Graphical User Interface for a Restaurant Management System

Abstract

A system for managing a restaurant comprises a restaurant server including a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface comprises a display and an input interface. The display displays reservation information for the restaurant. The reservation information includes a colored indicator of a status. The input interface receives an indication to display the reservation information for the restaurant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   an input interface; and   a memory storing instructions;   wherein the instructions, when read by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
 selectively display, based on user input received by the input interface, one of a plurality of user interfaces associated with managing party seating in a restaurant, wherein the plurality of user interfaces comprise:
 a reservation interface comprising reservation information, 
 a table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of a table of the restaurant, and 
 a multiple table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of multiple tables of the restaurant; 
 
 receive, via the input interface, first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface; 
 determine, based on one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more multiple table suggestions, wherein each of the one or more multiple table suggestions corresponds to a combination of tables at the restaurant; 
 display, via the input interface, the multiple table selection interface, wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises an indication of a first multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined; 
 receive, via the input interface and at the multiple table selection interface, second user input indicating display of another multiple table suggestion; and 
 display, via the input interface and based on receipt of the second user input and by the multiple table selection interface, a second multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant comprise one or more of a first criterion associated with leaving the largest possible number of combinations of tables available, a second criterion associated with maximizing availability, a third criterion associated with maximizing turnover, a fourth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a server, a fifth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a view area, a sixth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a window area, and a seventh criterion associated with minimizing wait time. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to:
 determine, based on the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more table suggestions; and   display, via the input interface and by the table selection interface, the one or more table suggestions.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the one or more table suggestions at least by determining all possible tables that satisfy a seating request. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises a list of the one or more multiple table suggestions. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface is received by the table selection interface. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combination of tables are adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 selectively displaying, by a computing device and based on received user input, one of a plurality of user interfaces associated with managing party seating in a restaurant, wherein the plurality of user interfaces comprises:
 a reservation interface comprising reservation information, 
 a table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of a table of the restaurant, and 
 a multiple table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of multiple tables of the restaurant; 
   receiving, by the computing device, first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface;   determining, by the computing device and based on one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more multiple table suggestions, wherein each of the one or more multiple table suggestions corresponds to a combination of tables at the restaurant;   displaying, by the computing device, the multiple table selection interface, wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises an indication of a first multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined;   receiving, by the computing device, second user input indicating display of another multiple table suggestion; and   displaying, by the computing device and based on receipt of the second user input and by the multiple table selection interface, a second multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant comprise one or more of a first criterion associated with leaving the largest possible number of combinations of tables available, a second criterion associated with maximizing availability, a third criterion associated with maximizing turnover, a fourth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a server, a fifth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a view area, a sixth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a window area, and a seventh criterion associated with minimizing wait time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing device and based on the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more table suggestions; and   displaying, by the computing device, the one or more table suggestions.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining, by the computing device, the one or more table suggestions at least by determining all possible tables that satisfy a seating request. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises a list of the one or more multiple table suggestions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface is received by the table selection interface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the combination of tables are adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps comprising:
 selectively displaying, based on received user input, one of a plurality of user interfaces associated with managing party seating in a restaurant, wherein the plurality of user interfaces comprise:
 a reservation interface comprising reservation information, 
 a table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of a table of the restaurant, and 
 a multiple table selection interface configured to receive user input corresponding to selection of multiple tables of the restaurant; 
   receiving first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface;   determining, based on one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more multiple table suggestions, wherein each of the one or more multiple table suggestions corresponds to a combination of tables at the restaurant;   displaying the multiple table selection interface, wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises an indication of a first multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined;   receiving second user input indicating display of another multiple table suggestion; and   displaying, based on receipt of the second user input and by the multiple table selection interface, a second multiple table suggestion of the one or more multiple table suggestions determined.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant comprise one or more of a first criterion associated with leaving the largest possible number of combinations of tables available, a second criterion associated with maximizing availability, a third criterion associated with maximizing turnover, a fourth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a server, a fifth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a view area, a sixth criterion associated with maximizing utilization of a window area, and a seventh criterion associated with minimizing wait time. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:
 determining, based on the one or more criteria associated with seating in the restaurant, one or more table suggestions; and   displaying, the one or more table suggestions.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising determining the one or more table suggestions at least by determining all possible tables that satisfy a seating request. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the multiple table selection interface comprises a list of the one or more multiple table suggestions. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first user input indicating display of the multiple table selection interface is received by the table selection interface.