A toaster oven which incorporates a conveyor system to more efficiently cook foodstuffs in a more convenient and enjoyable manner. The toaster oven offers a viewing window for users to ensure the conveyed items are cooking to their desired degree. The conveyor cartridge is insertable and removable into and from the toaster oven housing, and allows users to install and remove the conveyor belt. The toaster oven may have at least one door which is rotatably attached to the toaster oven housing and allows users to open or close said door to a range of degrees. The toaster oven may have a first door providing the entry point of food products into the body and a second door providing the exit point of food products from within the body of said toaster oven. The toaster oven may have a front loading door pivotably attached to the toaster oven housing and having the ability to open and close. The control panel on the toaster oven allows users to select their desired cooking options and choose the speed of rotation of the conveyor belt.

A sandwich press or food holder for use with a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven. Sidewalls of the press that define a space in which a food item is received can have one or more ridges that define a convex surface inside the cavity and a concave surface on an exterior of the sidewall. The concave surface can be positioned adjacent a heating element when the press is received in a cooking cavity of the appliance. One or more openings can be provided in the sidewall, e.g., to allow radiant energy to pass and/or steam to escape. A handle can permit two-handed manipulation of the press and can have a gripping portion that is offset from an area directly above the press.

Food orders are divided into components or tasks. Systems and methods of food order preparation communicate instructions for automated actions to devices to carry out the automated actions. A toaster operates to toast a bun according to toaster settings. A bun magazine operates to deliver a bun into the toaster. A condiment dispenser receives the bun from the toaster and operates to dispense at least one portion of at least one condiment onto the bun.

A food toasting device for selectively heating occupied toasting slots includes a housing. A plurality of walls, which are coupled to the housing, define a plurality of chambers. A plurality of slots is positioned in a top of the housing. A power module is coupled to the housing. Each of a plurality of heating elements is selectively couplable to the power module and is positioned on a respective opposing side of an associated chamber. Each of a plurality of lifts is coupled to the housing and positioned in an associated chamber. The lifts are spring loaded and are configured to operate independently. Each slot is configured to insert a food item, such as a piece of bread, into an associated chamber. The lift is configured to lower the food item into the associated chamber. The heating elements are configured to toast the food item.

A bun separator separates pre-sliced buns into portions. A bun feeder receives a pre-sliced bun having a plurality of portions and moves the pre-sliced bun along a first feed path. An obstruction is arranged relative to the first feed path and engages at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the pre-sliced bun. An actuator operates to selectively engage at least one portion of the plurality of portions of the pre-sliced bun against the obstruction to separate the least one portion of the pre-sliced bun and transfer the at least one portion to a second feed path.

Food orders are divided into components or tasks. Systems and methods of food order preparation communicate instructions for automated actions to devices to carry out the automated actions. A toaster operates to toast a bun according to toaster settings. A bun magazine operates to deliver a bun into the toaster. A condiment dispenser receives the bun from the toaster and operates to dispense at least one portion of at least one condiment onto the bun.

A conveyor belt system that provides a continuous flat support surface for a food item that grips the food item when compressed against a reactive surface. The conveyor belt system comprises a conveyor belt and a reactive surface, the conveyor belt having a top side and a bottom side, the top side being parallel to the reactive surface and facing the reactive surface. The conveyor belt further comprises a plurality of spaced rods and a plurality of flat metal slats, each slat having a leading edge and a trailing edge relative to a direction of conveyance travel of the conveyor belt, the leading edge of the slat coupled to one of the plurality of rods to provide a hinged joint at the leading edge of the slat.

A baked goods handling system includes a holding cabinet operable to create a controlled environment therein. A dispenser receives a baked good from the holding cabinet and directs the baked good away from the holding cabinet. A treatment device receives the baked good from the dispenser to perform a treatment on the baked good.

A conveyor belt system provides a continuous flat support surface for a food item that moves the food item through a food preparation device. The conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt having a plurality of spaced apart rods and a plurality of slats that are removably attached to the conveyor belt with a rod connection mechanism. The slats also include a lateral connection mechanism for lateral removable attachment to an adjacent slat. The slats are easily assembled and provide enhanced field service and/or replacement capability.

A conveyor toaster includes a toaster cabinet, an opening extending through the toaster cabinet and configured to receive a food product, and a conveyor assembly positioned in the toaster housing and associated with the feed opening. The conveyor assembly includes a conveyor belt configured to be operated by a drive motor to transport the food product past a heating element. The conveyor toaster further includes a an input sensor arranged proximate the opening and configured to detect the food product and a processor operably coupled to the input sensor and the conveyor assembly. The processor is configured to change between an operating condition with a first belt speed and an idle condition with a second belt speed based upon a signal from the input sensor.