It can be easy to put off implementing a kitchen display system (KDS) because you’re worried about the cost and the time it would take to install and train your staff. However, your restaurant may be showing signs that a KDS is needed without you realizing it. If you notice any of these things in your business it might be time to get a KDS:

You have a high volume of customer complaints. 

If your restaurant is receiving numerous customer complaints about orders not being ready on time, items being prepared incorrectly, or food being cold, it’s a clear sign your restaurant needs a better system in place. A KDS displays orders from your POS and online ordering systems on an easy-to-read digital display - no more lost tickets or struggling to read bad handwriting. More advanced kitchen display systems are using AI to predict and prioritize orders so they are ready exactly when the customer or driver arrives.

‍Your restaurant has a high volume of waste.

Precision is a necessity in restaurants; a lack of it can lead to a loss of profits. Kitchen errors lead to waste, which directly affects your food cost. A KDS ensures the orders are being sent through correctly to the back of the house, so there’s less confusion or errors.

You have high paper costs. 

Restaurants use paper for almost everything: inventory reports, customer receipts, and especially order receipts. A KDS can digitize your existing kitchen ticket system so that you and your staff are using less paper, ultimately saving you money.

You have high turnover.

With a busy restaurant, sometimes it can be difficult to properly train staff well. There are times when you’ll need to put an employee to work as soon as possible because of staffing issues, and this can hinder the performance of your restaurant. A KDS can display procedures and recipes on its display to aid in training, and the material will always be available to all staff.

Your speed of service is slower than you want.

If your restaurant has long wait times for food, it can be due to your kitchen being overwhelmed with orders. Kitchen display systems can help your kitchen stay on track, even during your busiest rush, by routing items only to the stations that need to see them, prioritizing orders that need to be prepared next, syncing item and order status between multiple stations, and placing future orders on hold until they need to be prepared so they don't clutter up the screen. Additionally color-coded tickets that change from green to yellow to red based on speed of service standards allow workers and managers to quickly see if anything is off track so they can take action before it becomes a problem. All of these features can improve your speed and service, which results in happier guests and more return customers.

If your restaurant is experiencing any of these symptoms it might be time to try a kitchen display system. There are several KDS options on the market. Fresh KDS is a lightweight, affordable system that integrates with many popular POS systems, including Square, Clover, Lightspeed K, Arryved, and SmartTab. Fresh KDS is easy to set up, easy to use, and can benefit restaurants of all sizes and service models.