Beverage dispensing apparatus

An automated beverage dispensing system having a front and a back and a first side opposite a second side, the automated beverage dispensing system further comprising:

• a conveyance system comprising a plurality of cup holders, the plurality of cup holders including a first cup holder, a second cup holder, and a third cup holder, and operates to incrementally and sequentially move the plurality of cup holders through a plurality of sequential indexed locations, the plurality of sequential indexed locations comprising at least five indexed locations arranged on each of a frontal and a rearward side of a horizontal axis of the conveyance system, and wherein the sequential indexed locations are generally parallel to the horizontal axis and share a common generally horizontal line, and the plurality of sequential indexed locations includes a first cup loading location, a second cup loading location, and a third cup loading location;
• a cup dispensing system configured to receive a first supply of cups positioned at the first cup loading location, a second supply of cups positioned at the second cup loading location, and a third supply of cups positioned at the third cup loading location, the cup dispensing system operable to dispense a first cup from the first supply of cups to the first cup holder at the first cup loading location, to dispense a second cup from the second supply of cups to the second cup holder at a second cup loading location, and to dispense a third cup from the third supply of cups to the third cup holder at the third cup loading location, before the conveyance system advances the plurality of cup holders to a subsequent location of the plurality of sequential indexed locations, wherein the first cup loading location is located on the rearward side of the horizontal axis and is offset from the second cup loading location in a direction towards a second side of the automated beverage dispensing system, wherein the second cup loading location is located on the rearward side of the horizontal axis and is offset from the first cup loading location in a direction towards a first side and towards the front of the automated beverage dispensing system, and wherein the third cup loading location is located on the frontal side of the horizontal axis and is offset from the second cup loading location in the direction towards the front of the automated beverage dispensing system, wherein the first and second cup loading locations are separated from the third cup loading location by the horizontal axis of the conveyance system;
• a beverage dispensing system configured to dispense a beverage at a beverage dispense location of the plurality of indexed locations;
• and
• a computer that associates a first ordered beverage to the first cup holder and a second ordered beverage to the second cup holder and maintains a record of a status of the first cup holder and the second cup holder and updates the record of the status when the conveyance system advances the plurality of cup holders to the subsequent location of the plurality of sequential indexed locations.