A system to store food products within a heated compartment is provided. The system includes an enclosure that receives stacked trays, and an elevator to lift trays to a position to receive a plurality of food products from a conveyor or another source. A fork may be provided that receives a cooked food product thereon and rotates to allow the cooked food product to fall into the positioned tray while being maintained in a horizontal manner. A shuttle moves a full tray into a heated compartment, which moves trays therewithin to organize them for future use within a restaurant operation.

Food preparation apparatus and associated appliance modules and methods. Appliances modules can be selectively docked at docks of an appliance interface of a base. An appliance module includes a food container support surface movable between cooking and holding positions. An appliance module includes a receptacle having a holding well that can be selectively configured in a generally horizontal position or an inclined position.

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 cubby unit includes a plurality of cubbies and a thermal management system. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment. The thermal management system is configured to facilitate thermally regulating at least one of (i) a food product selectively received within the internal compartment of at least one of the plurality of cubbies or (ii) the internal compartment of the at least one of the plurality of cubbies.

A food delivery container including a plurality of insulated walls that form a food chamber, and a climate control system. The climate control system includes an air flow pathway and a heating and/or cooling element positioned within the air flow pathway. A fan is in air flow communication with the food chamber through a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening in the one of the plurality of insulated walls. The fan is configured to draw in air from the food chamber through the first inlet opening and push air into the food chamber through the first outlet opening such that air travels through the air flow pathway and over the cooling and/or heating element to circulate heated/cooled air within the food delivery container. The climate control system also includes a power supply configured to supply electrical power to the fan and the cooling/heating element.

A serving container and associated ring element that includes a serving dish and a ring element having a ring element lip with a shape that substantially corresponds to a shape of a serving dish lip, wherein portions of the ring element lip are formed to be positionable around at least a portion of the serving dish lip to provide frictional engagement between portions of said ring element lip and at least a portion of said serving dish lip, such that said ring element is capable of securing a foil pan within said serving dish.

A food container system may include a food container and a removable insert. The food container may include a container body defining a container cavity and a container lid adapted to couple with the container body. The removable insert may be configured to receive a food item and may include an insert body defining an insert cavity and an insert cap adapted to couple with the insert body. The removable insert may be sized and shaped to be received within the container cavity such that the container lid may be coupled to the container body when the removable insert is positioned within the container cavity. The food container may be configured to maintain a temperature of a food item positioned therein. The removable insert may comprise materials that may be microwaved or otherwise reheated such that the food item may be reheated within the removable insert.

A food container system may include a food container and a removable insert. The food container may include a container body defining a container cavity and a container lid adapted to couple with the container body. The removable insert may be configured to receive a food item and may include an insert body defining an insert cavity and an insert cap adapted to couple with the insert body. The removable insert may be sized and shaped to be received within the container cavity such that the container lid may be coupled to the container body when the removable insert is positioned within the container cavity. The food container may be configured to maintain a temperature of a food item positioned therein. The removable insert may comprise materials that may be microwaved or otherwise reheated such that the food item may be reheated within the removable insert.

A system for storing food products at predetermined temperatures includes a food product receiving holding cabinet, a first storage bin in the holding cabinet for receiving a tray, a temperature control device that is in thermal communication with the tray, and a controller that transfers a selected timer by touching a user interface of the holding cabinet, thereby designating the selected timer for transfer to be associated with the first storage bin.

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.