Systems and methods for managing table and seating use in commercial establishments

Abstract

Computerized systems and methods are provided for allocating and managing table and seating inventory at commercial establishments, such as restaurants. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method receives a first request to allocate table inventory at a commercial establishment. In some aspects, the first request may include a first party size and a first requested time. Based on a received request, the method may determine a mode of allocation associated with the commercial establishment. The method may identifying one or more first units of table inventory capable of accommodating the first party size at the first requested time. In certain aspects, the identification may be based on at least the determined allocation mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving a first request to allocate table inventory at a commercial establishment, the first request comprising a first party size and a first requested time;   determining, based on the received request, an allocation mode associated with the commercial establishment; and   identifying, using at least one processor, one or more first units of table inventory capable of accommodating the first party size at the first requested time, the identification being based on at least the determined allocation mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the commercial establishment comprises a restaurant; and   the first units of table inventory comprise tables disposed within the restaurant, the tables being associated with a minimum party size and a maximum party size.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 assigning one of the identified tables to the received request; and   generating one or more electronic instructions to transmit a first notification of the assignment to the restaurant, the first notification identifying the assigned table, the first requested time, and the first party size.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first request comprises a request for a reservation at the restaurant; and   the assigning comprises generating the requested reservation, the requested reservation being associated with the assigned table, the first party size, the first requested time, and information identifying a customer associated with the requested reservation.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the method further comprises obtaining image data of the customer; and   the first notification includes the obtained image data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the receiving comprises receiving the request from the customer; and   the method further comprises generating one or more electronic instructions to transmit a second notification of the generated reservation to a device of the customer, the notification comprising at least one of an email message or a text message.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a second request to allocate table inventory at the restaurant, the second request comprising a second party size and a second requested time; and   determining that the table inventory is unable to accommodate second party size at the second request time; and   modifying waitlist data for the restaurant to include information associated with the second request, the information comprising the second party size.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the method further comprises:
 identifying, based on the received second request, a geographic location of a customer associated with the second request; and 
 determining whether the identified geographic location falls within a threshold distance of the restaurant; and 
   the modifying comprises modifying the waitlist data to the include information associated with the second request, when the identified geographic location falls within a threshold distance of the restaurant.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising computing a waitlist time for the received second request, the computed waitlist time being based on at least one of the allocation mode, reservation data, the second party size, the second requested time, estimated turnover times, rate limiting data, server shift information, restaurant schedules, an actual occupancy of tables within the restaurant, an expected occupancy of tables within the restaurant, external events, or weather data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the allocation mode corresponds an automated allocation mode; and   the identifying comprises identifying the one or more tables based on at least one of an actual occupancy of tables within the restaurant, an expected occupancy of tables within the restaurant, the first party size, the first requested time, estimated turnover times, rate limiting data, server shift information, or a restaurant schedule.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the allocation mode corresponds an manual allocation mode; and   the identifying comprises identifying the one or more tables based on at least one of candidate slots assigned to the first requested time, reservation data, rate limiting data, server shift information, or a restaurant schedule.   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a storage device; and   at least one processor coupled to the storage device, wherein the storage device stores a program for controlling the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor, being operative with the program, is configured to:
 receive a first request to allocate table inventory at a commercial establishment, the first request comprising a first party size and a first requested time; 
 determine, based on the received request, an allocation mode associated with the commercial establishment; and 
 identify one or more first units of table inventory capable of accommodating the first party size at the first requested time, the identification being based on at least the determined allocation mode. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the commercial establishment comprises a restaurant; and   the first units of table inventory comprise tables disposed within the restaurant, the tables being associated with a minimum party size and a maximum party size.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the received request comprises a request for a reservation at the restaurant; and   the at least one processor is further configured to:
 assign one of the identified tables to the received request; 
 generate the requested reservation, the requested reservation being associated with the assigned table, the first party size, the first requested time, and information identifying a customer associated with the requested reservation; and 
 generate one or more electronic instructions to transmit a first notification of the assignment to the restaurant, the first notification identifying the assigned table, the first requested time, and the first party size, and the notification comprising image data of the customer. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 receive the first request from the customer; and   generate one or more electronic instructions to transmit a second notification of the generated reservation to a device of the customer, the second notification comprising at least one of an email message or a text message.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 receive a second request to allocate table inventory at the restaurant, the second request comprising a second party size and a second requested time; and   determine that the table inventory is unable to accommodate second party size at the second request time;   identify, based on the received second request, a geographic location of a customer associated with the second request;   determine whether the identified geographic location falls within a threshold distance of the restaurant; and   modify waitlist data for the restaurant to include information associated with the second request, the information comprising the second party size, when the identified geographic location falls within a threshold distance of the restaurant.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compute a waitlist time for the received second request, the computed waitlist time being based on at least one of the allocation mode, reservation data, the second party size, the second requested time, estimated turnover times, rate limiting data, server shift information, restaurant schedules, an actual occupancy of tables within the restaurant, an expected occupancy of tables within the restaurant, external events, or weather data. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the allocation mode corresponds an automated allocation mode; and   the at least one processor is further configured to identify the one or more tables based on at least one of an actual occupancy of tables within the restaurant, an expected occupancy of tables within the restaurant, the first party size, the first requested time, estimated turnover times, rate limiting data, server shift information, or a restaurant schedule.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the allocation mode corresponds an manual allocation mode; and   the at least one processor is further configured to identify the one or more tables based on at least one of candidate slots assigned to the first requested time, reservation data, rate limiting data, server shift information, or a restaurant schedule.   
     
     
         20 . A tangible, non transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a first request to allocate table inventory at a commercial establishment, the first request comprising a first party size and a first requested time;   determining, based on the received request, an allocation mode associated with the commercial establishment; and   identifying one or more first units of table inventory capable of accommodating the first party size at the first requested time, the identification being based on at least the determined allocation mode.