Tech for Local Business

What is Kitchen Display System?

Quick answer

Screens in a restaurant kitchen, known as a KDS, that show incoming orders digitally and replace printed order tickets.

Kitchen Display System, explained

A kitchen display system receives orders from the point of sale, online ordering, and delivery platforms and shows them on screens at each station. Cooks can see what to prepare, in what order, with modifiers such as no onions highlighted. When an item is done, staff tap the screen to mark it ready, and the system can alert servers or update the customer's order status.

For example, in a busy burger restaurant, the grill station might see only the patties it needs to cook, while the assembly station sees complete orders timed so everything is ready together. A KDS reduces lost or unreadable paper tickets and records preparation times, helping managers spot bottlenecks. Kitchens need durable, heat-resistant screens and a plan for internet or power outages.

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