Method and system of managing the acquisition of food in a commercial environment

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

• receive, from communication circuitry of a first weigh scale, a container weight of a first container when a first food is removed from the first container, wherein the first container is disposed on the first weigh scale at a first food station;
• determine a removed weight of the first food from the first container based on the container weight relative to an initial container weight;
• receive, from communication circuitry of a second weigh scale, a plate weight of a plate when the first food is added to the plate, wherein the plate is disposed on the second weigh scale at the first food station;
• determine an added weight of the first food to the plate based on the plate weight relative to an initial plate weight;
• determine whether the removed weight and the added weight match;
• and
• responsive to determining that the removed weight and the added weight match, provide information related to the first food on a user interface at the first food station, wherein the information related to the first food comprises a price of the first food determined per pound and nutritional facts of the first food determined per pound, and the price and the nutritional facts are presented on respective user interfaces at each of a plurality of food stations.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of food stations, each food station comprising:
• a first location comprising a first weigh scale and a container disposed on the first weigh scale, wherein the container contains food and the first weigh scale configured to weigh the container;
• a second location comprising a second weigh scale configured to weigh a plate;
• and
• an alarm;
• and
• a computing device comprising:
• a network interface communicatively coupled to the first weigh scale, the second weigh scale, and the alarm of each of the plurality of food stations;
• a memory device storing instructions;
• a processing device operatively coupled to the network interface and the memory device, wherein the instructions cause the processing device to:
• receive, from the first weigh scale of a first food station of the plurality of food stations, a container weight when a first food is removed from the container;
• determine a removed weight of the first food from the container based on the container weight relative to an initial container weight;
• receive, from the second weigh scale of the first food station, a plate weight of the plate when the first food is added to the plate;
• determine an added weight of the food to the plate based on the plate weight relative to an initial plate weight;
• determine whether the removed weight and the added weight match;
• and
• responsive to determining that the removed weight and the added weight do not match, provide an instruction to cause the alarm to activate,
• wherein each food station further comprises a locking mechanism at the second location, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to secure the plate in place;
• and
• the processing device is further configured to:
• activate the locking mechanism to secure the plate in place when the plate is initially disposed on the second weigh scale;
• responsive to determining that the removed weight and the added weight do not match, maintain the locking mechanism in a locked position;
• and
• responsive to determining that the removed weight and the added weight match, deactivate the locking mechanism to release the plate.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of food stations, each food station comprising:
• a first location comprising a first weigh scale and a container disposed on the first weigh scale, wherein the container contains food and the first weigh scale configured to weigh the container;
• a second location comprising a second weigh scale configured to weigh a plate;
• and
• an alarm;
• and
• a computing device comprising:
• a network interface communicatively coupled to the first weigh scale, the second weigh scale, and the alarm of each of the plurality of food stations;
• a memory device storing instructions;
• a processing device operatively coupled to the network interface and the memory device, wherein the instructions cause the processing device to:
• receive, from the first weigh scale of a first food station of the plurality of food stations, a container weight when a first food is removed from the container;
• determine a removed weight of the first food from the container based on the container weight relative to an initial container weight;
• receive, from the second weigh scale of the first food station, a plate weight of the plate when the first food is added to the plate;
• determine an added weight of the food to the plate based on the plate weight relative to an initial plate weight;
• determine whether the removed weight and the added weight match;
• and
• responsive to determining that the removed weight and the added weight do not match, provide an instruction to cause the alarm to activate,
• wherein the processing device is further configured to:
• maintain a cumulative removed weight of food from the container over a period of time;
• and
• provide a recommendation to a computing device, wherein the recommendation recommends serving at least a weight of the food for the period of time in the future based on the cumulative removed weight of food.