Abstract: An ordering system allows a consumer to interact with an ordering system so as to view advertising or promotions from merchants and to order products or services from merchants through the ordering system. A consumer utilizes an interactive consumer interface device to interface with the ordering system. The interactive consumer interface device receives information from and displays information to the consumer. The ordering system may keep a profile of the consumer. The profile may include consumer preference information as well as order payment information. A merchant interfaces with the ordering system and can decide on a targeted consumer profile to which merchant advertising or promotional material may be displayed. When a consumer places an order which includes order delivery information, the ordering system determines when the order production should take place in order to be able to fulfill the order in accordance with the appropriate delivery information concerning the order.

Abstract: A self-service ordering system including customer favorites includes a mechanism for identifying a customer and for receiving an order from the customer. In the case of a new customer, the received order is stored in memory and correlated with the identified customer identification information. The system uses the order stored in memory and correlated with the consumer identification information to automatically identify items preferred by the customer during future purchases. In the case of a returning customer, the system presents the consumer with one or more “favorites” (previously stored items or lists of items preferred by the customer) for his or her selection without having to access a full menu which can be ordered. The system is further equipped to present a full menu of items which can be ordered by the customer wherein the items identified as preferred or favorites are positioned preferentially in the menu display.