A system for automatically dispensing beverages according to a drink order. The system includes a conveyor that conveys a plurality of cup holders in and between a cup receiving location, a dispensing location, and a serving location. A cup dispenser is configured to dispense a cup into each of the plurality of cup holders at the cup receiving location. A plurality of additive dispensers is configured to dispense additives to the cup at the dispensing location. A controller is configured to receive the drink order, create a recipe from the drink order and link the recipe with one of the plurality of cup holders via a marker, dispense a cup to the cup holder via the cup dispenser, and thereafter control the conveyor and the plurality of additive dispensers so that the cup is filled with a beverage according to the recipe and then conveyed to the serving location.

A method for operating a beverage preparation machine, by which at least one coffee unit for dispensing coffee and an additive unit for dispensing a beverage additive is provided. A plurality of beverage variants are displayed by an at least partly graphical display in a selection mode, and the beverage preparation machine is controlled by a selection of a beverage variant, said selection being carried out by a user, such that the selected beverage variant is automatically prepared and dispensed from an outlet. The invention is characterized in that at least one selection region and a preview region are displayed in an at least partly graphical manner in the selection mode. A plurality of selectable beverage variants are displayed in an at least partly graphical manner in the selection region, and a current selection carried out by the user in the selection region is displayed in an at least partly graphical manner in the preview region. The beverage preparation machine is controlled when a starting element is actuated by the user such that the beverage variant displayed in the selection region is automatically prepared and dispensed from the outlet. The selection region and the preview region are displayed simultaneously in at least one first operating mode of the beverage preparation machine.

A restaurant system includes a work area for cooking and preparing food or beverages and at least one hospitality area; the work area and the hospitality area are connected by means of at least one conveying system designed to convey food from the work area to the hospitality area in dedicated conveying devices; the conveying system having rails, in particular sliding rails, preferably sliding rails having a sliding surface, or tracks or roller conveyors or tubes for conveying the food and/or beverages; in the dedicated conveying device, the food is provided with at least one unique electronically readable identifier created in the work area, and the conveying system includes at least one distribution section which is located downstream of the work area and in which the food is conveyed on the conveying devices onto an additional conveying system by means of an automatic distribution device in a targeted manner on the basis of the identifier in order for the food to be conveyed from the distribution section to the hospitality zone.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes an automated delivery system apparatus comprising a mechanical guide, a movable unit coupled to the guide on a first surface, and an engaging unit configured to couple to a second surface separated from the first surface by a thickness. The engaging unit is configured to engage an item on the second surface. A magnetic binding force between the movable unit and engaging unit moves the engaging unit along a path corresponding to a path of the movable unit. The engaging unit moves an item along a least a portion of the path.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a granule dispenser comprising a container for holding granulated components, a cap coupled to a bottom of said container, and a stopper. The stopper may be spring loaded against the ridge of said cap. An interface between the stopper and the cap comprises a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of sawtooth forms, wherein the protrusions mate to a base portion between the sawtooth forms in a first position to form a seal between the cap and the stopper, and wherein, when the stopper is rotated, the protrusions engage a sloped portion of the sawtooth forms to create a plurality of openings between the cap and the stopper.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes an automated food production kiosk. Embodiments of a kiosk may comprise a robotic system having a reach. A plurality of food ingredient dispensers may be configured around the robotic system. Each dispenser may have a physical interface within a reach of the robotic system to receive an item. One or more physical processing units have a physical interface within the reach of the robotic system to receive the item. The kiosk may prepare food items under control of a local server, a cloud server, or both, for example.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a solid dispenser comprising a dispensing element and a housing. The dispensing element includes a plurality of blades extending from a cylindrical base. In one example embodiment, the blades are separated by 90 degrees to form channels from an upper opening in the housing to a lower opening in the housing. A hopper for storing items to be dispensed may be configured on one side of the dispenser, and a trap for controlling the flow of dispensed items may be configured on the other side of the dispenser. In one embodiment, the dispenser is controlled by motors coupled to a server as part of a fully automated cloud controlled robotic food preparation system, where each dispenser may accurately deliver different quantities of ingredients for different orders.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

Automated beverage systems for preparing beverages including one or more beverage ingredients are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beverage system may be arranged to move a beverage cup between a plurality of dispensing stations, and one or more beverage ingredients may be dispensed into the beverage cup at each of the plurality of dispensing stations. The beverage system may include one or more container fittings to attach containers of beverage ingredients to the beverage system. Moreover, the beverage system may include an agitator associated with the beverage cup to mix the beverage ingredients after they are dispensed into the beverage cup at the dispensing stations.

A beverage dispenser for providing mixed beverages. The beverage dispenser has a housing containing a plurality of first liquids, a plurality of second liquids, and a water supply, wherein the first liquids comprise liquors, and wherein the second liquids comprise mixer syrup. The beverage dispenser also has an interface, a dispensing spout and a server. The interface is provided on the housing to input variable data and receive variable instructions. The server electrically operates valves to control the flow of first liquids, second liquids and water to the beverage dispenser spout based on instructions entered at the interface and a pouring schema stored in memory.