Automated preparation and dispensation of food and beverage products

An automated food preparation system, comprising:

• a cloud computing system;
• a plurality of software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers coupled to the cloud computing system for performing food preparation tasks;
• and
• a robotic system coupled to the cloud computing system,
• wherein the cloud computing system:
• store a plurality of food recipes, the food recipes specifying a plurality of ingredients and corresponding amounts;
• receives an order specifying a first food item having a first food recipe of the plurality of food recipes;
• translates the first food recipe into a plurality of instructions and corresponding weights or volumes;
• and
• sends at least a first portion of the instructions to a plurality of software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers of a first automated food production system at a first location, wherein the plurality of instructions control the plurality of software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers to dispense ingredients according to the corresponding weights or volumes;
• and
• sends at least a second portion of the instructions a robotic system of the first automated food production system to move one or more containers between the software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers to assemble the first food item according to the first food recipe,
• wherein the plurality of food recipes further specify an error tolerance for the plurality of ingredients.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of preparing a food item, the method comprising:

• storing a plurality of food recipes in a cloud computing system, the food recipes specifying a plurality of ingredients and corresponding amounts;
• receiving, in the cloud computing system, an order specifying a first food item having a first food recipe of the plurality of food recipes;
• translating, by the cloud computing system, the first food recipe into a plurality of instructions and corresponding weights or volumes;
• and
• receiving at least a first portion of the instructions in a plurality of software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers of a first automated food production system at a first location, wherein the plurality of instructions control the plurality of software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers to dispense ingredients according to the corresponding weights or volumes,
• receiving at least a second portion of the instructions in a robotic system of the first automated food production system to move one or more containers between the software controlled hardware ingredient dispensers to assemble the first food item according to the first food recipe,
• wherein the plurality of food recipes further specify an error tolerance for the plurality of ingredients.