In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect quick and efficient service — especially when they are hungry. Frequently experiencing an unexpectedly long wait time for restaurants or food service establishments could spell disaster for those businesses. 

For many restaurants, reducing the time of service is a crucial part of ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining a competitive edge. One powerful tool that has proven to be effective in achieving this goal is a kitchen display system (KDS). 

Keep reading to learn more about evolving restaurant technology and how you can improve wait times to support a better experience for your customers with the right system.

The Impact of Long Wait Times for Customers

Long wait times are one of the most frustrating experiences for customers in any restaurant or food service business. When customers are left waiting too long for their orders, it can lead to dissatisfaction and a negative perception of your establishment. This frustration can quickly turn into negative reviews or complaints, which can be detrimental to your business’s reputation. As a business owner, it’s essential to recognize that customers expect prompt service.

But not all customers expect the same wait times, and a long wait time for one business might be much shorter than the wait time for another business.

Why are expectations different? A lot of it comes down to two factors: perceived value and set expectations.

Studies have found that 52% of customers are willing to wait 30 minutes just to get their table at a sit-down restaurant. On the other hand, 76% of customers say they shouldn’t have to wait more than 5 minutes for fast food after placing an order. The differences in expectations have to do with the expectations set by the type of business and the value it offers — while a sit-down restaurant offers ambiance and freshly prepared food, the fast food restaurant is all about convenience and speed.

In today’s highly competitive market, where customers have countless options for dining and food service, a single bad experience (one that doesn’t align with expectations) can lead them to choose a competitor the next time they’re hungry. Unexpected wait times don’t just impact the customer currently in your establishment; they also affect your ability to attract new customers through word-of-mouth and online reviews. A reputation for slow service can spread quickly, especially with the power of social media, potentially driving away future business.

To protect your reputation and ensure customer satisfaction, it’s crucial to address any issues causing delays in your service. The right restaurant systems and processes can help your team speed up service and provide consistent quality for your customers.

Real World Example of How a KDS Improves Wait Times

JJ Fish & Chicken, a popular quick-service chain in Chicago that is known for its flavorful dishes, saw significant improvements in its operations by adopting Fresh KDS. The digital order display system helped reduce confusion in the kitchen and standardized the approach to food tickets.

The Fulton location of JJ Fish & Chicken faced challenges with the traditional method of using handwritten tickets. The manual process not only led to frequent communication errors but also slowed down the entire kitchen operation. Not only did Fresh KDS facilitate a much smoother ordering process, but the staff also found that switching to a digital restaurant system sped up staff training — what once took weeks now only takes a few hours. 

After implementing Fresh KDS, the restaurant experienced a remarkable 50% reduction in customer wait times. The system streamlined order management, ensuring that each order was accurately and swiftly processed. Even when facing long lines of customers, the system helps every station have a clear and simultaneous view of the tickets so orders are processed as quickly as possible.

6 Reasons a KDS Helps Speed Up Service and Improve Wait Times for Restaurants

Implementing innovative solutions — like a KDS — can streamline your operations, reduce wait times, and improve the overall customer experience. By prioritizing efficiency and speed in your service, you can keep customers happy, encourage repeat visits, and maintain a positive image for your business.

Real-Time Order Management

Fresh KDS allows for real-time tracking of orders, which means the kitchen staff can see and manage orders instantly as they come in. This reduces the time spent on communication between front-of-house and back-of-house staff, speeding up the overall service.

Clear and Organized Workflow

With Fresh KDS, orders are displayed in a clear and organized manner, helping kitchen staff prioritize tasks and avoid any confusion. This eliminates the delays that often occur with paper tickets, where orders can be misplaced or hard to read.

Automatic Order Routing

Fresh KDS can automatically route orders to the correct station in the kitchen, whether it’s for grilling, frying, or prepping. You can set your screens to all display the same orders at the same time or you can set them up to bump one order to the next station when it’s ready to move down the line. This ensures that each order is prepared as quickly as possible based on your kitchen setup.

Error Reduction

By reducing the need for handwritten tickets, Fresh KDS minimizes the risk of mistakes due to illegible handwriting or miscommunication. This accuracy not only speeds up the process but also ensures that customers receive exactly what they ordered.

Efficient Training for New Staff

Training new employees becomes more straightforward with Fresh KDS, as the user-friendly restaurant system guides them through the order preparation process. This means that even during busy periods, new staff can learn the ropes and perform efficiently, reducing stress for new hires and improving service speed.

Improved Communication

A KDS fosters better communication between the kitchen and the front of house, as it removes the need for verbal relays and reduces the chances of miscommunication. This smoother interaction helps maintain a steady flow of orders and minimizes delays.

See How Fresh KDS Can Impact Your Wait Times

Incorporating Fresh KDS into your restaurant’s operations, as demonstrated by JJ Fish & Chicken, is a game-changer in managing kitchen workflows and enhancing customer satisfaction. By implementing a smarter restaurant system like Fresh KDS, you can significantly reduce wait times, streamline processes, and ultimately provide a better dining experience for your customers.

We believe in our system so much that we offer a free trial so you can test it out for yourself. Are you ready to improve wait times for your customers? Watch the demo and sign up for a free trial today to explore what Fresh KDS can do.