Paper ticket printers have been a kitchen staple for decades, but they are riddled with inefficiencies. Tickets get lost, smudged, or stacked out of order during a rush. Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) solve these problems while unlocking powerful operational insights.
How KDS Works
Orders from the POS appear instantly on strategically placed screens in the kitchen. Each station sees only the items relevant to them. Color-coded timers indicate ticket age, and bumping a completed item updates the system in real time for expo and servers.
Speed and Accuracy Gains
Restaurants implementing KDS report a 15 to 20 percent reduction in ticket times and a significant decrease in order errors. The visual clarity of a digital screen eliminates the misreads and confusion inherent in handwritten or thermal-printed tickets.
Data-Driven Kitchen Management
KDS systems track preparation times by dish, station, and cook. This data reveals which menu items are slowing down the line, which stations need additional support, and where training gaps exist among kitchen staff.
Sustainability Benefits
Eliminating paper tickets removes a constant consumable cost and reduces waste. Over a year, a busy restaurant can save hundreds of rolls of thermal paper, which also contain BPA chemicals that are harmful to handle repeatedly.