About Smashburger UK

Founded in Denver, Colorado in 2007, Smashburger quickly expanded into an internationally recognized brand known for its handcrafted burgers, bold flavor profiles, and made-to-order freshness. With locations across the globe, including a growing presence in the UK, Smashburger blends fast-casual convenience with high-quality ingredients to serve a broad customer base—from busy professionals to families seeking a better burger experience. Each location focuses on delivering quick service without compromising flavor, and their kitchens are built to handle high volume without skipping a beat.

Smashburger UK: Scaling with Confidence and Clarity

Smashburger UK has been building a strong presence in the fast-casual dining scene, known for its bold flavors and efficient service. With growing demand and increasing volume, their leadership team knew that scaling operations wasn’t just about opening more locations—it was about making sure each kitchen ran with precision, consistency, and speed. But as their stores got busier, their back-of-house systems started to show signs of strain.

At the time, Smashburger was using a digital system connected to NCR for kitchen order management. While functional in theory, the reality in the kitchen told a different story. During rushes, some side items or new product launches wouldn’t show up on certain screens. Orders were occasionally packed incomplete, leading to missed items, customer complaints, and refunds. The team even supplemented the system with paper tickets in some stores—a clear sign that confidence in the current workflow was low.

One manager described the frustration during peak hours: orders meant for the fry station wouldn’t always appear, and new staff found it especially difficult to interpret orders when items were scattered or inconsistently grouped. 

“We missed orders. We had to refund people. It caused stress, it just wasn’t built for a kitchen like ours.”

‍Quelly Viray -  General Manager

The limitations weren’t just about what the system displayed—they extended to how orders could be managed. Once a ticket was bumped from the screen, there was no easy way to revisit or recall it. Customization was minimal. And when changes to the setup were needed, the NCR support process made even small adjustments feel like a project.

Finding the Right Fit

Eventually, the team decided it was time for a change. As they rolled out Lightspeed POS across locations, they began looking for a new kitchen display system that could support their high-volume restaurant operations. They needed something flexible, reliable, and clear.

One of the biggest selling points was how Fresh KDS handled order routing. The team needed each station—grill, fryer, expo—to only see the parts of the order that applied to them. Grill staff didn’t need to be bogged down by drinks or fries. Expo needed the full picture. With Fresh KDS, they could finally route each part of the order to the right screen, and nothing more.

“The routing was a game changer. We told Lightspeed how we wanted our orders to look, and they said Fresh KDS could do it. And you guys did.”

‍Karam Grewal - Director of Operations

Another key factor? Support. With Fresh KDS, Smashburger leadership had direct access to the team. No chatbots. No long waits. Just quick answers when they needed them.

“The support has been brilliant. When something breaks, we get a solution the same day—sometimes within the hour. That kind of service goes a long way.”

‍Karam Grewal - Director of Operations

From Setup to Results

Implementation across their locations followed a consistent pattern. The grill station handles proteins and toppings. Fryers focus on tenders and fries. And the expo station, acting as the command center, sees everything together. Each team knows exactly what they’re responsible for, and orders are built in sync.

The result? Smoother collaboration, faster training for new hires, and better communication during the rush.

“The screens are streamlined. You see what you need to see. Nothing more. And if you make a mistake, you can go back. You can fix it. That wasn’t possible before.”

‍Karam Grewal - Director of Operations

Since switching to Fresh KDS, Smashburger UK has seen measurable improvements in both service and morale. Refunds are down. Online customer reviews and satisfaction scores are up. Staff feel more in control during the busiest hours.

“There’s less confusion now. If we say, ‘this order,’ everyone knows what we’re talking about. It’s just easier.”

‍Jimmy Kooner - General Manager

Looking Ahead: Smarter Modifiers, Safer Kitchens

During the interview, the Fresh KDS team shared an early preview of a new feature: Modifier Styles. This would allow kitchen teams to color-code or style specific modifiers like “gluten free” or “no onion”—making them easier to see and act on during prep. The Smashburger team immediately saw the potential.

“This is going to be a game changer. If we can highlight allergies or removals, we catch those details earlier and avoid remakes.”

‍Karam Grewal - Director of Operations

Though the feature hadn’t yet rolled out at the time of the interview, the reaction was clear: excitement, and a sense that Fresh KDS was listening and improving in ways that mattered to them.

Smashburger UK didn’t just adopt a new system—they invested in clarity, speed, and long-term scalability. And with each update, their kitchens are only getting sharper.