Food service cup dispensers, systems, and methods

Abstract

Systems for providing on-demand cup printing and dispensing for food service are provided herein. A cup dispenser includes a cup source configured to hold a stack of cups and one or more cup-moving elements configured to cause a cup from the stack of cups to move through the cup dispenser. The cup dispenser includes a motor configured to operate the one or more cup-moving elements to cause the cup to move through the cup dispenser along a path. The cup dispenser also includes a printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information on the cup that is based on the food service order associated with the cup. The cup dispenser further includes a dispensing slot that provides the cup, which includes the at least one of order information or personalization information printed thereon.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 712,465, filed Jul. 31, 2018, entitled “Personalized Food Service Material Printing Systems”, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 597,516, filed Dec. 12, 2017, entitled “Personalized Food Service Material Printing Systems”; each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]Example embodiments of the present invention generally relate to printing and dispensing systems for food service and, more particularly to on-demand cup printing and dispensing systems for food service.BACKGROUND[0003]Customer experience for food service can often feel impersonal. A customer may provide a food order and a food service person may then package up the food order for the customer. The packaging is pre-printed and supplied to the food service store often months in advance, such that the customer is presented with generic food packaging for...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a system that allows for on-demand printing of food service material. This system can provide personalization of food service material and real-time promotions for stores. The system can use information gathered from customer profiles, past order history, store promotions, and social media, among others, to determine what to print on the food service material. This can include information about the customer's order and personalization information for the customer or the store. The printed food service material can then be used by food service personnel to prepare the customer's food order. This system improves the customer's experience by providing personalization and relevant promotions, and reduces shipping and manufacturing costs by providing real-time needs and reducing waste. The system can be used for various types of food service material, such as food wrap, containers, and carry-out bags. The appropriate dispenser can be chosen based on the order information, and the system contemplates many different types of dispensers for printing on and dispensing different types of food service material.

Problems solved by technology

Customer experience for food service can often feel impersonal.

Further, any promotions or messages that a food service business may want to present to the customer on a food service material item (e.g., food wrap, food container, cup, carry-out bag, tray liner, napkin, etc.) requires a significant lag time from formation of the promotion / message to presentation to the customer.

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