Utility for creating heatmaps for determining competitive advantage in the restaurant marketplace

Abstract

A utility builds and displays heatmaps of competitive activity that aid in studying the competitive advantage of a particular restaurant. The heatmaps are constructed based on activity logged with a restaurant service, and available within the restaurant service's database(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         1 . A system for displaying a real-time heat map of competitive activity pertinent to a subject restaurant, the system comprising:
 i) a database adapted to maintain an order queue;   ii) a restaurant server having access to the database;   iii) a computer system coupled to the restaurant server over a network;   iv) wherein the computer system is adapted to transmit an identifier to the restaurant server, the identifier identifying the subject restaurant to the restaurant server;   v) wherein the computer system is adapted to transmit an indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics to the restaurant server;   vi) wherein the restaurant server is adapted to receive the identifier and the indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics, and wherein the restaurant server is adapted to query the database for competitors of the subject restaurant based on the indicia of desired competitor characteristics and the identifier;   vii) wherein the restaurant server is adapted to compile a list of competitors of the subject restaurant and transmit the list of competitors to the computer system;   viii) wherein the computer system receives the list of competitors, the computer system specifying an indicia indicative of a map area including the subject restaurant and transmitting the indicia indicative of a map area to the restaurant server;   ix) wherein the restaurant server receives the specified indicia indicative of a map area, the restaurant server being adapted to query the database for competitor activity within the specified map area, the restaurant server being adapted to receive at least one competitive activity event from the database, the at least one competitive activity event is a real-time or near real-time event of a competitor in the list of competitors;   x) wherein the restaurant server is adapted to transmit the at least one competitive activity event to the computer system; and   xi) wherein the computer system is adapted to render the at least one competitive activity event on a display of the computer system, the heat map includes the rendered competitive activity event.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one competitive activity event is an order occurrence. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one competitive activity event is an amount of an order. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one competitive activity event is a number of items associated with an order. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one competitive activity event is displayed for a fixed time period before being erased from the display. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics includes a maximum distance from the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics includes a set of coordinates specifying a map area including the location of the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the indicia indicative of a map area is a maximum distance from the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the indicia indicative of a map area is a set of coordinates. 
     
     
         10 . A method for displaying a real-time heat map of competitive activity pertinent to a subject restaurant, the method operating on a system comprised of a restaurant server having access to a database and a computer system networked with the restaurant server, the method comprising the steps of:
 i) maintaining an order queue in the database;   ii) transmitting an identifier from the computer system to the restaurant server, the identifier identifying the subject restaurant;   iii) transmitting an indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics from the computer system to the restaurant server;   iv) the restaurant server querying the database for competitors of the subject restaurant based on the indicia of desired competitor characteristics and the identifier;   v) the restaurant server compiling a list of competitors of the subject restaurant;   vi) the restaurant server transmitting the list of competitors to the computer system;   vii) the computer system receiving the list of competitors;   viii) the computer system specifying an indicia indicative of a map area including the subject restaurant;   ix) the computer system transmitting the indicia indicative of a map area to the restaurant server;   x) the restaurant server receiving the indicia indicative of a map area;   xi) the restaurant server querying the database for competitor activity within the specified map area;   xii) the restaurant server receiving at least one competitive activity event from the database, the at least one competitive activity event is a real-time or near real-time event of a competitor in the list of competitors;   xiii) the restaurant server transmitting the competitive activity event to the computer system; and   xiv) the computer system rendering the competitive event on a display of the computer system, the heat map includes the rendered competitive activity event.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the competitive event is an order occurrence. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the competitive event is an amount of an order. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the competitive event is a number of items associated with an order. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the competitive event is displayed for a fixed time period before being erased from the display. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics includes a maximum distance from the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indicia indicative of desired competitor characteristics includes a set of coordinates specifying a map area including the location of the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indicia indicative of a map area is a maximum distance from the subject restaurant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indicia indicative of a map area is a set of coordinates.