What is a kitchen display system (KDS)?

Paper tickets get lost, get splashed and get read wrong. A kitchen display system puts every order on a screen the moment it is placed, in order, with every modifier on it — and the chef marks it done with a tap.

How it works

1. An order is taken at the till, by QR code or online.
2. It appears on the kitchen screen as a ticket, with its time.
3. The kitchen works through the tickets; older ones stand out.
4. When it is ready, the chef bumps it — marks it done — and it leaves the screen.

Why kitchens switch

• No lost tickets. Every order is on the screen until it is done.
• Clear modifiers. "No onions" is printed in the same place every time, not scribbled.
• Timing. Each ticket shows how long it has been waiting, so a slow order is obvious before the customer complains.
• One queue. Till, QR code and online orders arrive in the same place.

What to look for

1. Orders from every channel on one screen.
2. Clear ticket times and colours as they age.
3. A simple bump, with a way to bring back one bumped by mistake.
4. A screen that keeps working if the connection is patchy.

Common mistakes

1. A screen nobody can see. Mount it where the person plating can read it without stopping.
2. Too much on one ticket. Keep the layout readable at a glance.
3. Keeping paper "just in case". Two systems means the one that matters is never quite trusted.

In DUMA

DUMA's kitchen display shows tickets from the till and from QR code orders as they are placed, with their modifiers and how long they have been waiting. Bump a ticket when it is ready. It runs in the browser on any screen — a tablet on the pass is enough.