Restaurants track and manage their customers’ orders using kitchen display systems (KDS). A KDS displays and updates all order information for kitchen staff. In addition to replacing paper tickets, a KDS improves a restaurant’s workflows. To create excellent KDS software, you’ll need to learn why a restaurant needs a KDS.
As a POS or KDS software company, you’ll need to understand why restaurants use a KDS. Continue reading to find out more.
Improves Order Fulfillment Accuracy
Caption: Kitchen display systems display order information in a single dashboard [Image: Bimi KDS]
Traditionally, restaurants keep track of their customers’ orders using paper tickets. During peak hours, kitchen staff may have difficulty fulfilling orders if a paper order ticket is lost. When this happens, wrong orders or order quantities might be prepared and served.
A kitchen display system (KDS) digitizes this process. As a result, a KDS has real-time order-monitoring capabilities. Menu item modifications, order cancellations, and other updates are instantly reflected on the KDS. Last-minute changes are easily relayed to kitchen staff so they can adjust their workflows.
Hard-to-read handwriting on paper tickets can also lead to mistakes. On the other hand, orders displayed on a KDS are easier to read, which prevents errors during preparation.
Kitchens are busy preparing orders. When developing a KDS software, ensure the order details and status updates are easy to read. Even when a kitchen is handling many orders, your KDS software should still help with accuracy.
More Efficient Workflows
Caption: Kitchens can quickly pivot and organize orders using a KDS [Image: Fresh KDS]
A KDS enables kitchen staff to monitor the status of all orders. The top restaurant KDS software companies include features like these to improve a kitchen’s workflows:
- Order timer
- Color-coded labels for order status
- Customizable order layouts
- Direct order routing to the appropriate kitchen stations
- Order prioritization
- Customizable notifications and alerts
Features like color-coded labels and order timers provide kitchen staff with visibility on the status of each order. Some KDS software also have color-coded order timers. Additionally, a KDS software should have real-time syncing across all kitchen stations.
Each order has an expected time it should be completed. When an order is taking too long, the timer goes from green to orange or red. Notifications also help kitchens keep track of the expected prep times.
More Organized Tasks
An efficient kitchen needs to be organized in its tasks. Kitchen display systems display the whole order queue, which enables staff to organize and prioritize orders accordingly. A KDS also enables kitchens to accommodate last-minute changes such as dish modifications or cancellations.
Some KDS software enables kitchens to pace order preparation. This ensures a dish is served at the right temperature to preserve its quality. When pacing order preparation, each station can organize its tasks based on the dishes they need to make.
Similarly, most KDS software also includes customizable order routing features. Specific orders are directly sent to the respective kitchen stations. This streamlines the task assignment process and ensures orders are completed on time.
Well-paced and organized tasks ensure a kitchen’s workflows are optimized. Kitchen staff can focus more on their tasks instead of trying to catch up on orders.
Centralizes Order Tracking
Caption: Kitchens can track takeout and online orders in a single platform using a KDS [Image: Toast KDS]
A kitchen display system centralizes order management across various platforms. It supports all dining options offered by a restaurant such as:
- Dine-in
- Takeout
- Curbside pick-up
- Online ordering
- Delivery (including orders placed via third-party apps)
A kitchen’s KDS displays all order information in a single dashboard. Your KDS software should enable staff to mark individual items or special order requests as complete. Regardless of where the order was placed, staff can adjust order routing as needed.
The visibility a KDS provides helps kitchens monitor the progress of each order. When a large order is placed and needs more hands to finish it, a KDS makes this pivot easy. More visibility enables kitchen staff to plan and strategize more quickly. Now that all orders are managed in one place, delays and mistakes are also reduced.
Streamlines Communication
A restaurant’s servers input their customers’ orders in their point-of-sale (POS) system. Afterward, the orders are recorded and reflected on the kitchen display system. Once this happens, the kitchen staff only need to rely on the KDS for any additional customer requests.
This back-and-forth communication between the servers and kitchen staff is streamlined using a KDS. Thanks to real-time order updates from the front-of-house staff, miscommunications about orders are prevented.
Traditional paper tickets leave more room for errors because of the need for manual updates. A good KDS software ensures front and back-of-house staff are on the same page. From orders to modifications to cancellations, all information should be reflected on the KDS.
KDS software also updates servers about an order’s progress. Alerts are sent to notify them when an order is ready to be served. Because of this, the front-of-house staff knows how to attend to the tables they’re serving while waiting for the orders.
Boosts Customer Satisfaction
Caption: KDS software enables restaurants to send SMS order notifications to their customers [Image: Toast KDS]
Every restaurant seeks to provide an excellent dining experience to their customers. By preventing delays and mistakes, a KDS ensures a customer gets the right order. From dish modifications to allergens, a restaurant’s staff can take note of this information and relay it to the kitchen.
As mentioned above, using paper tickets isn’t ideal for last-minute changes, especially for heavily modified orders. Your KDS software should have features that enable kitchen staff to view a customer’s requests and preferences. Even the smallest details affect a customer’s dining experience.
A KDS software should also enable kitchen staff to prioritize VIP guests. In the queue, your software should have labels to indicate priority orders. Even when prioritizing VIPs, a good KDS software ensures other guests also have a great experience.
Improves Communication with Customers
A great restaurant KDS software provides communication tools for customers with takeout, curbside, or online orders. Most KDS software sends SMS or email notifications to alert customers when their order is ready to be picked up. Good customer service also includes reliable updates about an order’s status.
Some KDS software companies provide digital billing features. This feature allows restaurants to send a customer’s bill via email. Digitized billing is helpful for large groups, especially those that requested split checks.
Reduces Waste
One of a kitchen display system’s main functions is to remove the need for paper tickets. This reduces the amount of paper waste in a restaurant. The cost of printing paper tickets (including the required hardware) adds up. By replacing paper tickets, a KDS lowers the restaurant’s expenses and paper waste.
Prevents Food Waste
More accurate orders also reduce a restaurant’s food waste. Ingredients are one of a restaurant’s biggest expenses. When an order that hasn’t been prepared yet is canceled, the kitchen immediately knows about this. Moreover, when a kitchen prepares orders with higher accuracy, it also reduces food waste caused by mistakes or miscommunication.
A KDS software’s real-time updates and instant notifications prevent food waste from canceled orders. When developing your KDS software, consider adding customizable sound alerts. This will help kitchen staff immediately recognize sound notifications about order cancellations or changes.
Provides Actionable Insights
Because a KDS manages all orders, it can also track a kitchen’s performance. Your KDS software should have a recall function to enable restaurants to view completed tickets. This helps managers and expeditors evaluate orders and their team’s performance.
KDS software also gathers order fulfillment data. This includes:
- Average ticket times
- Real-time ingredient levels based on the order queue
- Order accuracy
- Speed of service
- Order count
Using these metrics, a KDS helps restaurants identify bottlenecks and other points for improvement. Its gathered data can also help restaurant owners and managers evaluate whether new strategies are working.
More data-driven decisions enable restaurant owners to create better strategies. Consider adding customizable reports to your KDS software. This enables restaurant owners to configure the software’s reports based on their current priorities.
Customizable Workflows
A restaurant’s kitchen display system should adapt to its needs. Kitchens use color-coded labels and ticket layouts as visual cues to help them with order preparation. A customizable KDS helps restaurants create an intuitive order management system.
Similarly, restaurant kitchens have different needs. For example, a dish that needs longer prep should have more allotted time in the system.
Some kitchen display systems also provide customizable routing and automations. Features like this allow restaurants to tailor the KDS to their specific workflows. Consider offering add-on features to your KDS app to help restaurants configure the system to their needs.
Hardware Options
Caption: The 20-key bump bar manufactured by Bimi [Image: Bimi bump bar for KDS]
KDS software should be compatible with hardware from the top restaurant KDS hardware manufacturers. Hardware and peripherals help restaurants configure their KDS to their workflows.
Hardware enriches a kitchen display system’s capabilities. Top KDS hardware manufacturers like Bimi create durable hardware for busy kitchens. For example, bump bars help kitchens organize and prioritize tasks.
Bimi’s bump bars are IP65-certified. Each bump bar is protected against water, dust, and oil spills or splatters. Restaurant owners can choose between 20- or 21-key bump bars for their kitchens.
A Smarter Way to Manage Orders
A restaurant needs a kitchen display system to manage orders. It improves order accuracy and increases efficiency in a single platform. It also helps kitchens prioritize orders and correctly modify dishes to provide a good dining experience to customers. A KDS helps a restaurant manage its workflows while providing excellent food and service.
A KDS should be built to keep up with a busy kitchen’s operations. Luckily, Bimi has had over 15 years of expertise in creating KDS hardware. Its hardware is IP65-certified so kitchens won’t have to worry about damage from oil, water, or dust. Bimi’s KDS hardware is available in Android and Windows versions so you can choose what’s best for your market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does a KDS help a restaurant track order modifications?
Yes, a KDS helps a restaurant track order modifications. Each dish’s modifications (if any) are displayed on the KDS. For example, if a customer orders a cheeseburger with no pickles and extra lettuce, that is shown on the screen.
Aside from this, a customer’s allergens are also displayed. If a customer is allergic to nuts, servers can input this detail in the KDS. Then, once the kitchen staff sees this, they can ensure no nuts are included in the dishes.
2. Do kitchen display systems help restaurants prioritize orders?
Yes, kitchen display systems help restaurants prioritize orders. A KDS enables kitchen staff to organize the order queue and prioritize them accordingly.
Since all orders are displayed on the system, the staff can also prioritize orders for VIP customers. The detailed order and customer information displayed by a KDS ensures staff have the information they need.
3. Do restaurants need a KDS to track all types of orders?
Yes, restaurants need a KDS to track all types of orders. Restaurants can monitor dine-in, takeout, and other orders in their KDS. All order information is routed to the KDS so restaurants also know whether an order needs to be packed.
By centralizing order tracking, restaurants won’t miss an order. Furthermore, a KDS also ensures restaurants know whether an order will be dispatched or picked up.
4. Do quick service restaurants need a KDS?
Yes, quick service restaurants need a KDS. The order timer feature is especially important for them. Quick service restaurants need to complete orders promptly while maintaining the food’s quality.
Aside from this, kitchens with multiple stations can distribute tasks evenly. This also speeds up the food prep process.
5. Can a KDS help restaurants communicate with their customers?
Yes, a KDS helps restaurants communicate with their customers. It can send SMS or email notifications to customers when an order is ready for pick-up. Some KDS systems also allow customers to notify the restaurant that they’re within the vicinity. Thanks to these features, a KDS provides customers with better communication channels with a restaurant.
6. Does a kitchen display system help restaurants identify bottlenecks in their workflows?
Yes, a kitchen display system helps restaurants identify bottlenecks in their workflows. Most KDS software includes reporting features that allow restaurants to do so. Restaurants can track metrics like average ticket times and accuracy rates. These reports help restaurant owners identify points for improvement in their workflows.
Some KDS software also provides actionable insights. The app itself identifies bottlenecks, which makes troubleshooting easier for restaurants.
7. Do a kitchen display system’s order tracking tools prevent delayed orders?
Yes, a kitchen display system’s order tracking tools prevent delayed orders. Order timers are a common feature in various KDS. On-time orders are displayed as green while orders that need to be completed faster are shown in orange. This feature helps kitchens prioritize orders flagged in orange before they become delayed (red).
Aside from this, a KDS also helps kitchens distribute workloads to optimize their operations. Less busy kitchen stations can jump in to help complete orders in the orange category. By doing so, orders can be done on time.
8. Can a KDS streamline communication between a restaurant’s servers and kitchen staff?
Yes, a KDS can streamline communication between a restaurant’s servers and kitchen staff. Orders placed by servers in the POS system are immediately transmitted to the KDS. Last-minute order changes are also instantly reflected in the KDS. This digitized system prevents mistakes and miscommunication between the front and back-of-house.
On the other hand, servers are also notified when an order is completed. This also ensures servers can immediately deliver orders to the customers. Unlike a system that uses paper tickets, a KDS makes communication clearer and faster.
9. Can a KDS reduce a restaurant’s food waste?
Yes, a KDS can reduce a restaurant’s food waste. Kitchen staff are immediately notified when an order is canceled so they won’t have to prepare it. Orders with modifications are also easily tracked. Thanks to this, the right ingredients are used to meet the customer’s preferences.
Oftentimes, mistakes and delayed communication cause food waste. A KDS solves this issue by providing real-time updates about any changes to the kitchen staff.
Some kitchen display systems also provide real-time inventory counts. This helps kitchens identify when a specific dish can no longer be made because of low ingredient stock levels.
10. Should a restaurant’s KDS show real-time order updates?
Yes, a restaurant’s KDS should show real-time order updates. A KDS syncs information from a restaurant’s POS. Kitchen staff receive instant notifications when an order is placed, modified, or canceled.
These real-time updates enable them to organize the order queue and accommodate the changes. Furthermore, this enables restaurants to fulfill orders accurately and improve their kitchen’s efficiency.
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