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Overview
:::info KDS is an optional add-on and must be activated separately. It requires an active POS & Payments core feature. The Premium KDS (IntelliKDS) module is a further add-on that extends KDS with AI-driven timing intelligence and requires this standard KDS module as a prerequisite. :::
The KDS module replaces the kitchen receipt printer with a digital monitor system that shows all open courses live — sorted by table, color-coded by wait time, and updated in real time. Every course that is ordered on the POS appears immediately on the relevant kitchen monitor; the kitchen confirms it with a single tap and service is notified instantly. The result is a fully paperless kitchen operation with no handoff delays, no lost tickets, and a live overview of every course in play.
Core KDS Features
Feature | Description |
Digital kitchen monitor | Replaces the receipt printer — all open courses are displayed live on the kitchen screen as they are ordered at the POS |
Color-coded delay system | Tickets change color automatically — Green (on time) → Yellow (approaching threshold) → Red (overdue) — no configuration required |
Acoustic and visual alerts | New incoming orders trigger both an audible alert and a visual flash on the monitor so nothing is missed in a busy kitchen |
Table-sorted ticket view | Tickets are sorted by table; each ticket card shows table number, course index, party size, order reference, items, elapsed time, and current status color |
Course confirmation via tap | Kitchen confirms a course by tapping the ticket card; service is notified immediately at the POS without any manual communication |
Station routing | Each dish is routed only to the monitor of the responsible station (starters, grill, dessert, bar) — not broadcast to all screens simultaneously |
All-Day view | Cross-station overview for the pass or expediter — a single screen showing all stations simultaneously for coordinating plate dispatch |
Live guest overview | The kitchen can see at a glance how many guests are currently active, how many have ordered, and how many are still arriving |
Allergen & special-request highlights | Guest allergies (from CRM profile or session entry) and special requests are prominently flagged on the ticket card — linked to recipe allergen data |
Recall function | An accidentally confirmed ticket can be pulled back and returned to the active queue without re-entry at the POS |
Partial item confirmation | Individual items within a course ticket can be confirmed separately — for situations where one item is ready before the rest of the course |
Rush / priority flag | Service can mark a table as high-priority at the POS; the flag appears visibly on the kitchen ticket card |
Bump bar support | Physical bump-bar hardware (external button unit) can be used instead of touchscreen — more robust for loud and greasy kitchen environments |
Preparation time tracking | Average preparation time per dish and per station is tracked automatically and available as a kitchen KPI; data also feeds the Premium KDS learning model |
Delay statistics | Cumulative delay data by time of day and station — surfaces where bottlenecks are recurring across shifts |
Ticket Card View
Every open course is represented as a ticket card on the monitor. Each card contains:
Table number and course index (e.g. Course 2 of 3)
Party size for the table
Order reference for traceability
Item list — all dishes within the course, with special requests and allergen flags per item
Elapsed time counter — running since the order was placed at the POS
Status color — automatically updated: Green / Yellow / Red based on elapsed time thresholds
Tapping the card confirms the entire course. Individual items within the card can also be confirmed separately using partial confirmation.
Color System
The color system runs fully automatically based on elapsed time from the moment a ticket is created. No manual configuration is required for the default thresholds:
Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
Green | Within the expected preparation window |
Yellow | Approaching the acceptable delay threshold |
Red | Overdue — guest has been waiting too long |
Thresholds can optionally be adjusted per station type if preparation times differ significantly between stations.
Station Routing
Each POS article is assigned to a kitchen station (starters, grill, dessert, bar, or any custom station). When an order is placed:
Each item is sent only to the monitor of its assigned station
No station sees items that are not its responsibility
Stations can confirm their items independently using partial confirmation on a shared course ticket
This prevents information overload on high-volume stations and avoids confusion between stations during service peaks.
All-Day View
The All-Day view is designed for the pass or an expediter role. It displays all active course tickets across all stations on a single screen:
One row or card per open course, regardless of which stations are involved
Shows per-course completion status across stations (which station has confirmed, which is still pending)
Gives the expediter a real-time picture of what is about to be plated and where holdups exist
Does not require confirmation input — it is a read-only coordination view
Allergen & Special Request Integration
Allergen information surfaces on the KDS ticket from two sources:
CRM guest profile — if a guest has stored allergies in their profile, these are matched against the ordered items and flagged prominently on the relevant ticket cards
Session-level entry — if a guest's allergy is noted during the session (e.g. verbally at the table and entered by service), the flag propagates to the kitchen immediately
Recipe module allergens — allergen warnings are not free-text; they are drawn from the structured allergen data linked to the recipe, ensuring consistency
Special requests entered at the POS (e.g. modifications, serving preferences) appear on the ticket card directly below the item they affect.
Recall Function
If a kitchen team member accidentally confirms a ticket — for example by tapping the wrong card — the Recall function allows the ticket to be restored to its previous active state:
The ticket reappears in the active queue as if it had not been confirmed
The elapsed time counter continues from where it was — the recall does not reset the timer
Service is not notified of the recall; only the kitchen queue is affected
Bump Bar Support
For kitchens where a touchscreen is impractical — due to ambient noise, heat, or grease — a physical bump bar (external button unit) can be connected and used in place of touch interaction:
Buttons correspond to ticket positions on the screen
Confirmation and recall are triggered via the bump bar without screen contact
The monitor display itself is unchanged — the bump bar is purely an input device
Performance Metrics
KDS tracks preparation time data automatically as a byproduct of normal kitchen operation:
Metric | Description |
|---|---|
Average preparation time per dish | Rolling average of how long each article takes from ticket creation to kitchen confirmation |
Average preparation time per station | Station-level throughput baseline — supports staffing decisions and shift planning |
Delay frequency by time of day | How often tickets turn Yellow or Red at each hour of service — surfaces recurring peak pressure |
Delay frequency by station | Which station is the most frequent bottleneck across shifts |
These metrics are available in the KDS dashboard. They also serve as the foundational data set for the Premium KDS (IntelliKDS) learning model — making them relevant even for restaurants considering an upgrade path later.
Dashboard Metrics
The KDS module provides always-current key figures at a glance:
Active open tickets across all stations right now
Average elapsed time for currently open tickets
Tickets currently in Green / Yellow / Red status
Average preparation time per station (rolling 30-day baseline)
Peak bottleneck hours by station (last 30 days)
Standard KDS vs. Premium KDS
Standard KDS Add-on | Premium KDS Add-on |
Digital kitchen monitor with ticket view | Includes all Standard KDS features, plus: |
Acoustic and visual alerts | AI-driven preparation forecast per dish and station |
Color-coded delay display | Automatic kitchen dispatch at the calculated moment |
Course confirmation for service | Over-ticketing protection with automatic slot distribution |
Station routing and All-Day view | Calculated service time across all tables simultaneously |
Allergen and special-request highlights | Self-learning model per restaurant — no manual reconfiguration |
Recall and partial confirmation | |
Preparation time and delay statistics |
:::danger Pricing
DO NOT QUOTE FROM THIS PAGE Quotable pricing information can be found only at Pricing & Packages :::
:::info Known Issues