crowded mode, as well as a mode switching button 61 as a user interface for switching the current mode to another mode. In the example shown in the figure, the current mode is the normal mode, and the mode switching button 61 for switching to the crowded mode is displayed.

This allows employees to manually switch modes depending on the level of congestion in the restaurant and various other situations. Pressing the mode switching button 61 can also be the "trigger to end crowded mode" in step 50 of FIG. 4 above. The pressing operation can also be the trigger to start crowded mode in step 42 of FIG. 4, or employees can manually switch between crowded mode and normal mode using the restaurant terminal 300, a handheld terminal, etc.

[summary]
As described above, according to this embodiment, the restaurant information providing server 100 forcibly switches the receipt ID based on a specified set time regardless of whether the customer has already paid or not, thereby preventing the next customer at the same table from ordering on the same receipt while the customer in front of the table has not yet paid in a restaurant's mobile ordering system.

[Modification]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the restaurant information providing server 100 switches between normal mode and crowded mode, but it may also always run in crowded mode (automatic switching process of slip ID) as a single mode.

In the above embodiment, when the restaurant information providing server 100 receives a table ID from the user terminal 200, it starts counting the time that has elapsed from that point, and when it receives a table ID immediately thereafter, it determines whether the elapsed time exceeds a set time (e.g., 15 minutes). Alternatively, the restaurant information providing server 100 may take into consideration that some customers take a long time between starting to use the table and placing an order, and start counting the elapsed time not when the table ID is received from the user terminal 200, but when the first order is accepted after the table ID is received (when the order information is received).

In the above embodiment, after generating the slip ID, if the restaurant information providing server 100 receives additional order information from the user terminal 200 after receiving the initial order information, the server 100 may reset the set time so that the start time is the time of receipt. With this configuration, if the server 100 receives an additional order before the set time has elapsed, the server 100 can ensure the time to eat and drink the additional order by recounting the set time based on the time of the additional order.

In the above embodiment, the restaurant information providing server 100 may change the length of the set time in response to a predetermined trigger. Here, the predetermined trigger is, but is not limited to, time (such as a time period or time of day), congestion level, manual operation by an employee via a store management screen, etc. For example, the set time may be 15 minutes for lunchtime and 30 minutes for dinnertime. Also, the set time may be preset to be longer as congestion level increases or the number of orders increases. With this configuration, the restaurant information providing server 100 can adjust the timing for automatically switching the ticket depending on various situations within the restaurant.

In the above embodiment, the restaurant information providing server 100 may display information on the mobile order screen of the user terminal 200 urging the user to pay when the above-mentioned set time has elapsed since the user started using table T. With this configuration, the restaurant information providing server 100 can promptly guide the next customer to table T and use the new bill even if the bill ID has changed, by urging customers who have not paid within the set time to pay.

In the above embodiment, an example was given in which a slip ID is assigned to each table T. Alternatively, the above two-dimensional barcode C may be provided for each seat at the table T, and a slip ID may be assigned and managed for each seat. For example, if one table T has four seats, a slip ID is assigned to each of the four seats, or to every two seats. This allows the slip ID switching process to be performed independently for each seat at one table T depending on the usage time.

In the above embodiment, if a user who has been staying at the table T for more than the set time reads the two-dimensional barcode C again and requests an additional order after the set time has elapsed, the order will be linked to the slip ID of the next customer, which has been changed due to the elapse of the set time. Therefore, the restaurant information providing server 100 may identify the communication partner by managing the session, for example, using a cookie or session ID, with the time when the table ID is received from the user terminal 200 being the session start time. Even if a new table ID is received from the user terminal 200, as long as the previous session is continuing (access is from the same session ID as the previous session), the previous slip ID may be maintained even after the set time has elapsed, and if an additional order is requested in the session, the order may be added to the slip ID, and the slip ID may be switched when it is confirmed that the previous session has ended after the set time has elapsed (access is from a session ID different from the previous session). This prevents an order added by the previous customer by reading the two-dimensional barcode C again after the set time has elapsed from being added to the slip ID of the next customer.

The processing of the restaurant information providing server 100 in the above embodiment may be distributed and executed by multiple servers. For example, the order acceptance processing for mobile orders and the process of switching the receipt ID may be executed by separate servers.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a cloud-based restaurant information providing server 100 executes restaurant search processing for multiple user terminals 200, but a server with the same functions as the restaurant information providing server 100 may be installed for each restaurant, and control processing of the menu ordering interface may be executed.

In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the present invention is applied to a mobile ordering system in which orders can be placed from a user terminal 200, but the present invention can also be applied to ordering terminals installed in each restaurant, i.e., a tabletop ordering system in which orders can be placed from a tabletop terminal installed at each table T, a smart speaker ordering system in which orders can be placed from a smart speaker (with microphone) installed at each table T, or other systems in which orders can be placed from a floor robot that patrols the floors of a restaurant.

Of the inventions described in the claims of this application, the invention described as an "information processing method" has each step performed automatically by at least one device such as a computer through software-based information processing, and is not performed by a human using a device such as a computer. In other words, the "information processing method" is an information processing method using computer software, and is not a method in which a human operates a computing tool such as a computer.

11...CPU
12...ROM
13...RAM
14: bus 15: input/output interface 18: storage unit 19: communication unit 31: restaurant information database 32: user information database 33: POS information database 61: mode switching button 100: restaurant information providing server 200: user terminal 300: restaurant terminal C: code (two-dimensional barcode)

Claims (7)

When table identification information for identifying a table or seat in a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal is received for the first time from the user terminal, ticket identification information corresponding to the table identification information is generated, and an order screen is displayed on the user terminal;
when the same table identification information is next received, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous reception of the table identification information, or since the first order information was received after the previous reception of the table identification information;
a control unit that maintains the generated slip identification information if it determines that the specified time has not elapsed, and generates new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information if it determines that the specified time has elapsed. 2. The information processing system according to claim 1,
When the control unit receives the same table identification information before the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit resets the predetermined time so as to start counting from the time of reception of the same table identification information. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1,
When the control unit receives additional order information from the user terminal after receiving the initial order information, the control unit resets the predetermined time so as to start counting from the time of receipt of the additional order information. 3. The information processing system according to claim 1,
The control unit is
a first mode in which new slip identification information is generated for each transaction of the user and a second mode in which new slip identification information is generated based on the passage of the predetermined time period;
When the degree of congestion of the restaurant becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a mode switching instruction is input from a terminal of the restaurant, the first mode is switched to the second mode ;
when the degree of congestion falls below the threshold value or when the mode switching instruction is input from a terminal of the restaurant, the second mode is switched to the first mode . 3. The information processing system according to claim 1,
the control unit manages a session with the user terminal that is the recipient of the table identification information, and even if the specified time has elapsed, does not generate new slip identification information while the session with the user terminal that previously received the table identification information is ongoing, but maintains the previously generated slip identification information. When table identification information for identifying a table or seat in a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal is received for the first time from the user terminal, ticket identification information corresponding to the table identification information is generated, and an order screen is displayed on the user terminal;
when the same table identification information is next received, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous reception of the table identification information, or since the first order information was received after the previous reception of the table identification information;
if it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the generated slip identification information is maintained, and if it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information is generated. In the information processing device,
when initially receiving table identification information from a user terminal that identifies a table or seat in a restaurant used by a user of the user terminal, generating slip identification information corresponding to the table identification information and displaying an order screen on the user terminal;
a step of determining, when the same table identification information is next received, whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the previous reception of the table identification information or since the first reception of order information after the previous reception of the table identification information;
maintaining the generated slip identification information if it is determined that the specified time has not elapsed, and generating new slip identification information different from the generated slip identification information if it is determined that the specified time has elapsed.

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