Drive through audio communication system with multi-lane support

A drive through system for a restaurant, the drive through system comprising:

• a first drive through unit positioned at a first lane, a second drive through unit positioned at a second lane, a third drive through unit positioned at a third lane, and a fourth drive through unit positioned at a fourth lane, one or more of the drive through units including a speaker and a microphone;
• a plurality of portable communications devices, the plurality of portable communications devices each configured to be utilized by a corresponding one of a plurality of order takers;
• a plurality of point of sale units, one or more of the plurality of point of sale units comprising a display screen and configured to receive an input from the plurality of order takers;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• define a first order taking channel corresponding to the first drive through unit, a second order taking channel corresponding to the second drive through unit, a third order taking channel corresponding to the third drive through unit, and a fourth order taking channel corresponding to the fourth drive through unit;
• operate the display screen of the one or more of the plurality of point of sale units to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) including (i) a plurality of selectable icons corresponding to the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, and the fourth order taking channel, and (ii) an indication of one of the plurality of selectable icons to prompt at least one of the plurality of order takers to provide a user input by selecting the one of the plurality of selectable icons;
• obtain the user input from one of the plurality of point of sale units, the user input including a request to transition a corresponding one of the plurality of portable communications devices from (i) a first of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel to (ii) a second of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel;
• and
• cause the corresponding one of the plurality of portable communications devices to transition from (i) the first of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel to (ii) the second of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel, in response to the user input.

A drive through system, the drive through system comprising:

• a first drive through unit positioned at a first lane, a second drive through unit positioned at a second lane, a third drive through unit positioned at a third lane, and a fourth drive through unit positioned at a fourth lane, one or more of the drive through units including a speaker and a microphone;
• a plurality of portable communications devices, the plurality of portable communications devices configured to be utilized by a corresponding one of a plurality of order takers;
• a plurality of point of sale units, one or more of the plurality of point of sale units comprising a display screen and configured to receive an input from the plurality of order takers;
• a vehicle detection system configured to detect a presence of a customer vehicle at any of the first drive through unit, the second drive through unit, the third drive through unit, or the fourth drive through unit;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• define a first order taking channel corresponding to the first drive through unit, a second order taking channel corresponding to the second drive through unit, a third order taking channel corresponding to the third drive through unit, and a fourth order taking channel corresponding to the fourth drive through unit;
• obtain a user input from one of the plurality of point of sale units, the user input including a request to transition a corresponding one of the plurality of portable communications devices from (i) a first of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel to (ii) a second of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel;
• and
• cause the corresponding one of the plurality of portable communications devices to transition from (i) the first of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel to (ii) the second of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel, in response to the user input,
• wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
• operate the display screens of the one or more of the plurality of point of sale units to provide a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising a plurality of selectable icons, including selectable icons corresponding to one of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel;
• responsive to both (i) detection of the customer vehicle at one of the first drive through unit, the second drive through unit, the third drive through unit, or the fourth drive through unit, and (ii) a determination that none of the plurality of portable communications devices are currently switched to the one of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the third order taking channel corresponding to the one of the first drive through unit, the second drive through unit, the third drive through unit, or the fourth drive through unit at which the customer vehicle is detected:
• operate the display screens of the one or more of the plurality of point of sale units to increase a conspicuity of one of the plurality of selectable icons to prompt one of the plurality of order takers to switch, via selection of the one of the plurality of selectable icons with increased conspicuity, a corresponding one of the plurality of portable communications devices to the one of the first order taking channel, the second order taking channel, the third order taking channel, or the fourth order taking channel to communicate with a customer via the drive through unit at which the customer vehicle is detected.

A drive through system for a restaurant comprising:

• a plurality of drive through units, each of the plurality of drive through units including a speaker and a microphone and positioned at a separate lane;
• a headset configured to be worn by an order taker of the restaurant;
• and
• processing circuitry configured to:
• operate a display screen to notify the order taker regarding a presence of a customer at one of the plurality of drive through units, and to notify the order taker that the headset is not currently connected to the one of the plurality of drive through units by increasing a conspicuity of a selectable icon corresponding to the one of the plurality of drive through units;
• obtain a user input to transition the headset between a plurality of different channels, the plurality of different channels corresponding to one of the plurality of drive through units;
• transition the headset to one of the plurality of different channels according to the user input;
• and
• operate both the headset and the one of the plurality of drive through units to exchange audio data over the one of the plurality of different channels to implement end-to-end bi-directional audio communication between the order taker and the customer.