As a small business owner operating a restaurant, cafe, or food truck you may ask yourself why you would need a kitchen display system. After all, the paper tickets you have now work just fine. However, even if your current set up is functional, your business might benefit from upgrading to a digital kitchen system to display and manage orders.
First things first, what exactly is a KDS? A kitchen display system, or KDS, is a digital screen system that manages the production of orders in a kitchen or at a food prep station. Employees put the orders into the POS, and the orders appear in the kitchen, instantly. Modern kitchen systems can also display your online orders on the same screen, so kitchen employees are working off a single system for all the orders. Read on to learn more about why you need a KDS.
- Improved order accuracy: With a KDS, orders are transmitted digitally from the point of sale system to the kitchen, reducing the chance of errors that can occur with handwritten tickets or verbal orders. It also means no more lost paper tickets. An added benefit is reducing paper waste by replacing your ticket printer.
- Increased kitchen efficiency: KDS can help streamline kitchen operations by providing real-time information on order status and reducing the need for kitchen staff to physically handle paper tickets. Color-coded headers show how long tickets have been open, providing a visual indicator of performance.
- Enhanced communication: KDS can facilitate better communication between front-of-house and back-of-house staff, improving order flow and reducing wait times for customers. Modern kitchen display systems like Fresh KDS can also communicate status updates directly to customers through SMS messages.
- Better inventory management: By tracking food usage and waste, a KDS can help restaurants optimize inventory management and reduce costs associated with over-ordering or food waste. In addition to tracking, a KDS can lower food waste by reducing mistakes and re-makes.
- Improved customer experience: With more efficient operations, accurate orders, and reduced wait times, customers are more likely to have a positive dining experience and return in the future.
