Kitchen Display System for Restaurants: Skip Paper Tickets
A kitchen display system (KDS) shows orders on a screen in the kitchen instead of paper tickets. Add a number display where guests see when their order is ready. Here is how the flow works, what hardware you need, and how to roll it out without chaos at your busiest hour.
In short
- Orders from QR codes and tables, online, the kiosk and staff all reach one screen. Nobody carries tickets.
- Three statuses are enough: new, preparing and ready. Each change is one tap.
- A number display takes the "is it ready?" question off the counter.
- Hardware can be a tablet or a TV with a small computer. The prices below are rough orientation.
- The fiscal receipt stays with the till. The kitchen screen does not replace it.
How orders reach the kitchen
The classic chain is a ticket someone copies or carries. Every step invites mistakes: unreadable handwriting, a lost ticket, an order that hit the kitchen too late. A kitchen display removes the manual handover. The order appears by itself, everyone can read it, and its age is visible.
In Menuto, orders from a QR code on the table, online, from the kiosk and from staff all land on the same board. Each order is marked with where it came from and an age counter that grows while it waits. The oldest sits on top.
Age is the most useful thing on the screen. A cook should not have to rely on memory to know which order has waited longest. When two orders are equally urgent, the order is clear: oldest first. That reduces arguments in the kitchen and forgotten orders in a rush.
Statuses: new, preparing, ready
Fewer statuses mean fewer taps at a stressful moment. Menuto shows orders in columns: New, Preparing and Ready. The big button on each ticket leads to the next step: confirm, ready, handed over.
If you deliver with your own drivers, you will also see an extra column for orders that are on their way. Otherwise the board stays at three columns.
- 1
New
The order arrives with a sound. The kitchen sees it and confirms it with one tap.
- 2
Preparing
The order is accepted and being cooked. Its number shows on the guest screen under "Preparing".
- 3
Ready
The kitchen taps "Ready". The number lights up on the number display under "Ready for pickup".
- 4
Handed over
The guest collects the order and it leaves the board. That keeps the screen clean.
A pickup number display: guests stop asking
On a TV or monitor in the dining area, guests see two columns: which orders are being prepared and which are ready. The numbers are large, readable from a distance, and the page refreshes by itself. The repeated "is mine ready?" at the counter goes away.
The display can announce a ready order with a beep or out loud, if the device has a voice for the venue's language. The TV can also show a QR code so guests can order from their phone. The first tap on the screen enables sound, because browsers require it.
A practical detail: show on the number display only what the guest needs to know. A number and a status are enough. Names, totals and kitchen notes do not belong on a TV that everyone in the room can see.
In numbers
- columns: "Preparing" and "Ready for pickup"
- 2
- ready numbers stay on the screenthen they drop off by themselves
- 30 min
- sound modes: off, beep or spoken announcement
- 3
What hardware you need
Menuto runs in a browser, so you do not buy a special device. A tablet, a TV with a small computer or an old laptop all work. Prices are rough orientation, not quotes. As one example, a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ (11", 64 GB) was listed at €269.99 in one European shop (see sources).
| - | Tablet on a stand | TV + small computer | Old laptop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rough price | about €250–600 with a stand | about €200–500 in total (TV and device) | almost nothing if you have one |
| Screen size | 10–13 inch: for a small kitchen | 32 inch and up: readable from afar | 13–15 inch |
| Mounting | on a stand or the wall | on the wall, needs an HDMI cable | on a counter, takes space |
| Best for | small venue, bakery | most kitchens and the guest area | a trial before buying anything |
| Watch out for | greasy fingers and moisture | protection from steam and heat | a fan that clogs up |
Menuto's device guide recommends a tablet of 10 inches or more with a stand and constant power, and for the number display any TV or monitor with an HDMI input plus a device with a browser, such as a Raspberry Pi, a mini PC or an Android TV stick. More than one tablet at the same time is fine: for example one at the till and one in the kitchen.
Most often the problems are not in the screen but around it: weak Wi‑Fi, a charger that does not reach the stand, or a TV that falls asleep. Before you buy anything, check the signal at the actual spot and where the nearest socket is.
Where to put it: heat, grease and sound
A kitchen is a hostile place for electronics. The screen must be visible from the cook's position but should not sit right above the burners. Heat and steam shorten the life of any device, and grease makes a touchscreen unpleasant to use.
Sound is the other half. A new order must be audible over kitchen noise, so test the volume at full service, not on a quiet morning. Enable sound with the first tap and leave the screen on constant power with energy saving turned off.
Good spot
- At eye level, within arm's reach of the pass
- Away from direct steam and splashes
- With power and a Wi‑Fi signal nearby
- At an angle that does not reflect the lights
- Visible at a glance to everyone on the line
Bad spot
- Right above the grill or the fryer
- Near the sink, where water splashes
- In a corner only one person can see
- Where people bump into it while passing
- Behind a door or a shelf that blocks it
When paper is still needed
The kitchen screen shows what to prepare. It is not a cash register. The fiscal receipt comes from the till: from your fiscal device or the software you registered for the venue. So paper does not disappear completely.
Fiscal receiptFrom the till
It keeps coming out where it always did. The kitchen screen does not replace it.
FallbackWhen something breaks
If the internet drops or the screen fails, you need to know how you will take orders on paper for an hour.
Note in the bagOptional
For delivery and pickup, some venues put a printed note in the bag. That is your decision, not a requirement of the screen.
Bar or second stationOptional
If you have a separate drinks station, put a second screen or tablet there instead of printing.
How to roll it out step by step
- #01
Start on a quiet day
Do not launch on a Friday night. Pick a day with fewer orders and try it with real orders.
- #02
Prepare the devices
Sign in with a separate device account, open the board and the number display addresses, switch to fullscreen and turn off energy saving.
- #03
Run it in parallel with paper
Keep paper for the first week. That shows where the screen falls behind without risking an order.
- #04
Train the team in 10 minutes
Show the three buttons: confirm, ready, handed over. Everyone on the line should handle one test order.
- #05
Drop the paper
When the team trusts the screen, stop the paper in the kitchen. The fiscal receipt stays with the till.
Most important: do not leave the team alone in the first week. Someone who knows the system should be on the line at the rush hour and answer questions. That way small hiccups do not become an excuse to go back to paper.
Checklist before launch
- Sound is audible at full service in the kitchen, not only on a quiet morning.
- The screen is on constant power and does not go to sleep.
- The Wi‑Fi signal is stable where the device sits.
- There is a spare device or at least a plan for an hour without the screen.
- The number display is visible from the queue and from the dining area.
- The team knows the three buttons and who presses them.
- The fiscal receipt is sorted with your till, separately from the screen.
Total7 items
For a higher average order on the way to the kitchen, also see upselling in the online menu. And if orders come from several channels, delivery zones help you limit the load.
Frequently asked questions
What is a kitchen display system (KDS)?
A screen in the kitchen that shows incoming orders instead of paper tickets. Cooks see what to prepare, how long an order has been waiting, and mark the status with a tap.
What do I need for a kitchen screen?
A device with a browser and a stable internet connection: a tablet of 10 inches or more, a TV with a small computer, or a laptop. You also need an account for the devices.
Can I use a TV?
Yes, it is the best fit for the number display. Connect it over HDMI to a device with a browser (Raspberry Pi, mini PC, Android TV stick) and switch to fullscreen.
What happens if the internet goes down?
The screen will not receive new orders until the connection returns. So keep a plan for paper or a second connection for that case.
Does the kitchen screen replace the fiscal receipt?
No. The screen shows orders for the kitchen. The fiscal receipt comes from the till. Check the details for your venue with your accountant.
How many devices can I use?
More than one. For example a tablet at the till and one in the kitchen, plus a TV for the number display.
Do I need a number display if I have waiters?
Not necessarily. It is most useful for pickup and kiosk ordering, where the guest waits alone. In a venue with table service, the kitchen screen is often enough.
This article is for information only and is not legal or tax advice.