Is your business struggling to keep up with demand? Does your kitchen become a chaotic mess during rush hours? If you want a solution that helps you keep your kitchen flowing smoothly and supports operational efficiencies, then you may need a KDS. Keep reading to learn more about what a KDS is and signs you might need one for your food services business. 

What Is a KDS?

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 restaurant kitchen ticket system on a tablet or monitor using a KDS. 

A KDS replaces your paper tickets with digital tickets that are all displayed in one, convenient place (or multiple places if you choose to mount more than one screen). Modern restaurant kitchen ticket systems can also include online orders on the screen, so employees are working off a single system for all the orders and can clearly see ticket status and priority.

What is the Purpose of a Kitchen Display System?

A kitchen display system is designed to streamline and optimize kitchen operations by replacing traditional paper tickets with a digital solution. It displays orders in real-time on screens, allowing kitchen staff to see, prioritize, and manage orders more efficiently. The KDS helps reduce errors, improves communication between front-of-house and back-of-house teams, and speeds up order processing times. By providing a clear and organized way to handle orders, a KDS enhances the overall workflow, leading to faster service, increased accuracy, and improved customer satisfaction.

10 Signs You Need a Better KDS for Your Kitchen

A more productive and organized kitchen helps your business provide faster service to improve customer satisfaction and increase profitability. Here are some signs that your kitchen is not operating as efficiently as it could be.

1. Frequent Order Errors: If your kitchen consistently makes mistakes in orders and has a high number of comps, it's a clear sign your current ticketing system isn't meeting your needs.‍
2. Long Wait Times: Customers experiencing long wait times due to slow order processing indicates your kitchen processes may need to change — including how you display and manage your tickets.‍
3. Communication Breakdowns: Miscommunications between front-of-house and back-of-house staff suggest that your current setup isn't facilitating smooth, clear communication.‍
4. Staff Frustration: High levels of frustration among your kitchen staff due to the inefficiencies of your station workflow may suggest it's time for a KDS that can support multi-station management.‍
5. Inconsistent Order Flow: If your business experiences delays or confusion because orders are not being prioritized or processed efficiently, you may need a better ticketing system.‍
6. Lack of Integration: Difficulty integrating your KDS with your POS system or other third-party apps is a sign that you need a more versatile KDS solution.‍
7. Limited Features: If your current KDS lacks advanced features like custom alerts, color-coding, or order tracking, it might be time to upgrade to a system that offers these functionalities.‍
8. Inadequate Reporting: Insufficient reporting capabilities can prevent you from analyzing and optimizing your kitchen operations effectively.‍
9. Device Compatibility Issues: If your KDS system is only compatible with certain devices, limiting your flexibility, it's a sign you need a more adaptable solution
10. ‍High Maintenance Costs: Frequent breakdowns or the need to update to specific KDS screens can be a financial burden, indicating the need for a more reliable system.

Why You Need a KDS

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 or KDS you have now work just fine. 

However, even if your current setup is functional, it may not be optimal.

Your business might benefit from upgrading to a smarter digital kitchen system to display and manage orders. Here are five reasons you should consider Fresh KDS for a tech stack upgrade.

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

The right ‍KDS helps 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.
• Order types are given different timers and hold times so your team sees an accurate list of priorities.
• Screens can be set to show orders in the way that works best for your kitchen.

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.

• Orders shown on screens reflect real-time updates, edits, and progress.
• Team members can strike-through specific items or entire orders to mark things complete.
• Allergies are automatically highlighted to alert your team when the customer notes an issue.
• Fresh KDS can communicate status updates directly to customers through SMS messages.

Better Station Management

‍A kitchen display system can help restaurants optimize multiple stations and reduce bottlenecks in the kitchen. 

• Fresh KDS facilitates screen communication solutions to help support multi-station management.
• Reporting can dial into the individual station times or report by order type to help improve problem areas.
• Multiple screens can be mounted and can show different displays to provide relevant information based on the station.

Boosted 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. 

• Use Fresh reports to understand average order times by order type and examine outliers instead of just averages to get better insights into the kinds of customer experiences you are providing.
• Reduce wait times by increasing the efficiency of your kitchen.
• Help clients get food at its optimal temperature and freshness by providing accurate order time estimates and automatic order status updates.
• Support your staff and reduce stress to foster a workplace that provides better customer service.
• Provide a clearer picture to increase your kitchen’s order accuracy rate.