A vending machine system for loading and dispensing pre-baked unpackaged food including a fixed cartridge disposed in a refrigerator of a vending machine, and a transport cartridge adapted to removably attach to the fixed cartridge, the transport cartridge operable for holding trays of unpackaged food and loading the trays of unpackaged food from the transport cartridge into the fixed cartridge, wherein, when the transport cartridge is removably attached to the fixed cartridge, a front opening of the transport cartridge aligns with a front opening of the fixed cartridge, and wherein the rack of the transport cartridge aligns with the conveyor system of the fixed cartridge such that trays of unpackaged food within the transport cartridge can simultaneously be transitioned from the rack to the conveyor system.

A vehicle-based, automated pizza-making system including a two-piece pizza pan conveyed between pizza-making components on a series of pan drive rails. The two-piece pizza pan can include a base and a removable ring for containing the unfinished pizza and toppings. The rails can include timing belts for conveying the two-piece pizza pan through the system with improved positional control and accuracy.

An automated pizza oven assembly includes an oven that has an entry and an exit. A conveyor extends through the entry and the exit, and a pizza is positionable on the conveyor. The conveyor transports the pizza through the oven to cook the pizza. A cutting unit is coupled to and extends away from the oven such that the cutting unit is positioned above the conveyor. The cutting unit includes a plurality of blades and each of the blades radiating outwardly from a central point of the cutting unit. The blades are urged downwardly onto the pizza when the cutting unit is turned on to cut the pizza into a plurality of slices. A control unit is coupled to the oven and the control unit is in communication with the heating element in the oven, the conveyor and the cutting unit. The control unit controls operational parameters of the heating element, the conveyor and the cutting unit.

An automated pizza oven assembly includes an oven that has an entry and an exit. A conveyor extends through the entry and the exit, and a pizza is positionable on the conveyor. The conveyor transports the pizza through the oven to cook the pizza. A cutting unit is coupled to and extends away from the oven such that the cutting unit is positioned above the conveyor. The cutting unit includes a plurality of blades and each of the blades radiating outwardly from a central point of the cutting unit. The blades are urged downwardly onto the pizza when the cutting unit is turned on to cut the pizza into a plurality of slices. A control unit is coupled to the oven and the control unit is in communication with the heating element in the oven, the conveyor and the cutting unit. The control unit controls operational parameters of the heating element, the conveyor and the cutting unit.

A two-handled knife has an elongate blade extending from a base to a tip and having a lower edge and an upper edge. The two-handled knife further has a pair of handles each extending from the base of the blade to a grip portion, wherein the pair of handles are laterally spaced such that the grip portions are spaced a width apart. The width is large enough to accommodate a human hand around each grip portion.

A two-handled knife has an elongate blade extending from a base to a tip and having a lower edge and an upper edge. The two-handled knife further has a pair of handles each extending from the base of the blade to a grip portion, wherein the pair of handles are laterally spaced such that the grip portions are spaced a width apart. The width is large enough to accommodate a human hand around each grip portion.

A food cutting device for cutting a food item into a plurality of individual portions having a base portion including a bottom panel with a substantially-planar top surface, a top portion including a housing and a cutting assembly including a plurality of elongated blades, the top portion being pivotably-connected to the base portion, the top portion being movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cutting assembly is movable between a first position in which the blades of the cutting assembly extend outwardly from the housing, and a second position in which the blades are disposed entirely within the housing.

A food cutting device for cutting a food item into a plurality of individual portions having a base portion including a bottom panel with a substantially-planar top surface, a top portion including a housing and a cutting assembly including a plurality of elongated blades, the top portion being pivotably-connected to the base portion, the top portion being movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the cutting assembly is movable between a first position in which the blades of the cutting assembly extend outwardly from the housing, and a second position in which the blades are disposed entirely within the housing.

An automated pizza-making system builds and bakes a pizza according to a customer order. The system includes a pizza assembly route and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations for dispensing ingredients onto the pizza along the route. The uncooked pizza is automatically transferred to the oven for cooking. After the pizza is cooked, the system automatically slices and boxes the cooked pizza. A motion translator places the closed pizza box containing the pizza in a storage locker for customer pickup. A computing device is operable to manage the orders, manage the cooking steps for preparing each order, controls each functional station to build, cook, box, and store the pizza, and notify the customer for pickup when the pizza is ready. Related methods are also described.

An automated pizza-making system builds and bakes a pizza according to a customer order. The system includes a pizza assembly route and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations for dispensing ingredients onto the pizza along the route. The uncooked pizza is automatically transferred to the oven for cooking. After the pizza is cooked, the system automatically slices and boxes the cooked pizza. A motion translator places the closed pizza box containing the pizza in a storage locker for customer pickup. A computing device is operable to manage the orders, manage the cooking steps for preparing each order, controls each functional station to build, cook, box, and store the pizza, and notify the customer for pickup when the pizza is ready. Related methods are also described.