U.S. patent application number 11/509218 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-28 for world gourmet fast health food facility.
Invention is credited to David M. Feiertag.
Application Number | 20080047781 11/509218 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39112317 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080047781 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Feiertag; David M. |
February 28, 2008 |
World gourmet fast health food facility
Abstract
A method for providing quality exotic foods or foods from a
variety of countries at prices comparable to fast food restaurants
where the restaurant includes a menu selection book used to pick a
food item. The table area includes the ability to order the food.
Payment for the food can be made from a self-pay station at the
table or at a self-pay cashier station exiting the facility. The
restaurant facility specializes in international gourmet foods
representative of popular foods typically found in various
countries around the world. The menu book includes informational
data related to a food item being considered for selection
including one of pictures of the food item, seasonings in the food
item, history of the food item, ingredients within the food item,
nutritional data and any combination thereof.
Inventors: |
Feiertag; David M.; (Ft.
Myers, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DENNIS G. LAPOINTE;LAPOINTE LAW GROUP, PL
PO BOX 1294
TARPON SPRINGS
FL
34688-1294
US
|
Family ID: |
39112317 |
Appl. No.: |
11/509218 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
186/44 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
186/44 |
International
Class: |
E04H 3/04 20060101
E04H003/04 |
Claims
1. A method for providing quality exotic foods or foods from a
variety of countries at prices comparable to fast food restaurants
comprising: providing a restaurant facility specializing in
international gourmet foods, said facility having tables and chairs
for customers to sit and eat selected food items; providing means
for selecting the food items from a menu selection book, wherein
the menu selection book includes informational data related to a
food item being considered for selection including one of pictures
of the food item, seasonings in the food item, history of the food
item, ingredients within the food item, nutritional data and any
combination of said informational data, wherein the food items
available for selection comprises a variety of ethnic foods
representative of popular foods typically found in various
countries around the world; providing means for ordering the
selected food item at the table; providing means for a staff member
working at the facility to warm-up and/or cook the selected food
item when appropriate; providing means for advising a customer that
an ordered food item is ready for pick-up, wherein the customer can
then pick up the selected food item; and providing means for the
customer to pay for the selected food item consumed at the
facility, wherein selected food items are ready for pick-up within
a time span comparable to that experienced in typical fast food
restaurants and prices for available food items are comparable to
those prices typically found in said fast food restaurants.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein payment can be
processed using an automated computerized machine located at the
table or at a self-pay cashier station before exiting the
facility.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the food items
available for selection are pre-processed at a food supply source
independent of the facility.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein where the food items
are pre-processed at a food supply source independent of the
facility, said facility includes minimal means for warming and/or
cooking selected food items required to be warmed and/cooked,
wherein any odors associated with food preparation are
significantly less than food odors typically associated with odors
generally associated with typical fast food restaurants.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a fast food facility specializing
in gourmet foods from around the world.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Typical fast food restaurants have kitchens where whether
the cooking process is visible or not from the customer, there is a
strong food odor. This is due to deep frying kitchen equipment and
a multitude of ovens. Further, wait persons are required, cashiers
are required, cooks are required, refrigeration for uncooked food
is needed, etc., and the variety of foods available is limited to
basic meats, seafood and pasta meals, many of these fried
foods.
[0003] In addition, the overhead of these facilities is considered
high given that typical fast food restaurants such as Taco
Bell.TM., Subway.TM., Denny's.TM., Steak & Shake.TM., Olive
Gardens.TM., IHOP.TM., Burger King.TM., McDonald's.TM., and other
similar eating facilities typically employ from 8 to 35
employees.
[0004] All of these typical restaurants have limited variety of
foods and have specific themes, for example, an Olive Gardens
restaurant is typically considered an Italian restaurant with pasta
dishes.
[0005] What is needed is a new restaurant concept that minimizes
equipment to warm food to reduce odors and provides for a health
conscious food menu that is representative of food choices from
several countries in one place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] That is, what is needed is a restaurant type of facility
that could even be franchisable, that is going to sell good
quality, well affordable health gourmet fast-food that is
representative of foods from all over the world.
[0007] Any family or person will be able to enjoy this new concept
with many advantages for the following reasons: many different
dishes from different countries will be offered; the dishes will be
ready as fast as the average fast food franchise time; the food
will be very healthy and tasty and comparable to the same food
served by an expensive restaurant specializing in this type of
food; the price will be comparable to an average fast food
franchise; any taste can fit into the new concept; the market will
target all classes of people including race, culture and religion;
people will be able to frequently eat at a facility without getting
tired of the same food because of the variety of dishes available
and also the internal ambient that will be able to change
constantly including the smell of the place that will be able to be
fresh all the time with this new concept of a restaurant franchise
or facility; there will be no need for tips because the facility
will not have a waiter; the facility will always be clean and quiet
because there will be a different concept of kitchen with no mess
and no noise and also very few people; there will be no oil or fat
smell impregnating the place with this new concept of restaurant
franchise, this concept could be fit in a very small place like a
food court at the mall or anywhere else in the countryside due to
the simplicity, and low cost and maintenance; this inventive
concept would also be very adaptable for establishment in other
countries; this concept could even be set up at a temporary places
very easily, like shows and confernces troughout the world and also
places with very little people like very small cities and villas
due to its low overhead and easy way to set up; and finally this
new concept could become one of the largest restaurant franchise
fast food establishments in the world due to all the reasons listed
above. Additionally, the number of health inspections could
arguably be diminished. Expensive quality control could be
eliminated or reduced, losses and waste could be minimized,
extensive cleaning can be reduced, high insurance rates/premiums
can be reduced, thousands can be saved in licenses, specialized
labor, intensive training and the normal high investment in kitchen
equipment. Overhead cost can also be significantly reduced.
[0008] An ideal facility is a facility with the same size as any
other fast food franchise, but much more optimized due to the size
of the kitchen that will be reduced at least at 60% of size and
cost to build, with at least the same income but with one third of
the overhead cost, also a significant reduced time to get licenses
and permits to build. The ideal facility finds it much easier to
find people to work due to the simplicity of the job, it means that
an entire business could begin much faster than any other in the
same category with the advantage of not having problems with
quality control and recruiting several employees.
[0009] It is within the scope of the invention that each facility
will have different offers and specials, trying to cater to the
location, for example, if the facility is located in a part of a
town with mostly Hispanic people of Mexican heritage, then the
facility will offer some of the most popular plates from Mexico
that are generally enjoyed by people in Mexico. In addition to the
Mexican food, other food from the U.S. and other countries will
also be available for ordering from the menu.
[0010] Initially the source or supply of food will not be prepared
on site but rather will come from local factories and other
restaurants under contract for supplying these foods. In the
future, it is anticipated that should a franchise system be
developed that the chain of facilities will have its own central
production and distribution facility for supplying and replenishing
the facility with food dishes. The food dishes will be supplied
frozen to the facility in a disposable package and all foods would
meet regulatory and inspection requirements.
[0011] The way the customers will select the dishes is as follows.
A book-like menu will be made for all the offered dishes, including
a picture of the dish, base seasoning, history, ingredients and
nutritional data, with the menu number assigned to the specific
dish that is ordered at the table on a unique order board located
at each table. After the customer selects the specific dish, the
customer is advised that his order is ready for pick up and he can
then pick up a tray with his order dish thereon.
[0012] Food selections that need to be warmed up before pick-up are
warmed by a staff member. If it is necessary to warm up the dish
again, this can be done by a crew member working the floor. The
smell in typical restaurants is caused by fat and smoke from deep
fryers, and the fat and smoke impregnated on floors and walls and
other equipments such as hoods. In the present invention, any smell
will be minimal and will instead emit a smell that resembles more
that found in convenience stores where coffee brewing is smelled
but in this case the smell may include one associated with what is
being warmed-up at the moment from a selection made by the
customer.
[0013] The customer will be able to self-pay with a credit card at
the table, or at a cashier station when picking up the food. This
can be done with automated computerized machines at the table
and/or at the cashier station similar to self-pay devices already
implemented in grocery stores and other retail stores.
[0014] Examples of typical world gourmet dishes that may be
available are: Brazil--feijoada, moqueca capichaba, bobo de
camarao; Spain--paella, parrillada; India--chicken tikka masala,
lamb pasanda; Arab Countries--kafta, enjadra; Japan--teriyaki
shrimp, etc.; Italy--lasagna, veal parmesan, etc.; China--canton
steak, peking duck, etc.; Puerto Rico--mofongo, etc.;
Cuba--pallomila steak, etc.; Colombia--tamales, etc.; among other
countries. Other delicacies that could be served are food such as
rabbit, frog legs, liver, and other kinds of foods that offer a
different taste and/or is rare.
[0015] Because of the nature of the restaurant concept herein,
exotic foods will be capable of being offered at a price comparable
to those found in fast food chains and will be served just as
quickly as those foods served in such fast food chains.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In the accompanying drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a representative conceptual depiction of a fast
food facility according to the invention; and
[0018] FIG. 2 is a conceptual depiction of a menu selection device
from which a customer can view details of offered food items and
then make a selection that is transmitted to the staff in the food
preparation area of the facility
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention, generally
referred to as 10 herein, is a method for providing quality exotic
foods or foods 40 from a variety of countries at prices comparable
to fast food restaurants comprising providing a restaurant facility
12 specializing in international gourmet foods 40. The facility 12
has tables 14 and chairs 16 for customers to sit and eat selected
food items 40.
[0020] Means for selecting the food items 40 are provided.
Preferably, this can be in the form of a menu selection book 18.
One conceptual example of such a menu selection book 18 is depicted
in FIG. 2, wherein the menu selection book 18 includes
informational data related to a food item being considered for
selection including one of pictures 18a of the food item, and
textual data 18b that may include seasonings in the food item,
history of the food item, ingredients within the food item, and
nutritional data and any combination of said informational data.
The food items 40 available for selection comprises a variety of
ethnic foods representative of popular foods typically found in
various countries around the world.
[0021] Means for ordering the selected food item 40 at the table 14
is also provided. One example of this are buttons 18c associated
with each food item 40 that can be activated from the menu
selection book 18 and adjacent to it. This order means would be in
electronic communication with a menu order screen 30 displayed in
the kitchen or food preparation area of the facility 12.
[0022] Means for a staff member working at the facility 12 is
provided to warm-up and/or cook the selected food item 40 when
appropriate. This can be in the form of a microwave and food warmer
equipment area 26. The food items 40 are initially anticipated to
be prepared at an independent supply source 24 and stored at the
facility 12 in a frozen state in refrigeration equipment area
28.
[0023] Means for advising a customer that an ordered food item 40
is ready for pick-up is also provided. On example of such means may
include activating the order button such that it flashes as shown
by light waves 18d in FIG. 2 for one of the order buttons 18c.
Other methods can be used such as a speaker announcement that an
order for a specific table is ready.
[0024] Means for the customer to pay for the selected food item 40
consumed at the facility 12 is also provided. One example of this
is where a payment can be processed using an automated computerized
machine 20a located at the table or at a self-pay cashier station
20b before exiting the facility 12.
[0025] The objective of the invention 10 is to have selected food
items 40, which are ready for pick-up within a time span comparable
to that experienced in typical fast food restaurants and prices for
available food items are comparable to those prices typically found
in said fast food restaurants.
[0026] As mentioned above, the food items 40 are pre-processed at a
food supply source 24 independent of the facility 12. The facility
12, on the other hand, includes minimal means 26 for warming and/or
cooking selected food items 40 required to be warmed and/cooked.
This allows for any odors associated with food preparation being
significantly less than food odors typically associated with odors
generally associated with typical fast food restaurants.
[0027] It should be understood that the preceding is merely a
detailed description of one or more embodiments of this invention
and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made
in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. The preceding description,
therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention.
Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined only by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
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