Systems and methods for automating a take-out ordering process. In an embodiment, menu data is imported from a restaurant Point-of-Sale (POS) system over at least one network. The menu data may comprise a plurality of menu items. A menu user interface is generated. The menu user interface may comprise one or more menu screens, which comprise a subset of one or more of the plurality of menu items. A selection of at least one menu item from the subset may be received from a user. Up-sell options can be determined and provided to the user. Once completed, an order is sent to the restaurant POS system over the at least one network. The order can comprise the selected menu item(s) and any of the up-sell options selected by the user.

Systems and methods for automating a take-out ordering process. In an embodiment, menu data is imported from a restaurant Point-of-Sale (POS) system over at least one network. The menu data may comprise a plurality of menu items. A menu user interface is generated. The menu user interface may comprise one or more menu screens, which comprise a subset of one or more of the plurality of menu items. A selection of at least one menu item from the subset may be received from a user. Up-sell options can be determined and provided to the user. Once completed, an order is sent to the restaurant POS system over the at least one network. The order can comprise the selected menu item(s) and any of the up-sell options selected by the user.

A point-of-sale system with a mobile payment feature includes an electronic display, one or more processors, and storage media storing a payment plugin to the point-of-sale system. The payment plugin sends ticket data representing a guest ticket over one or more data networks to an online service provider computer system; receives instruction from the service provider computer system to mark the guest ticket as designated for mobile payment; and causes user interface feedback on the electronic display that the guest ticket is to be paid via mobile payment. By doing so, the merchant is informed through their point-of-sale system that payment of the guest ticket will be facilitated by the online service provider. This alleviates the merchant from collecting payment from the guest before the guest leaves the merchant's premises and allows the guest to leave the premises as soon as the guest ticket is ready for mobile payment.

A point-of-sale system with a mobile payment feature includes an electronic display, one or more processors, and storage media storing a payment plugin to the point-of-sale system. The payment plugin sends ticket data representing a guest ticket over one or more data networks to an online service provider computer system; receives instruction from the service provider computer system to mark the guest ticket as designated for mobile payment; and causes user interface feedback on the electronic display that the guest ticket is to be paid via mobile payment. By doing so, the merchant is informed through their point-of-sale system that payment of the guest ticket will be facilitated by the online service provider. This alleviates the merchant from collecting payment from the guest before the guest leaves the merchant's premises and allows the guest to leave the premises as soon as the guest ticket is ready for mobile payment.

The present disclosure includes a method of providing a virtual bottle service from an establishment to a user. The virtual bottle service is accessible by the user via an app on a smartphone of a user. The method comprises receiving, via the app on the smartphone of a user, a purchase request for a virtual bottle from an establishment, and after the receiving, allocating the user with a predetermined number of drinks of a particular liquor from the establishment. The method further includes, in response to a drink order from the virtual bottle by the user, decrementing the number of drinks from the virtual bottle that remain available to the user. The method may also include communicating, to the user, the remaining number of drinks via the app on the smartphone. A corresponding system that incorporates and/or uses such a method is also provided.

The present disclosure includes a method of providing a virtual bottle service from an establishment to a user. The virtual bottle service is accessible by the user via an app on a smartphone of a user. The method comprises receiving, via the app on the smartphone of a user, a purchase request for a virtual bottle from an establishment, and after the receiving, allocating the user with a predetermined number of drinks of a particular liquor from the establishment. The method further includes, in response to a drink order from the virtual bottle by the user, decrementing the number of drinks from the virtual bottle that remain available to the user. The method may also include communicating, to the user, the remaining number of drinks via the app on the smartphone. A corresponding system that incorporates and/or uses such a method is also provided.

A method for assisting selection of an accommodation by an accommodation search system includes receiving user credentials from a user device; receiving trip parameters from the user device; determining a basic list of accommodations that correspond with the trip parameters; determining one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; applying a weight value to each of the one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; aggregating the weight values of the one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation to determine an aggregate weighted score for each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; sorting the basic list of accommodations into a sorted list of accommodations based on the aggregate weighted score for each individual accommodation; and providing the sorted list of accommodations to the user device for viewing by a user.

A method for assisting selection of an accommodation by an accommodation search system includes receiving user credentials from a user device; receiving trip parameters from the user device; determining a basic list of accommodations that correspond with the trip parameters; determining one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; applying a weight value to each of the one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; aggregating the weight values of the one or more factors that apply to each individual accommodation to determine an aggregate weighted score for each individual accommodation of the basic list of accommodations; sorting the basic list of accommodations into a sorted list of accommodations based on the aggregate weighted score for each individual accommodation; and providing the sorted list of accommodations to the user device for viewing by a user.

An apparatus for monitoring consumption of flowing substance is provided. The apparatus, connectable to the end of a pipe where fluid is flowing, includes a generator (106) configured to generate electric power from the fluid passing through the generator, sensors (112, 114) to measure the temperature of the fluid and the amount of fluid flowing in the pipe and a processing unit (116). The apparatus detects that fluid starts flowing in the pipe at a first time instant and detects that fluid stops flowing in the pipe at a second time instant and determines the temperature of the fluid and the amount of fluid that flowed through the pipe between the first and the second time instant, stores the determined values and the time elapsed between the first and the second time instants as an entry in a memory (120); and transmits the entry.

A system and method for delivering a remote order is provided. The system includes a light transmitter and a server. The server transmits, to an ordering device, a light-ID. The ordering device receives the light-ID, and upon selection of a remote order, transmits the remote order and the light-ID received to the server. The server receives, from the ordering device via a network, the remote order and the light-ID, assigns an order-ID to the remote order received, and outputs order information including at least the order-ID and a designated location of a store premise associated with the light-ID.