A method for object recognition at an interactive information system (IIS) includes capturing, using an imaging device of the IIS, a first image of a first representative object which represents a first one or more object disposed about the IIS; analyzing, by a computer processor of the IIS and based on a category model, the first image to determine a first representative category of the first one or more object; retrieving, by the computer processor and based on the first representative category, a first representative object model of a plurality of object models that are stored on a remote server; and analyzing, by the computer processor and based on the first representative object model, the first image to determine a first representative inventory identifier of the first representative object, which represents a first one or more inventory identifier corresponding to the first one or more object respectively.