A pile of folded or interfolded paper sheets for use in cooking or food applications includes sheets having a rectangular shape defined by a side that shapes the length of the sheet and a side that shapes the width of the sheet. The length of the sheet is from 20 cm to 42 cm and the width of the sheet in a range from 25 cm to 40 cm. A dispenser for containing the pile of folded or interfolded sheets is configured to contain, and enabled to collect, the above described sheets.

A pile of folded or interfolded paper sheets for use in cooking or food applications includes sheets having a rectangular shape defined by a side that shapes the length of the sheet and a side that shapes the width of the sheet. The length of the sheet is from 20 cm to 42 cm and the width of the sheet in a range from 25 cm to 40 cm. A dispenser for containing the pile of folded or interfolded sheets is configured to contain, and enabled to collect, the above described sheets.

A rotational seasoning dispenser with a dispensing mechanism that applies a rotating disk which has equally separated cavities. When each cavity is in the container the stored seasoning drops into and loads the cavity. Next, the disk transfers and dispenses the seasoning outside by turning the loaded cavities from the container to a dispensing aperture. The disk has smooth, parallel and planar upper and lower planes which slide closely fitting container's planar planes above and below it. This configuration hermetically isolates the container from the environment by providing simultaneous airtight covering of each cavity while it approaches and overlaps the dispensing aperture. This isolation prevents atmospheric moisture absorption which results in lumping of seasoning. The rotating cavities also can loosen lumped seasoning into particulates. An electrically motorized version of the dispenser is also included. The dispenser is configured to dispense substantially equal amounts of seasoning for each manual activation.

A rotational seasoning dispenser with a dispensing mechanism that applies a rotating disk which has equally separated cavities. When each cavity is in the container the stored seasoning drops into and loads the cavity. Next, the disk transfers and dispenses the seasoning outside by turning the loaded cavities from the container to a dispensing aperture. The disk has smooth, parallel and planar upper and lower planes which slide closely fitting container's planar planes above and below it. This configuration hermetically isolates the container from the environment by providing simultaneous airtight covering of each cavity while it approaches and overlaps the dispensing aperture. This isolation prevents atmospheric moisture absorption which results in lumping of seasoning. The rotating cavities also can loosen lumped seasoning into particulates. An electrically motorized version of the dispenser is also included. The dispenser is configured to dispense substantially equal amounts of seasoning for each manual activation.

An automated condiment dispensing system for dispensing predetermined amounts of condiments such as are commonly utilized in connection with the preparation of food sandwiches or other food menu items, particularly within fast food restaurants, whereby a particular condiment, or a combination of condiments, can be automatically dispensed onto a food sandwich or food item transported to a particular condiment dispensing station at which the particular condiment dispensing system is located and from which the particular condiment is to be dispensed. Multiple different condiment dispensing stations can be employed so as to dispense different condiments in accordance with a patron's food item order, and the entire dispensing system is automatically controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC).

An automated condiment dispensing system for dispensing predetermined amounts of condiments such as are commonly utilized in connection with the preparation of food sandwiches or other food menu items, particularly within fast food restaurants, whereby a particular condiment, or a combination of condiments, can be automatically dispensed onto a food sandwich or food item transported to a particular condiment dispensing station at which the particular condiment dispensing system is located and from which the particular condiment is to be dispensed. Multiple different condiment dispensing stations can be employed so as to dispense different condiments in accordance with a patron's food item order, and the entire dispensing system is automatically controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC).

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 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 spice dispensing device is provided for an automatic meal preparation apparatus. The device uses a replaceable cartridge containing a volume of spice for dispensing in predetermined volumetric doses. A dispensing mechanism is built in to the cartridge for isolating the predetermined volumetric dose and moving it toward an opening in the bottom of the cartridge. The cartridge is sized and shaped to be placed into the automatic meal preparation apparatus in a rack for containing a plurality of such cartridges. The cartridge is alignable with a position in the rack in which the spice dose can be dispensed directly into a cooking vessel of the apparatus.

A spice dispensing device is provided for an automatic meal preparation apparatus. The device uses a replaceable cartridge containing a volume of spice for dispensing in predetermined volumetric doses. A dispensing mechanism is built in to the cartridge for isolating the predetermined volumetric dose and moving it toward an opening in the bottom of the cartridge. The cartridge is sized and shaped to be placed into the automatic meal preparation apparatus in a rack for containing a plurality of such cartridges. The cartridge is alignable with a position in the rack in which the spice dose can be dispensed directly into a cooking vessel of the apparatus.