Method for providing room service

A method of processing room service transactions in an institution having a plurality of guest rooms, the method comprising:

• a) displaying selected visual representations of food items at preprogrammed intervals with an interactive graphical user interface located in a guest room, the visual representations being selected based on the time of day, the visual representations comprising images of selected food items;
• b) displaying a prompt to a guest in the guest room with the interactive graphical user interface;
• c) receiving a begin input from the guest with the interactive graphical user interface to initiate a room service transaction;
• d) displaying a food selection menu;
• e) receiving a selection input with the interactive graphical user interface, the selection input corresponding to a food item;
• f) storing the selection with a first data storage device uniquely associated with the graphical user interface, the first data storage device connected to and located in the guest room with the graphical user interface;
• g) displaying the food items selected by the guest in step e);
• h) repeating steps d), e) and f) until receiving a place order input from the guest with the graphical user interface;
• i) displaying a summary of selected food items with the graphical user interface, the summary corresponding to those items selected by the guest;
• j) receiving one of:
• i) a continue ordering input and returning to step d);
• ii) a change order input and returning to step d);
• or
• iii) an order confirmation input confirming the selection of food items;
• k) transmitting a confirmed food order including the selections chosen by the guest in steps e) and f) to a food service server, the food service server having an associated second data storage device, a processor, a first printer and a data interface with one or more server stations;
• l) printing a first ticket with the first printer using the information from the confirmed food order, the first ticket including a ticket number, room number and the food order;
• m) displaying a message with the interactive graphical user interface, the message indicating to the guest that the food order is being prepared;
• n) manually entering the first ticket information into an institution server, the institution server having an associated second printer and display;
• o) printing a second ticket with the second printer the second ticket including the ticket number, room number and the food order;
• p) manually entering the ticket number, room number and an employee identification into the food service server;
• q) after step o), displaying a message with the interactive graphical user interface, the message indicating the food order is enroute to the guest's room;
• r) delivering the food order to the guest room;
• s) receiving, with the food service server, a delivery confirmation message, the delivery confirmation message input with the interactive graphical user interface in the guest room;
• and
• t) storing a transaction record for the food order with the institution server on a third data storage device associated with the institution server.