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If you're running a restaurant, then you know that the kitchen is the heart of your business. The kitchen is where all the magic happens - it's where the food is prepared and served to customers. In order to help ensure that your kitchen runs as smoothly as possible, you should consider using a kitchen display system. Kitchen display systems offer a variety of benefits to restaurants, which we will outline in this blog post. Keep reading to learn more!
First, lets start by defining what a kitchen display system is. A kitchen display system (KDS) is a system of digital screens located in the kitchen or food prep area of a restaurant. These screens display the orders that have been placed by customers. The kitchen staff uses this information to prepare orders accurately and efficiently.
One of the benefits of using a kitchen display system is that it can help to improve communication between the front and back of house. In a busy restaurant, it can be difficult for servers to relay messages to the kitchen staff in a timely manner. Paper ticket printers only have one-way, one-time communication. If a customer changes their mind after placing their order, the server has to verbally tell the kitchen about the change or handwrite it on the ticket. With an integrated KDS changes to an order can be communicated to the kitchen when updates are made on the POS. This allows the kitchen to prepare the order right the first time.
Additionally, modern kitchen display systems can communicate order status updates back to the POS for the FOH to see. Some kitchen display systems can also communicate directly to customers through SMS or order tracking boards. These communicate methods keep customers updated on their order automatically as the order progresses through the kitchen.
Another benefit of using a kitchen display system is that it can help to increase efficiency in the kitchen. With a kitchen display system, all orders are displayed in one place so that kitchen staff can easily see what needs to be prepared.
This can help to avoid confusion and kitchen staff can work together to get orders out as quickly as possible. Moreover, kitchen display systems often come with timers so that kitchen staff can keep track of how long each dish is taking to prepare. This information can be used to further optimize the kitchen's workflow.
With a kitchen display system, orders are instantly inputted into the system and sent to the kitchen staff. This can help to reduce kitchen errors and ensure that customers receive their food promptly. A byproduct of this increased speed is improved customer satisfaction. Color-coded headers change from green to yellow to red the longer tickets are open based on your restaurant's unique speed of service standards. On some kitchen display systems these headers can even be customized based on the order type, so you can set different thresholds for dine in vs. pickup orders. By communicating this information to the kitchen and managers in real time a KDS helps keep the kitchen motivated to hit the speed of service standards.
Kitchen display system can also provide detailed reports about kitchen performance. This information can be used to identify areas of improvement and make changes to the kitchen's workflow. For example, if you notice that certain dishes are taking too long to prepare, you could make adjustments to the kitchen staff's workload or change the order in which dishes are prepared.
Another benefit of using a kitchen display system is that it can help to reduce waste in the kitchen. With a kitchen display system, there is no need for paper orders. This can help to save money and reduce environmental impact.
If you're looking for ways to improve your restaurant's operations, then you should definitely consider investing in a kitchen display system. Kitchen display systems offer a variety of benefits that can help to improve communication, increase efficiency, and optimize the workflow in your kitchen. Plus, kitchen display systems are relatively affordable and easy to set up.
